Visualization is the ability to picture the board and move pieces mentally without physically touching them. Itβs a core calculation skill that separates casual players from strong ones.
Close your eyes and imagine where each piece sits after one or two moves. Practise short sequences until they feel natural.
Relate files and ranks to familiar coordinates or colours. Anchoring helps you keep track of squares during longer calculations.
Gradually increase the number of moves you can visualise. Move from 2-move patterns to small tactical puzzles entirely in your head.
Try flipping the board mentally β seeing from your opponentβs point of view deepens spatial understanding.
Strong visualization turns chess from guesswork into foresight. Train daily in small doses, and your accuracy and confidence will grow steadily.