Calculation training for advanced players

by ChessBase
4/10/2018 – Calculating variations quickly and precisely is the basis for success in chess. Of course, modern chess engines calculate quicker and more precise than any human being. And Fritz 16 can help you to improve your calculation skills. An earlier tutorial focused on basic calculation training. Now we take a look at how more advanced calculators can take advantage of the tools in Fritz and the ChessBase account | Drawing: ChessBase

Calculation Training Calculation Training

This DVD emphasizes the importance of training your calculation skills. Dutch IM Robert Ris made a selection of training material which he uses in lessons with students ranging from 1400 to 2400.

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Advanced training with Fritz 16

Fritz 16 not only helps to practice basic calculation skills, it also helps more advanced players to practice their calculation skills.

From the classic menu, go to Training → Calculation Training or press CRTL + ALT + B.

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We start Fritz 16 with the tab "Classic Menu" and head for Calculation Training

You can start the calculation training from any position in any game — your own games or the games of Carlsen, Kramnik, Kasparov or any other player, e.g. if you play through a game and you happen to want to practice your calculation skills. 

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You enter the moves by clicking on the appropriate squares or by moving the pieces with the mouse.

Every move you enter is automatically added to the notation which allows you to navigate through your calculations with mouse or arrows. You can always enter new variations — but you won't see them on the board. No matter how many moves you enter, the pieces always remain in the starting position to imitate the situation in a practical game.

However, in the notation the moves are given without indicating which piece moved, that is "1.c3-e2 f2-f1 2.e2-g1" instead of "1.Nc3-e2 f2-f1Q+ 2.Ne2-g1" etc.

"Check tactics" asks an engine to check and to analyse your calculations — although the board window still remains the same.

The engine evaluates all the moves you entered during your calculations. For simple moves, it awards one point; for strong moves, you do get four points. For careless mistakes, one point is deducted.

After you decided to "Finish calculation training" you are asked whether you want to merge your lines with the game notation.

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Click or tap to enlarge

Train on Playchess or the web

You can practise your calculation skills on Playchess — e.g. during the transmission of a tournament — however, this only works with single-board transmissions, not with multi-board transmissions.

The Fritz Online WebApp of the ChessBase accounts also offers calculation training. You can use this function any time, e.g. if you see an interesting position in a top game and are tempted to compare your calculations with the moves (and later analyses) of the game!

Other training functions that help to stimulate your calculation skills are "Assisted Analysis" and the "Blindfold" function of Fritz.

Assisted calculation

Calculate the variations!

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