Temposchlucker

. . . . Munich and I try to resolve which range of problems you should choose at CT. We make use of the metaphor of learning a new language. We agree that the problems rated below 1500 can be compared to the syllables of words. When I extend the metaphor, I compare 1500-1900 problems with whole words and >1900 with sentences. Artificial words like desoxyribonucleic acid are to compare with composed problems with artificial clues you won't encounter in real games. Take a look at the diagram below. . . . . Black to move. You can find the solution here . The compounding patterns of the combination pop up easily enough. And I shouldn't be too worried if you need a minute or two for that in stead of 10 seconds. Here are the patterns: The main weakness of white is the pinned bishop on b4. It calls for an extra attack. For instance with Be7 or Ba5 White has a discovered attack with Bf8+.  That helps you to decide between

. . . . I'm doing high rated problems at CT in sets of 50 at the time. I'm trying to work out why I keep missing them and try to take measures to prevent to miss them in the future. Of course I want to test that so I do the circles in a slow way a second time after a while. Since I missed a lot the second time too, it is not unlogical that at a certain moment I want to test the same problemset a third time in slow fashion. Since even the third time I miss a few I know I will have to do them a fourth time slow to get them all right. And if I have them all right, it is logical I want to ingrain the patterns and speed them up. What do you think, would doing them 3 times at full speed be enough? I hope so. But look what I have reinvented here: those darned 7 circles again! Only with one little difference ! At the moment I started a new series of 50. I want to know if my method has any effect when I encounter new problems. Since I scored the old probl

. . . Munich found this crushing attack by white at CT. See diagram. It is a 1830 rated blitz problem which is a beautiful illustration of pattern recognition guided by context. White to move. . . . You can find the solution here . As you see a lot of people miss this tactic due to the wrong context. At CT you expect problems of a certain difficulty. You don't expect a simple capture. The 1830 blitz rating and my description of the crushing attack might have put even you on the wrong foot. But then again, if attacking a queen isn't crushing, I don't know what is:) The message is that we see what we are looking for and that we don't see what we are not looking for. Even when it stares you in the face. Allthough that is very economical for the brain, it means that we have immense blind spots. Both in chess and in life. If you think this doesn't apply to you since you saw the queen capture immediately, you are wrong.