Improve Your Chess Calculation: A Review

Hello, my fellow Calculators; and welcome to another edition of the Osaka Papers. A wise man once said,

Calculation Over Everthang.

Is this true? Arguably family and loved ones, might be more important, but when it comes to chess there is no attribute that is more critical than one's ability to calculate. Modern engines can outperform any grandmaster in the world, this is due to their capacity to calculate literally quadrillions of positions per second.

Yet, what about us mere mortals? Is it possible for humble club players and online patzers to make meaningful improvement in our calculation ability?

Improve Your Chess Calculation is a best selling chess book and chessable course, designed to help students enhance that allusive skill. 

Former British Champion and world-renowned coaching guru Grandmaster Ramesh RB has helped luminaries like Praggnanandhaa and Daniel Naroditsky to improve at the highest levels. He also caused a stir in the chess world by coaching the India "B" team to a bronze medal in their debut Chess Olympiad appearance, ahead of top-seeded countries.  

With such credentials it would seem self-evident that the book/course should be required reading for any serious player...

Yet, coaching prodigies like Pragg is one thing; helping 40 year old club players, who plateaued half a decade ago, quite another. Is this book/course really worth it? Can it help you improve your calculation?

Well, allow me to enlighten you. 

The Pros

The Levels

The materials are divided into five categories:

• Level 1 = Elo rating 1200-1600
• Level 2 = 1600-2000
• Level 3 = 2000-2400
• Level 4 = 2400-2600
• Level 5 - 2600 & above

The above is just a general recommendation, some players may find that they can solve positions above their rating. Or like myself, you might find that you struggle to solve positions below your rating...O_o...at times like those you will question what you're doing with your life, but no pain no gain.

I appreciate the levels, as it allows players to concentrate on material that is suitable for them, instead wasting time trying to figure out positions that would stump Nakamura. 

Words of Wisdom

The course is full of complex positions, but GM Ramesh also takes the time to impart some of the knowledge he has accrued as a top level trainer.

• Correcting common thought process mistakes.
• Adjusting your mindset and calculation process.
• Mindset adjustment and psychology.
• Building fundamental skills. 
• Managing your time.

Are just a few of the topics that he goes over in the written sections of the course. I think almost anyone can just throw together some puzzles, but his advice really strikes at some of the issues that keep us from improving.

Real & Hard

The course is really hard; my chess.com puzzle rating is 2900 and I still found even the level 1 positions difficult. So, I gotta assume that this is good for chess brain; it is not so good for my hand which I almost broke by slamming it down on my coffee table in rage after blundering yet another level 1 position, but that is my own issue...

Moreover, most of the positions are realistic, they are taken from real games and training sessions. Furthermore, many precipitate slight advantages or equal positions rather than mates in 3 or 4 moves. It is great to solve a puzzle that leads to a crushing position, but most games are won by accumulating tiny advantages. The course does a great job demonstrating this fact.

The Cons

It's Really Hard...

Yes, I realize this was just listed as a pro, but hear me out. The course material is great and I think a lot players can benefit from it, but if you're a beginner or on the wrong side of ~1200, then perhaps you should go with a more rudimentary course. This is the kind of stuff that the kid from Searching For Bobby Fischer would studying, so it's definitely not suitable for everyone.

Level Distribution

As mentioned earlier, the material is divided into 5 levels, but I found that these levels weren't always evenly divided throughout the course. So, if you're only doing the level 1 and 2 positions like myself, you might find that there are points where you end up skipping through sections because almost all the material in it happens to be above your level.

Compositions and Studies

The following is more a personal gripe rather than a true con: an entire section is given over to improving calculation through solving studies.

I just happen to not enjoy solving compositions, they are usually some unrealistic positions that no matter how complicated end by under promoting to a knight; however if GM Ramesh recommends it, you should probably being doing it, so as I said this is just my preference.

The Magnus Effect

Here are a few positions that should give you a good idea of the material. Where applicable I have listed the level and recommended time to solve, feel free to ignore these if you enjoy living dangerously.

via Wallpaperflare.com

Chapter 1) Dynamic and Static positions

(Level 1)

Task: Time to think 2 minutes.

(Level 1)

Task: Find a mating attack against the White king; be careful not to just go for the "obvious" move, make sure it actually works. Time to think 10 minutes.

Wolfgang Jekel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In this chapter, GM Ramesh shares a few games and positions that he has used to train his students at various points in time. The chapter aims to recreate the training session for the reader and show the students' typical mistakes.

Chapter 2) Calculation training with students

(Level 1-3)

Task: Time to think 3 to 5 minutes.

How about one from the guru himself.

Chapter 5) Common mistakes chess players make while calculating.

(Level 2)

Task: Find the best continuation for White time to think 3 to 5 minutes.

Two Thumbs Up

And that's it, that's my review of Improve Your Chess Calculation by GM Ramesh RB. I give it two thumbs up, and would recommend it to any player who is serious about improving their ability to calculate complex positions, but with one caveat, take your time. If GM Ramesh suggests you take 10 minutes to look at a position, you're probably best off taking his advice, even if you think you see the solution right away, as it is important to develop your capacity to see your opponents most formidable resources. 

If this course is of interest to you, you can navigate to it by going to the "Learn" section then clicking on the "Chessable Courses" link. https://www.chess.com/learn,

(And no, chess.com is not paying me to write...but yes, they should be...)

As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to share these positions with your friends down at the Bar or Bookstore.

Cheers, SheldonOfOsaka...

The Haters

Me: Oh...hey, theoretical haters, who I made up for the purposes' of this argument...how have you guys been doing?

Haters: Better than you...those positions were easy, it took us like 30 seconds to find all four...

Me: OK, well, I only chose amongst the lower level positions, so that the greatest number of people could understand them, but since you guys are sooooooo good at chess, I'm sure you can handle this level 5 position...

Knock yourselves out.

Chapter 3) The Analytical Process

(Level 5)

Task: Try to refute 26...Bxd4. Time to think 5 to 8 minutes.