The 8th circle
Since CTS is down I review George Renko's Intensive Course Tactics (I) again.
I did the CD already 7 times, more than a year ago.
While doing now the problems for the 8th time I estimate that in 25% of the cases I can reconstruct the answer fast, since I remember (parts of) the answer due to doing the 7 circles in the past. In 25% of the cases my new acquired skills at CTS helps me to get the answer (!). From the rest of the problems I remember vaguely that I have seen them before, but that doesn't help me with the answer.
So the results of the 7 circles after a year are somewhat meagre.
Of course I would do much better after 2 more repetitions now, but overall it isn't impressive.
I belief that has to do with the fact that the problems are rather complex. The combinations exist of ca. 6-13 parts each (see my post of past saturday and monday).
What WAS impressive though, was the amount of problems I could solve easier with the help of my new acquired skills at CTS. This is the first time I notice a cross-effect of doing problemset A influencing doing problemset B.
If the skills acquired at CTS help me in 25% of the cases of George Renko's Intensive Course Tactics (I), then it will help me in 25% of the cases of ANY given problemset.
The figures are estimated and rather subjective of course.
But no matter the exact figures, this is really an important fact!
It means that doing zillions of very basic problems helps to solve complex problems too.
I already hypothesized that, but now I have found the first shreds of evidence.
Man, I wished CTS was up again!
I did the CD already 7 times, more than a year ago.
While doing now the problems for the 8th time I estimate that in 25% of the cases I can reconstruct the answer fast, since I remember (parts of) the answer due to doing the 7 circles in the past. In 25% of the cases my new acquired skills at CTS helps me to get the answer (!). From the rest of the problems I remember vaguely that I have seen them before, but that doesn't help me with the answer.
So the results of the 7 circles after a year are somewhat meagre.
Of course I would do much better after 2 more repetitions now, but overall it isn't impressive.
I belief that has to do with the fact that the problems are rather complex. The combinations exist of ca. 6-13 parts each (see my post of past saturday and monday).
What WAS impressive though, was the amount of problems I could solve easier with the help of my new acquired skills at CTS. This is the first time I notice a cross-effect of doing problemset A influencing doing problemset B.
If the skills acquired at CTS help me in 25% of the cases of George Renko's Intensive Course Tactics (I), then it will help me in 25% of the cases of ANY given problemset.
The figures are estimated and rather subjective of course.
But no matter the exact figures, this is really an important fact!
It means that doing zillions of very basic problems helps to solve complex problems too.
I already hypothesized that, but now I have found the first shreds of evidence.
Man, I wished CTS was up again!
Here in Torshavn, Faroe Islands, we incounter the same error.
ReplyDeleteI miss CTS very much.
Space, thx, I'll give it a try.
ReplyDeleteCTS seems to have a serious problem. Still down.
ReplyDeleteI'd bet someody hacked them. I found serious flaws in their design. Could have been SQL injection.
ReplyDeleteOr a HD crash and they have only a backup from 2 years ago. Hope not:(
ReplyDeleteI think something was unusual b'fore the site is down--- recently you've got someone like crptone2 and crpstat making their ratings almost as high as Uraleech did--- roughly 2600! They did so by using the flaws of the site--- might be they hacked the site now.
ReplyDeleteHope not... CTS is awesome despite these flaws.
From somebody who is so dumb that he changes his own rating artificially you can expect everything, you mean?
ReplyDeleteYou might be right, but it is way beyond my imagination.
Anyway, I hope he is bored soon.
crptone2 = crptone = James Sun from Brookline High School Massachusetts USA. Hey J'adoube, can you explain to him the right use of computers? Don't forget your bokken!
ReplyDeleteCTS has definitely improved my vision. It's now rare that I blunder or miss a basic tactical shot in a real game. I hope they come back up soon. In the meanwhile I'm studying Polgar's brick and pawn endgames.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime I kept playing chess against my computer. (I don't even have official rating right now... still a very weak player)
ReplyDelete