Translating logic into patterns
Since I have in the meantime a fairly good understanding about the process of gaining tactical skill, every exercise provides a chance to zoom in and add precision to the details.The base is, logical reasoning must become better. That is an activity of system 2. System 1 looks over the shoulder of system 2 and adds its magic, like storing patterns, remembering analogies, visualisation and the like. But without an improvement in logical reasoning, there can be no progress.
So focus on system 2 and try to work on your logic. The following is a perfect example. For me, if you see the solution at once, or just fast, you need a more challenging problem.
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| Black to move. Mate in 3 |
[solution]
Once you solved it, you must take your time to describe the logic with precision.
This is the general rule of gaining skill in any area. Focus on adding precision to the logical reasoning. And system 1 will follow. My memory, association and visualisation are generally good enough. It's my logic that sucks. It's all about the why. WHY does this work.
The same is true for openings study, of course.
I added a picture of prof. Feynman
ReplyDeleteGreat example, especially since a weakness of mine is visualization of mating nets. It helps a lot to articulate mentally which escape squares for the king need to be cut off, and only then look for moves that can accomplish the goal.
ReplyDeleteLogic works cumulative. In every "circle" you discover something new. Once you nailed it, you will notice that you lose your patience to do something that is so slow as logical reasoning. Since you already know, which is much faster. This by the way, is a lawnmawer mate.
DeleteThis is what I wrote in 2008 about the relation between narratives and chess vision: "I think the main reason why we are so bad at chess is because we fall for the temptation of looking at candidate moves without defining the criteria first. You can follow any sequence of logical looking but randomly selected candidate moves. But there is a whole tree of variations and only if you are very lucky you will find the correct sequence within a reasonable time and without error. If you found it, or looked it up you have the solution to the problem. If you leave it there, and only repeat the problems and their solutions, you can hardly hope that it will effect future solutions of different problems."
DeleteSummarizing, visualization is guided by logical narratives. Trial and error doesn't provide this guidance. You can visualize 10 ply in the future when there is a logical story which supports it. We need logical criteria for our candidate moves. Criteria that go way beyond CCT or seeds of tactical destruction.
DeleteFirst you see the lawnmower. Then you see the defender that causes it not to work. Then you figure out how you can prevent the defender from doing its job. It's trial and error. But for logical reasoning, not for brainless series of moves.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance, I "saw" that the two Rooks "hint" at the lawnmower mate because the Black King cuts off 3 squares (d7, e7, f7). So, just move the BRd7 to g6—checkmate! Unfortunately, Rooks don't move like that. (So much for Capablanca's vaunted idea of just shuffling the pieces into the required position.) So, start looking at the squares that could constitute a "box" around the White King. The two squares that are NOT part of a typical lawnmower mate that are part of the "box" are c6 (protected by the b7 Pawn) and d5 (protected by the c6-Pawn). The BRg5 cuts off f5, e5 and d5 (which is redundant because the c6-Pawn already cuts off this square - this is a clue that we might need to move the BRg5 in some variation). The BRd7 is redundantly cutting off the same squares as the Black King, so it seems highly likely that the first move MIGHT involve this piece. So what's left to form the "box"? The d6 and f6 square are the only available squares for the White King to try to escape from the "box." If the BRd7.checks the White King with 1...Re7+, then the White King can only move to one of these two available squares. (This reduces the number of candidate moves.) 2. Kd6 allows instant mate by 2...BRg6# - because the (protected) c6-Pawn controls the potential escape to d5.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the problem condition is Black to mate in 3 moves, not two. So, look at the only alternative 2. Kf6. Now the lawnmower mate pattern appears. With 2...Reg7, Black sets up the mate pattern as a threat. The White King can try to reach the escape square c7 but is still hemmed in by the Black King AND is now two squares away from d6 (from which it can reach c7). Any White move (for example, 3. Ke6) allows 3...Rgg6#. None of the other White pieces can do anything to assist the King.
There is a faint smell of the lawnmower pattern in the initial position, but it is not clear because the White King can reach the escape square d6 in one move if Black attempts to directly set up that pattern with 1...Rdg7 2. Kd6. 2...Kd8 allows White to set up a potential blocker with 3. e5. Black can still mate with 3...R7g6+ 4. e6 Rd5# but that doesn't mate in 3 moves. (There's also an alternative of moving the White King back to e6, since the Black King is no longer protecting f7, leaving a "hole" in the corner of the "box.".)
A fun exercise!
It is easy to miss 1. ... Rg7 2. Rf3. If the chess logic isn't comprehensive, it is blunder prone. OTOH it is not rocket science.
ReplyDelete