Thought process/checks, captures, threats questions

Hi im looking for your advice please. I have so far used a more positional evalution approach but I miss lots of tactics and blunder so im going to do a forcing move/threat scan first. I've been reading about checking all checks, captures, threats(CCT) on verious sites. But im taking way to much time over the board checking every CCT.

Do you analyze every CCT after every opponents move or should I only analyze the new threats created by my opponents move?

If it is every CCT every move what order do you analyze them?

e.g all opponenets CCT, then all your CCT or vice versa.

Or all checks both for your opponent and yourself, then all captures for both players, then all threats.

Thanks

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http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/why-is-why-the-most-important-question-to-ask-in-chess-positions

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http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/what-do-you-say-to-yourself-before-you-make-a-move

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http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-to-get-in-the-habit-of-using-tactics

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http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/your-mental-checklist-you-run-through-before-each-move

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http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/avoiding-mistakes---list-of-thinking-processes

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http://www.chess.com/blog/Larceny/chess-thought-process

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http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/systematic-approach-to-finding-moves

If you can't look at checks, captures, and threats fast enough when you play, then you need to do more tactics problems until you recognize those moves without thinking.

Generally you should check to see if your opponent has a major threat against you. If there is a threat, then the positional evaluation doesn't matter, because you have to deal with your opponent's threat. So you look for that first.

I agree with rtr.  

Always look for your opponent's threats after every move.  That does not mean looking at every CCT after every move.  If you find you are missing threats but you are in fact looking, then go train positions with the theme of what you missed until you never miss it again.  And don't forget Cecil Purdy's advice about threats -- make sure they are in fact real threats before you start searching for ways to defend against it ("recognize the unreality of their unreal threats").

Once you've mastered the step of always looking for threats, then you need to make sure you do a "blunder check" before you actually make a move.  Just visualize the position in your mind of the move you are considering making, and then treat it like a tactical puzzle and see if you opponent can refute it.  Usually a refutation would come in the form of a forcing move, like a check or capture.

Separately, you should train lots of tactics so you learn to spot opportunities on the board for yourself and your opponent.  You should learn to look for certain visual clues, like an exposed/stalemated king, undefended pieces, pieces in a line, etc.

In terms of what order you should analyze candidate moves, I suggest looking at the most forcing moves first since those are often easiest to calculate but also have the greatest impact on the position.

Thanks for the replies they have helped and given me food for thought.

What would you suggest as a specific order to do a threat scan? Which order below would be best? Is there a better order? Does it make a difference?

1. Examine opponents CCT, then your CCT.

or

2. Examine checks for both players, then captures for both, then threats for both.

Thanks

I think it depends on what you are doing.  If you're looking for a process to use to solve tactical puzzles, then I'd begin by looking at your opponent's threats, then look at opportunities for yourself.

if you're talking about a process to use in actual play, then I'd agree with bb_gum's general approach above.  Just keep in mind you won't need to look at EVERY cct like this on every move.  Once you have done it once, you only need to look at what has changed following your opponent's move.

That's great thanks for all the input.

As per Doirse's advice I am checking the new threats changed by opponents move. I am also using this on chess tempo to help train the thought process.

Thanks

Id practice this by writing out your analysis of complicated positions. It will really help you see how/if this list works! Try searching for "Stoyko exercises" or read my blog for details: ultimaterank.blogspot.com

Bear in mind this is more a pattern recognition task than a conscious thought process task though.

If you need to go consciously through a 3-4 steps thought process just to find your opponent's threats on every move, chances are you'll be exhausted and out of time at move 20.

I don't say you shouldn't check for threats, as this is obviously necessary, but without proper pattern recognition, it will prove a very thankless task.

cctv, helps me!