During our lesson, on playchess and with the help of Skype, Yelena suddenly made the remark that I always calculate the same line over and over after each move and came to the same conclusion over and over before I started calculating other possible combinations. You lose time this way, valuable time you would need later in the game. "I get the impression you forget where the pieces are", Yelena said. Which is true, I wouldn't be able to reconstruct the position on the board with so many pieces on it. Parts of the position I remember but not the whole position. Even when I calculate Yelena sometimes has to remind me to look at the whole board and not just a part of it. THE EXERCISE To learn how to remember the position of all the pieces on the board there is an easy, simple, exercise. 1. Put your chessboard on the table. 2. Take six pieces, at random, and put then on any square you want. Just put the pieces on the board. 3. Take a look of 30 seconds at the position. 4. Turn your back to the position and write down on a piece of paper where each piece (black bishop on , white queen on ) is standing. 5. Check if you got it all correct. IF not correct 6. Turn your back to the position and write down on a piece of paper where each piece (black bishop on , white pawn(s) )is standing. 7. Check if you got it all correct. If correct 6. Put all six pieces on another square, look for 15 seconds at the position. 7. Turn your back to the board and write on a piece of paper where every piece stands. If you succeed in this with only using five seconds then you can add a piece or two and start the exercise all over again. Offcourse you can use endgame books and use the diagrams in them to do the exercise. Using a real chessboard is best if you are a 'over the board' player. Have fun!!! Posted in Fun Post Date 06/16/2018
Do you know where they are?