Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Play chess games, and play a lot. Similar to riding a bike, the more you do it, the better you get at it. Picking up the pieces and playing the most you can is the first key component to being able to effectively analyze games.
Read chess books. Chess books provide insight into the game, such as the opening, middle-game, endgame and strategy. There are hundreds of chess books on the market, and many are divided up depending on skill level. Typically, a player with a rating below 1,400 is a novice, 1,400-1,800 is intermediate, and anything more than 1,800 is advanced. Reading a chess book that corresponds to a specific skill level provides understanding into the game.
Look at a chess game move for move. Some players recommend using a computer chess program (such as the Crafty chess engine) to analyze games. These programs will go through a specific chess game and analyze the game move for move. They even determine which player has the advantage based upon position and pieces. However, this is not always the best way to analyze a game. A chess program such as this will simply tell the mathematical positional truth --- such analytical chess analysis often keeps the "why" or "how" and the human element of chess completely in the dark. Nevertheless, computer analysis such as this can be effective when paired with other modes of analysis.
Analyze chess games, in particular your own chess games. When paired with reading chess books (to understand strategy) and playing chess games (to gain experience), analyzing your own chess games becomes palpable and effective. First, it is important to take notes while you play and after you play. Jot down what you are thinking about specific positions during a game. Why did that position make you frustrated or anxious? Why did you lose that encounter? After the game, come back to your notes, replay the positions, and try to answer your observations from the game. That way, in similar future situations, you will be able to understand multiple ways to execute the position. Second, share your thoughts and post-game analysis with a player who is equal or better than you. Getting another player's views can make understanding a game clairvoyant.
Amalgamate playing, reading and analyzing. A player may have trouble analyzing a game if she does not properly understand chess basics, such as openings and strategy. In order to understand all facets of chess, playing, reading and analyzing all need to be applied.