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Calculation Training

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Select a personal game played against MadChess or played online.

  1. Select four critical positions from the game, either my move or my opponent’s move.
  2. Spend five minutes per position analyzing possible continuations.
    1. Do not use any computer assistance.
    2. Add variations to the PGN file.
  3. Run MadChess engine in MultiPV mode to verify analysis.
  4. Run Komodo* chess engine in MultiPV mode to verify MadChess analysis.
  5. Add interesting variations found by MadChess and Komodo to the PGN file.
  6. Write a blog post about the game, focusing on the critical positions.

* Or any other world-class chess engine.

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Thought Process

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Dana Mackenzie suggests before moving, ask the following questions.

  1. What are the pawn breaks?
  2. What are my and my opponent’s best and worst placed pieces?
  3. What pieces are targeted and vulnerable?
  4. What are the possible trades, and which ones benefit me?
  5. Where are the best squares for my pieces?
  6. Who would be winning the endgame?
  7. Who has the safer king?
  8. On which side of the board should I play?
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The Opposition

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In the endgame, one king is stronger than the other by “having the opposition.”
Offensively, this means the ability to push the opposing king aside.
Defensively, this means the ability to prevent the opposing king from reaching advantageous squares.

2k5/8/8/8/1PK5/8/8/8 b - - 0 57

The black king can prevent the white king from entering key squares (a6, b6, c6) required to promote the white pawn.