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https://github.com/calint/isuckatchess

A tool to erase the chess blind spots using your own games.
https://github.com/calint/isuckatchess

Last synced: 4 days ago
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A tool to erase the chess blind spots using your own games.

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README 

          
# blind spot trainer



## intention



Most games at this level are decided by blunders — specifically, players missing

the opportunity to capitalize on each other's mistakes. Spotting two- and three-

move tactics can be practiced through exercises that develop pattern

recognition, and there is no better place to start than with your own games.



## method



Use the Blind Spot Trainer to retrieve and analyze your past games. The tool

will generate custom puzzles from positions where you either missed an

opportunity or made a blunder. A blind spot isn't just a mistake; it's a pattern

your brain currently isn't wired to see. This tool helps you 'see' what you've

been missing.



## step 1, create puzzles



* enter your chess.com username in the field

* load years and months of available archives

* fetch games for specified year and month

* click "Batch All" to analyze your games



## step 2, categorize



Open each puzzle and click "Solution" to review it. If the sequence ends in an

overly complex position without a clear material or positional gain, categorize

it as "Too complex". You can return to these later after practicing more obvious

tactics. Legitimate blunders from either you or your opponent should be

categorized as "Rotation". Finally, categorize as "Irrelevant" if the puzzle

lacks logic or if the computer suggests a murky line in a winning position that

diverges from the safest path to the win.



## step 3, practice



Filter the view to show "Rotation" puzzles, sort by severity, and begin

practicing. Do not get discouraged if they seem difficult; they are specifically

targeting your personal blind spots. Spend about a minute on each position. If

you can't find the solution, click "Hint" to see which piece to move.



Calculation gets easier with practice; much like learning multiplication tables,

it takes time before the answers come instantly. To understand why alternative

moves fail, copy the position's FEN, paste it into

, and experiment with different replies.



Make sure you understand the logic behind the solution, keeping in mind that

some puzzles may offer multiple winning lines and do not require playing through

to the very end or choosing the strongest line. Once you have successfully

solved a puzzle, move it to the "Transit" category. From there, you can move

them back into "Rotation" in bulk, ensuring the next puzzle appears at the top

of your list for easier selection.



## step 4, overtraining



If you instantly recognize a puzzle and know the first few moves from memory

without actively calculating, the puzzle has been overtrained. Rote memorization

bypasses the calculation practice you need. If this happens, categorize it as

"Overtrained" so you can set it aside. You can revisit this batch later when the

specific positions may have faded from your memory.



## step 5, play long games



To effectively apply your training, play with a time control that allows you to

think deeply about each move. A 10-minute game is too fast, and while 30 minutes

is better, the sweet spot for improvement seems to be 60-minute game.



## step 6, repeat



After playing a new game, retrieve it using "Fetch Games" and do step 2.



Eventually, most puzzles will become "Overtrained". Periodically scan this

category; if the first move no longer immediately "pops" into your mind from

memory, move the puzzle back into "Rotation".



## step 7, advancing



Review your "Too Complex" puzzles and move any that now offer an understandable

advantage to "Rotation". For puzzles that remain difficult or lack a clear

instructional benefit, move them to "Transit" first; once you have finished

reviewing, you can move them back to "Too Complex" in bulk.



## openings



At this level, many opponents rely on "system" openings they know by heart.

You’ll often face sharp lines where they’re comfortable with specific tricks and

tactics. Your goal is simply to survive the opening: develop your pieces,

castle, and reach a playable middlegame. This is often harder than it sounds if

your opponent has prepared their lines well.



If you get crushed early or encounter an unfamiliar opening, watch videos about

it. Focus on the core counter-ideas rather than memorizing moves. Ideas are

easier to remember and naturally reveal candidate moves.



## checklist



It is remarkable how many games at this level are decided simply by a one-move

fork or by capturing a piece left en prise. Before committing to a move,

visualize the piece on its new square and scan the board for potential captures.

Reducing these types of blunders is often the most effective way to gain rating.



When your opponent moves, pause and ask what is being threatened. It is also

worth checking if the moved piece has discovered an attack from a previously

blocked piece.



Flip the board to view it from your opponent's perspective; try to determine

what they are planning.



A helpful way to structure your calculation is to prioritize CCT: Checks,

Captures, and Threats.



## winning strategy



Going for a checkmate attack is often risky, as it usually requires sacrifices

and very precise tactics. A safer strategy is to simply win a single pawn, then

trade pieces until you reach an endgame where your extra pawn is winning.

Learning to appreciate these types of endings can feel a bit slow at first, but

it becomes quite satisfying as you get the hang of them.



Learn to activate your king and create passed pawns. Even theoretical draws

often turn into a win at this level.



## beginning of positional play



Realize that it is about the squares and how to control them using the pieces

and pawns. Concepts such as weak squares and pawns are essential.



* weak squares cannot be defended by pawns and can become outposts in your

  opponent's half of the board

* weak pawns cannot be protected by other pawns and become targets for your

  pieces



By definition, every pawn move creates weak squares.



A plan is to induce weak pawns and squares, then find ways to attack them. In

the absence of such a plan, improve the least active piece.



If a piece exerts pressure on the opponent's position, it is active. If a piece

has a solely defensive task or is blocked by its own pawns, it is passive.



## finishing a winning position



Once you are up material, make safe moves that restrict your opponent's

counterplay while solidifying and simplifying the position. Computers often

suggest complex sequences of strong moves that are too murky at this level.

Manage your time and choose the simplest and safest way to a win, not the

fastest.



Do not lash out.



## additional resources



lichess.org



The free tier at chess.com provides a daily allotted set of puzzles in various

formats; these are good for a pre-game warm-up.



A highly recommended puzzle book is Lev Alburt’s Chess Training Pocket Book. It

contains beautiful positions from real games that provide "aha!" and "wow!"

moments. Don’t be discouraged if they seem difficult; avoid spending more than a

couple of minutes on a position before looking at the hint, but do spend time

understanding the tactical motifs. After finding the solution, try to visualize

the pieces moving in your mind’s eye.



## about time



Improving as an adult is a considerable time commitment; a standard 60-minute

game can stretch into an intense two-hour session. Ideally, the training tool

generates personalized puzzles from each game, but when that stops, you have

reached a crossroads: you can either lower the engine threshold to find obscure,

computer-like appreciation of positions, or accept that you have "leveled up".

You have stopped blundering and are actively punishing your opponents' mistakes.



Because of this, your rating now lags behind your actual skill. To bridge that

gap, you simply have to play and not lose. It is a slow, steady climb; at a

realistic gain of 5 points per day, it takes a full month of consistency to

level up.



Solving ten tactical exercises — spending a couple of minutes on each — takes

about 30 minutes, including savoring those satisfying "aha!" moments of

visualizing the solutions. While the progress is fulfilling, the pressure to

increase the rating can make daily games feel like a chore. I often find that

once a game starts I am fully immersed, yet I still feel anxious before pressing

the "Start Game" button.



Lately, I have found myself enjoying Lev Alburt’s puzzle book more than actual

games.



## additional thoughts



In a 60-minute game averaging 30 moves, you have roughly two minutes per move.

The opponent’s thinking time can be used to "flip the board" and mentally

inhabit your opponent’s side, searching for the most punishing ways to attack

your own position.



However, a difficult opening can easily stretch a single move’s evaluation to

five minutes. Likewise, "hairy" tactical combinations — where one miscalculation

spells disaster — can demand ten minutes of deep calculation. In these

high-stakes moments, opting for safe, solid play is often more practical than

chasing a risky brilliancy. Training with a two-minute limit per puzzle

simulates the restricted time available over the board.



On my wishlist is "whole-board vision": a mental map as clear as a diagram. I

would like to sense the board’s topography — the shifting pressures and

strengths of the squares — as effortlessly as my hands feel the texture of a

physical surface. A weak square at d5 should feel like a sinkhole; an

overprotected piece should feel as if it is towering over the board. Currently,

my process remains manual: left foot in front of right, then right in front of

left.



The second wish is the intuition of piece placement for better coordination.

Occasionally, a certain clarity arises, allowing the pieces to form coherent,

strong positions through what feels like easy, natural moves. More often,

however, a lack of harmony results in ugly, contorted positions.



Building intuition is a Catch-22: finding combinations builds intuition, yet

finding them requires it. The process is a spiraling ascent toward better chess.