Visualization Training

Submitted by GatoNegro on Fri, 04/11/2008 at 2:13am.

Most of us find it sometimes difficult to visualize variations during a game. In order to calculate different moves we must be able to "see" the moves in our mind without moving the pieces. Of course I'm not talking about correspondence chess but about over the board chess.

Here are a few techniques to train your visualization:

1. Write on 64 pieces of paper the coordinates of the squares of the chess board (a1,b1,c1 etc until h8). Without looking at the chessboard, pick one of those papers at random and guess wether it's a black or a white square. Make two piles one for your black guesses and one for your white guesses. When you have done all the squares, look at a chess board to see how many were correct.

1b. Pick two of the pieces of paper and try to visualize the fastest way to move with a Knight from one square to the other. For example finding the shortest route to go from g5 to a3.

1c. Pick one of the pieces of paper and visualize the diagonals where this square is located. Name the squares where the diagonals start and end. For example: square c3 is on diagonals a1-h8 and e1-a5.

2. Watch one of my chess videos on YouTube ( http://youtube.com/user/Majnu2006 ) and try to follow the game without looking at the pc screen. Mostly in the videos each move is spoken so you can hear each move.

2b. If you find the previous to difficult you can try to follow the game looking at an empty chessboard.

Good luck!

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