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Thinking about how we think
Computers are incredibly strong tactically because they can analyze variations deeply and quickly. They examine many more candidate moves than human beings, considering even the moves that look "crazy" to a human eye.
A budding Fischer, Kasparov, or Tal must develop strong tactical skills and be able to find combinations easily.
The Kotov Method
In his famous work Think Like a Grandmaster, Alexander Kotov suggested a policy of establishing candidate moves and being systematic in analyzing them. He made an interesting assumption: we can borrow methods from how computers calculate and apply them to our own thinking processes.
Being able to see moves ahead and assess positions is a vital ingredient to combinational vision. Kotov noted several important tips for digging up resources buried in a position:
- Efficiency: Examine just as many variations as necessary—no more, no less.
- Prioritization: Identify the really important lines immediately.
- Discipline: Be systematic. Look at each variation once and only once; do not jump around chaotically.
Man vs. Machine
These tips need intelligent qualification because the way computers "think" is completely different from the way humans think.
Humans have the ability to abstract and form plans. Conversely, computers (historically) relied on brute-force calculation (alpha-beta pruning) rather than understanding planning concepts.
The Role of Experience
Finding the "really important" variations is aided by experience. Experience acts as a filter, allowing a player to quickly find the most relevant moves. For example:
- An experienced Sicilian Dragon player will instinctively look for sacrifices on c3.
- An experienced King's Indian player will inherently know the thematic attacks on the kingside.
Emotion and Fear
Computers have no emotions and no fear. They do not become "tired" or make elementary blunders due to pressure.
Kotov's advice to "never go over a variation twice" mimics computer efficiency, but for a human, it feels risky! If you are about to sacrifice your Queen, it is naturally reassuring to double-check the soundness of the combination. Computers do not suffer the emotional weight of a potential loss.
However, this human need for reassurance must be balanced against discipline. Jumping from one variation to another and back again can lead to time trouble and confusion. The goal is to adopt the structural framework of computer analysis while retaining human intuition.
Training our Tactical Vision
How can we practically improve this skill? Here are several proven methods:
- Deep Analysis: Follow Kotov's advice: take complicated positions from master games, analyze them thoroughly without moving the pieces, and then compare your notes to the annotator's analysis.
- Puzzle Solving: Solve chess puzzles from books or websites to sharpen your pattern recognition.
- Visualization: Practice playing through games in your head (blindfold) or reading game scores without a board to improve your ability to visualize future positions.
- Tournament Play: Serious tournament practice forces you to visualize moves ahead under competitive pressure.
- Tactical Openings: Play openings that are highly tactical in nature (e.g., the Open Sicilian) to expose yourself to more combinational possibilities.
- Computer Review: Have your games analyzed by a strong engine to reveal tactical resources you might have completely missed during the game.