Interesting post - I wonder if you have checked out the Computer Workout feature. http://www.chess.com/computer-workout/
In many ways it is similar to tactics trainer but at the same time you can work on problems in certain themes and that seems to make it more useful for me.
Long post...
1. You can keep a list with the problems which appear interesting or you didn't solve and want to review at a later time.
2. There are many tactics which mix different themes. A clasification as the one you suggest would be impractical to do (44,500 problems) and almost useless. Just as in a real game, you have to find the best move.
2. There are many tactics which mix different themes. A clasification as the one you suggest would be impractical to do (44,500 problems) and almost useless. Just as in a real game, you have to find the best move.
This is wrong. Training tactics at home isn't about being able to find the best move. I'm sure on the board you can find a certain move with time but the point is that you have to be able to recognize certain themes and patterns very quickly and the most efficient way of doing so is seeing the same theme over and over again so that you are well prepared when facing a problem of similar sort in a real game-situation. This method has proven to work, many IM's and GM's have used this type of training to increase their pattern-recognition skills. Grab Susan Polgar's book on mating combinations. Many experts and masters are able to complete 200 problems of that book very fast while others would take way longer (yet they can certainly do them). How can you possibly create a position for a certain tactic if you can't even recognize the pattern in the slightest shadow of a middle-game?
And to the previous poster, yes I know of the computer-workout but thats entirely different. There may be 1 game that shows a theme but the point is to do many problems of the theme to be better acquainted with the pattern.
i will consult with a few other strong players to get their opinions on this matter, and then i will get back to you.
Wow, I didn't even know about computer workout untill I read this thread. I will deffinitely have to spend time with that feature.
While I agree with costelus to some degree => a classification destroys the "random" nature of tactical challenges which make them tough.
I will however say that like C.T.Art, Chess.com could really win a lot of fans if it had additional drop-down options in the tactics trainer that said "Only train with problems you got incorrect" or even "Only train with with tactics that took > 30 seconds or > 60 seconds to correctly solve.
I feel that might be a start ... one can reinforce pattern-learning (as the OP indicated) by coming back and re-attempting the shots he couldn't figure out when he wants to and explore new tactical challenges when he feels ready for that.
To this effect, for the past year, I've started plugging all "incorrect" problems into my own journal and randomly shuffle through them to ensure that the pattern has made its transition from short-term to long-term memory.
Sad that chess.com doesn't give me that feature already. *nudge-nudge.
Could you please tell us the name of the russian book you telling about?
Tactics Trainer is sometimes just frustrating because you don't recognize a certain pattern, thus you get the question wrong (or fail it because you thought for 1 minute when the problem required you to find it in 10 seconds) and the next time you do it, you get it wrong again because the problem appears 50 problems later. I think the randomized selection of problems based on the tactics trainers method of setting a rating for the problem(s) is unhelpful in developing tactical skills.
I think that the development team should add a new feature to the tactics trainer: problems in 'sections' or 'themes' that are closely related. This method has proven to work to increase your tactical pattern recognition. Many Russian and Serbian tactic books do this and its very helpful because the more acquainted you get with a problem, the easier you recognize the pattern. Also, there is a program named CT-Art that does this. It groups problems in themes like 'Deflection', 'Overprotection', etc. Then chess.com members can simply complete the vast amount of problems in each themed section and THEN move on to the current form of tactics trainer where its randomized to truly test the recognition level of the player. After that, the player can notice his true weaknesses in the tactical pattern recognition of a certain theme. Lets face it, the current way tactics trainer is designed may give players a CLUE as to what themes they need to study but people aren't actually going to go and find a book on the theme and study the theme so that next time they wont get that type of problem wrong (quite simply because that is the alternative for the more serious chess player and to be frank most chess.com members either aren't aiming to become serious players or just don't have the time). So if this is implemented then people can just study sections and then review with the current state then go back to the section study and see what they need to improve on.
If i may I want to show an example of a few problems in a russian book to show what I am talking about. Also let me state that the 'chess player' is supposed to be able to INSTANTLY recognize the pattern at hand. Of course, i'm sure you can spend 2-10 minutes looking at the problem and figuring out what the demands of the problem are but this is when you KNOW there is a problem at hand. On the board you may not know that a certain possibility exists and therefore this is why you need to be able to recognize these patterns relatively quickly at home. And now the few problems that I want to show:
Here is the first problem in a russian book. The first section of this book is devoted to deflection for the back rank . The book has 14 sections and around 1,300 problems.
A simple deflection problem. Deflecting the queen to allow mate to follow.
Heres problem #2 in the book:
These tactics may be simple but thats not the point! The point is that with complete knowledge of these problems and full recognition of this simple pattern you could then solve harder examples.
And now I want to show one example of a 'harder' one which even may be easy for some of us if you have knowledge of deflection for the back rank. Here is problem number 6 of the book.
Before I reset my tactics trainer history and rating I would get up to 2500 then encounter these types of problems and just get them wrong. Sure, after the problem I would say 'wow nice problem' but I still would have trouble recognizing them after encountering a related type of problem again. Yes you can say 'well its your fault and you should study the theme then' and I would reply you're right but this is only a suggestion =) Please consider doing this, it would be very very helpful- thanks!