When to calculate?

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chessBBQ

Im a player who is very reliant on calculation .You can call me obsessive compulsive,paranoid or just a perfectionist.Even in quiet QGD positions i really look deep into the position.

It pays off most of the time but in long tournaments,exhaustion is my main enemy.

How do I go about this dilemma?

ajttja

If you are still in opening THEORY (if he goes out of the main lines you should check to see the reason why its not theory) you don't need to calculate. in a positional middle game, you should rely more on you understanding of the position rathen then calculation so you only need to do 2-3 moves deep. if the middle game is more tactical you should take lots of time to calculate to check for tactical shots from you and your opponent 4-10 moves deep i would suggest. in the endgame you should 2 minutes per move (unless its a fast game) so in a known position you can check your knowladge and make sure its ok, a little slip can be desisive, in a strange endgame you should use a mix of strategys, take some time to understand the positon and some time to calculate.

one more tip 1. you shouldn't anaylize every move possible, that will waste time and make you tired.

Shivsky

Keep it simple:

A- The more critical a position is, the more you NEED to calculate. 

B- The more time budgeted based on your time management, the more  you can AFFORD to calculate.

Critical normally implies "there is potential" for forcing moves (checks, captures, threats etc.) on the board that can be played by one or both sides and if you are going to consider a move, you had better be sure you have analyzed/calculated your opponent's forcing responses to your move and made sure your move is either safe (defense) or successfully exploits a mistake (offense). Critical can also refer to non-tactical positions where  a mistake can take the rest of the game downhill for you (or uphill if you are exploiting your opponent') though these are relatively a smaller percentage of critical positions a club player will face. It is quite silly to think of club players "deep calculating" in a non-critical position!

If A and B collide ( for example blitz time controls), you do the best you can with the time-budget.

Mistakes you can make regarding calculation:
- Playing critical positions too fast / not calculating enough
- Over-calculate in non-critical positions and get confused/burn the clock or start imagining pure nonsense on the board that really makes no sense.
- Not calculating deep enough (going 2-3 ply only when there are still forcing moves left to look at even beyond that)

One analogy to this could go something like this:

When I drive to work and the roads are clear, I don't waste my time on a clear road "imagining" how I'm going to handle difficult moments in traffic ... I blast through at top speed using pattern-recognition/muscle memory to guide me.   There's nothing to calculate! Either I know where I'm going ... or I don't .. but there's no real negative consequence or opportunity that I can exploit to make my situation "better!".

If I deer or a squirrel darts out ... the situation becomes critical very quickly so you have to calculate a best option now.

If I'm just stuck at a fork in the road because I just don't KNOW what is better, I go with memory + experience as "calculating that situation" makes zero sense to me. Calculate what?  A million different possible scenarios or just go with what I "know"?

But when I suddenly see badly strewn construction zones, bad roads and terrible weather ahead (CRITICAL SITUATIONS) around me , I slow down (not HALT but slow down just enough) so that I can really analyze my options (If I go there vs. here, will I be safe?)  and make sure that I don't lose (die!) because of an incorrect decision. Also ... If I spot a way to wade through bad patches of traffic through a side-road (Exploiting/Offense), I would be definitely be in calculation mode as I want a positive outcome and will definitely be willing to work for it.

Update:

Just like driving : this ability to handle critical positions better than others is what makes the stronger players strong / a true test of your skill at chess.

Back when my wife was learning how to drive,  she used to take the wheel on long-distance road trips and used to feel proud that she could handle 3-4 hour long stretches and somehow get qualified as a "good/great" driver!!! Trouble was ... she was "only" getting good at driving in straight lines with minimal chaos / confusion.  Would I trust her (back then) with a 4-lane quick  merge in bumper-to-bumper 70 mph traffic? Hell No! She never practiced doing that!

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