1. Account suspended
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    08 Oct '14 10:184 edits
    I've discovered that its easier to calculate when you close your eyes. I learned it from watching Boris Gelfand. He closes his eyes and goes into these long deep thinking sessions. Try it, you'll be amazed. Why it works I cannot say, but it does. Before when i did tactical puzzles i could never get above the 1700 level, now I am above 1900 just cause I started to close my eyes and visualise the sequence. Isn't that amazing?
  2. New Braunfels, Texas
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    08 Oct '14 17:57
    Tried it. Fell asleep. Got timed out. πŸ™
  3. Account suspended
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    08 Oct '14 20:37
    Originally posted by MontyMoose
    Tried it. Fell asleep. Got timed out. πŸ™
    you tried it in a correspondence game, why did you do that? there is an analysis board for checking variations and you don't really need to visualise like you do when you are solving problems.
  4. SubscriberPaul Leggett
    Chess Librarian
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    08 Oct '14 22:12
    Originally posted by robbie carrobie
    you tried it in a correspondence game, why did you do that? there is an analysis board for checking variations and you don't really need to visualise like you do when you are solving problems.
    If he does it for CC, it will strengthen his calculating ability when he plays OTB.

    I think the analysis board is useful for checking variations, but not so much for providing inspiration. Queen sacs begin with inspiration, and only after that are they verified or rejected by calculation.
  5. New Braunfels, Texas
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    09 Oct '14 01:09
    Originally posted by robbie carrobie
    ...you tried it in a correspondence game...
    That was the joke, my friend. πŸ™‚
  6. Account suspended
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    09 Oct '14 09:06
    Originally posted by MontyMoose
    That was the joke, my friend. πŸ™‚
    sorry dude, I should have known, I had visions of you falling from your chair πŸ˜€
  7. Account suspended
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    09 Oct '14 09:112 edits
    Originally posted by Paul Leggett
    If he does it for CC, it will strengthen his calculating ability when he plays OTB.

    I think the analysis board is useful for checking variations, but not so much for providing inspiration. Queen sacs begin with inspiration, and only after that are they verified or rejected by calculation.
    sure, you know I have discovered that because i play a lot of CC and blitz I don't really calculate when i should, it seems strange as the two seem so completely at different spectrum's, but it is. In CC there is often no need because we can look at the analysis board and work through the variations using that and in blitz its difficult because we don't have the time. This is a very bad combination, very bad indeed. It only came to me after i watched a GM Daniel King Video on calculation, 20/20 calculation it was called.
  8. Subscribermoonbus
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    14 Oct '14 04:411 edit
    Originally posted by robbie carrobie
    I've discovered that its easier to calculate when you close your eyes. I learned it from watching Boris Gelfand. He closes his eyes and goes into these long deep thinking sessions. Try it, you'll be amazed. Why it works I cannot say, but it does. Before when i did tactical puzzles i could never get above the 1700 level, now I am above 1900 just cause I started to close my eyes and visualise the sequence. Isn't that amazing?
    I suppose one could just as well stare off into space too. It's mostly internal visualization at GM level. Ever wonder how GMs play simultaneous blindfold games?
  9. Account suspended
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    14 Oct '14 08:314 edits
    Originally posted by moonbus
    I suppose one could just as well stare off into space too. It's mostly internal visualization at GM level. Ever wonder how GMs play simultaneous blindfold games?
    I think staring into space might be more difficult as you could get distracted, but I see a lot of the top players doing it. All players do it, its a part of calculation, the tricky part is being able to evaluate what is left on the board after the sequence of events. Anyway here is a nice piece of calculation from the world junior championship, girls section.

    Rout Padmini v Ioana Gelip,
  10. Account suspended
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    14 Oct '14 13:29
    Originally posted by robbie carrobie
    I've discovered that its easier to calculate when you close your eyes. I learned it from watching Boris Gelfand. He closes his eyes and goes into these long deep thinking sessions. Try it, you'll be amazed. Why it works I cannot say, but it does. Before when i did tactical puzzles i could never get above the 1700 level, now I am above 1900 just cause I started to close my eyes and visualise the sequence. Isn't that amazing?
    I may help because it prevents typical mistake in a calculation: you look at the present position on the table while in your mind you made several moves but on the table a piece is still there (or isn't there), and you continue your combination with "ghost pieces".
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