How to automatically create tactical quizzes

by Albert Silver
10/7/2021 – Solving tactical puzzles can be fun, but what if you could automatically create your own, even from your own games? Nothing could be easier thanks to the analysis tools in both the Fritz interface or ChessBase. In fact, it can be a fun way to review your online games and be tested on the moves where you or your opponent missed a shot. Read on to learn how!

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You just played a game, or a series of games, and want to review them. You could easily just run the blunder check function as shown in a previous tutorial, but what if you could be quizzed on key positions in the games, just like solving a set of tactics? Likewise, you can just grab a series of games and let the program do the rest, and then test yourself on the many quiz positions it produces.

Which function to use

Both Fritz and ChessBase share this function, though they both call it by a different name. In Fritz it is called Full Analysis.

Whereas in ChessBase this function is called Tactical Analysis.

Despite this slight incongruency in naming, both functions are identical and will allow you to automatically generate test positions for you to solve.

How to use it

Both programs make it very simple to apply to a single game. In Fritz, just make sure the game is visible and open, and in Analysis, choose Full Analysis. If you are using ChessBase then open a game, and in Analysis, choose Tactical Analysis.

In both cases a pane will open with a series of options. Set the time per move to one second, Fine, and be sure to check Training. This last is essential.

The first thing to realize is that even with just one second, the engine will produce analysis far beyond anything you can hope to reach, and is more than enough to find all major tactics. Unless you are a Super GM, most of your games will be defined by missed shots from both sides. The second setting, Fine, provides more detailed results, and sometimes more training positions to solve. And finally Training is to produce the positions to solve.

After it finishes its run, you may easily encounter multiple training positions in a single game. Each will be preceded by a diagram and message to tell you what you are looking for. If you find it too hard you can just click on Solution.

In the list of games in a database, you will find the games with such positions tagged with a t.

Fat Fritz 2

Fat Fritz 2.0 is the successor to the revolutionary Fat Fritz, which was based on the famous AlphaZero algorithms. This new version takes chess analysis to the next level and is a must for players of all skill levels.

Analyzing multiple games

One convenient feature is the ability to analyze a whole series of games. In Fritz, you will need to enter the Database and open a base you want to select from. Then highlight the games and click on Full Analysis.

In ChessBase, you don't even need to actually open a database. You can click on a base, and in the list preview, highlight the games you want to analyze, and right-click and choose Tactical Analysis

Sample game with training positions

 

So the next time you finish a session of some online blitz or bullet, consider running Tactical Analysis on them, and at least looking at the Training positions taken from your games. Not only can it be fun, but it may help isolate problem oversights and help you work on them.

You can buy ChessBase 16 in the shop by clicking here


Born in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.

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