Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games - What are the miniature games and combinations for?

Hey everybody,
I just recently bought the book Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games. I like solving the problems like mates in 1, 2, and 3 moves but I don't understand what the miniature games are for. Am I supposed just to read them to understand chess better? How am I supposed to learn from them?

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/chess-5334-problems-combinations-and-games

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-analysis/gm-games-from-laszlo-polgars-5334-book

The whole theme of that book is centered around attacking/mating the king. Hence all the mating problems in the beginning. The miniatures all end in an attack on the king. As do the combinations in the final section.

The 600 mini games are the best part of the book. You can pick up on different mating attacks. It's where I learned the double bishop sacrifice. You can go through the moves of the game or just simply solve the problem from the position in the diagram.

I think you'll enjoy the book more and get more out of it if you do a little bit in each section, as opposed to starting on page one and trying to solve all the mating problems.

Thank you all so much!

Okay, thank you! By the way, should I play out the games in my mind or play them on an actual board?

Whichever you prefer. I personally use a board

I use them for blindfold practice. they're just deep enough to where I can still "cheat" with the diagram if I'm trying to find pieces (I know that sounds strange as the diagram is normally right before the key move of a combo, but it just helps in my mind to be able to look at the squares of the diagram sometimes to help know where a piece is).

Hello everyone,

I hope this information proves helpful. Here are my thoughts on establishing a strong foundation in chess and my suggestions for utilizing the Polgar chess puzzle book.

“It’s my belief that every player needs a firm chess foundation to reach his potential, and the lack of such a foundation more or less forestalls any real hope of attaining the chess heights most players dream of.” – Jeremy Silman, "How to Reassess Your Chess, 4th Edition."

What does Jeremy Silman imply with "foundation"?

A strong foundation for a chess player includes mastering basic principles, tactical proficiency, strategic awareness, endgame skills, a well-rounded opening repertoire, analytical ability, and psychological resilience.

To start improving at chess, it's important to understand how we learn.

There are four stages of learning chess

Mainly focusing on recognizing patterns:

1. Unconscious Incompetence: You don't notice chess patterns during play because you're not aware of them.

2. Conscious Incompetence: You realize there are patterns in chess, but you struggle to spot and use them effectively.

3. Conscious Competence: You can consciously spot chess patterns and use them with effort and concentration during the game.

4. Unconscious Competence: You've practiced chess patterns so much that you recognize and use them automatically, without needing to think about it.

If there are gaps (blind spots) in the foundation of chess skills, problems will arise later on. For example:

When beginners learn how to capture pieces in chess, they often overlook all available options. During training, they typically focus on the most obvious moves. For example, in this position, White has nine different ways to attack the pawn, but one of these options results in the loss of the queen. If the player only considers three out of the nine possibilities, players develop blind spots in their chess vision because they neglect to explore the other six potential moves. Continuing in this manner will result in our chess vision having holes and blind spots.

The following example illustrates how this can occur:

Even Grandmasters can overlook certain aspects of a position. In this scenario, White appears to have a winning advantage, with the Black Knight pinned, but Black is threatening checkmate at g2. Black is also planning to play Nf5 to escape the pin and simultaneously attack White's queen on e2. Sample line 18.f3 Nf5 19.Bb5 Nxd4 gives white problems. Essentially, Black is indirectly attacking both e2 and g2 squares. To secure an easier win, White needs to address both threats. White may have initially considered moves like Qf3 or Qg4, as these are forward-looking moves, and defend g2 but undefended Bc4. However, White opted for f3, failing to recognize that Qf1! would defend against the mate threat, defends Bc4, keeps potential battery Bb5 attacking the queen, and also relocate the queen away from potential harassment by the Nf5. Sample line 18.Qf1 Nf5 19.Bb5 Nxd4 loses to 20.Bxc6 wining the queen. Why wasn't Qf1 played? most likely a blindspot in calculation. How can this be fixed? Expand Your Candidate Moves: Often, players limit themselves to only a few moves in their calculations. Force yourself to consider a wider range of candidate moves in each position. Look for forcing moves (checks, captures, and threats) as well as candidate moves that improve your position or disrupt your opponent's plans. With consistent practice and dedication, internalize this approach until it becomes instinctual, like a woodpecker tirelessly honing its craft.Playing perfect chess is not guaranteed, but employing these strategies will certainly minimize the number of positions where you overlook key moves.

How can we train to establish that foundation?

In my opinion, thats where Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games comes into play. Woodpeckering these patterns to the point that you recognize the solutions automatically will guaranteed give you a strong tactical foundation when recognizing mates, and help you find better candidate moves.Before the woodpecker method, GM Maurice Ashley, as an IM, would monthly go through Fred Reinfeld's books: 1001 checkmates and 1001 sacrifices and combinations to stay tactically sharp.

How do miniature games and combinations contribute to building a strong foundation?

In chess, players often encounter what is commonly referred to as "the fog." This sensation entails a struggle to perceive the board clearly, hindering the ability to foresee moves and calculate consequences effectively. The lack of clarity leads to mistakes such as hanging pieces and overlooking straightforward tactics, leaving players feeling helpless and reactive.

Players can enhance their ability to analyze the game quickly by mentally visualizing moves and scenarios without physically moving the pieces. Utilizing miniature games to train blindfolded can significantly improve this particular skill.

To enhance visualization skills in chess, try these techniques:

Blindfold Chess: Practice playing or analyzing games without physically moving the pieces or looking at the board. This sharpens mental visualization abilities.

Visualization Exercises: Set up chess positions, close your eyes, and visualize the board and piece placements. Move the pieces mentally to explore different variations.

Tactical Puzzles: start with solving mate in 1 puzzles without moving the pieces on the board. Visualize the positions and calculate moves mentally before confirming them. As you improve you move on to mate in 2 and so on.

Final Thoughts

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” ― Jim Ryun

I believe many players, even those starting out, understand the importance of learning from their mistakes, studying games played by experts, and practicing solving tactical puzzles, among other essential things. Yet, understanding what needs to be done doesn't necessarily translate to taking action! Making it a habit will make it easier than ever to improve consistently. One effective strategy is to read through the Polgar chess book and note how long it takes you. Then, aim to reread it in less time each subsequent attempt, gradually building your speed and pattern recognition.

Beware the player who diligently practices with the Polgar chess book, honing their skills like a woodpecker on a tree trunk.