How to study on Chessimo

Where to start?

It’s recommended to start with the two first tactic modules and then study the commented endgames and the first strategy module. Once you have gone through the commented endgames and the first strategy module, the third tactic module can be started.

After you have concluded this routine you may distribute your training equally for tactics, strategy and endgames.

You may refer to the opening modules at any time as they do not use the same training method as the other modules. The opening modules are very useful to reinforce concepts and increase general knowledge about this part of the game.

How to study Tactics?

There are 6 tactic modules in the Chessimo, containing 51 units each, which makes a total of 4320 exercises that are presented in order of difficulty. The standard procedure is to start with module 1, unit 1, but if you find it easy to perform simple mates in one or two moves, you may change your training, by skipping the 200 initial exercises and starting at unit 10 of module 1.

You may request help from the 'Crafty' at any time, as explained below.

How to study Endgames?

Initially, this module presents you with a database of 192 selected positions to be studied. They are all considered to be the most important endgame positions of a chess game and they include detailed comments on almost every move.

Once you have gone through all positions, it’s recommended to do the 1440 exercises that are distributed in 3 modules, containing 51 units each. You may request help from the 'Crafty' at any time, as explained below.

How to study Strategy?

Units 1 and 2 of the first module are designed for beginners and both address the issue of dominating and using the center. Due to its major importance, the dispute for the center will be repeatedly presented along all units but in more complex situations.

Units 3 and 4, besides addressing this matter, explore pinning, attack and defense and more complex themes as the training advances. You may request help from the 'Crafty' at any time, as explained below.

How to study Opennings?

The goal of studying openings is to reinforce the concepts of development, central occupation, safety of the King and middlegame planning. Studying should be considered differently in the opening module than in the tactic, strategy or endgame modules because, usually, it is impossible to determine the best move at this phase of the game as there are several good options available depending on the specific style of each player.

The Chessimo opening module contains many of the most important and traditional chess variations, as well as basic comments and references to famous games stored in our database.

The main goal is to offer a guide with the most important openings and their most common moves, avoiding more contemporary variations or theoretical discussions.

Memorizing moves is important but understanding them is fundamental and visualizing reference games is the best method to achieve that. If you want to access these games, just click “search games” and a list of games will be presented to you. Select the game you want and study it on the auxiliary chessboard. If you wish to stop it, just close the auxiliary chessboard by clicking the “x” in the window and then “Back”. This will take you back to the exact point where you interrupted your opening training.

At the beginning of the training you have to choose between playing White or Black and, after that, it’s recommended to select the “show moves” option. You may open the auxiliary chessboard at any time and it will show you the position you are studying. You may decide whether you wish to analyze this position or play it against the auxiliary chessboard.

It’s extremely useful to play games and also to do it with both colors – Black and White – in order to study a certain position thoroughly, even if your first objective is to use one specific color during your opening training.

How to Watch Games from Your Chessimo Database?

Watching entire games where all phases are combined is very helpful; therefore, we created a database containing 803 pre-selected games. If you want to visualize them, just go to 'File - Open games - partidas.pgn' and a list of games will be presented to you on the right side of your screen. Then you only need to select the game you wish. You may request help from the 'Crafty' at any time, as explained below.

How to Play Against the Crafty and Analyse and Save Games?

Playing and analyzing games is very important if you want to improve your chess skills. The new Chessimo 2007 includes an engine (also called 'Crafty') that enables you to play, analyze and even save games as a personal record or as a reference for future studies.

As you start the program you can click the “new game” icon (second icon to the left) and set time and colors for your game against the 'Crafty'.

The software is set to place you on the white side, playing 3 minute games (with additional 2 seconds for each performed move) but this can easily be changed, directly in the window that has been opened.

You may pause your game at any time, abandon it or save it using the icons on your screen.

The possibility to analyze positions is also a very important function of the 'Crafty'. For example, if you are studying tactics, strategy or endgames and can’t understand why a certain move wasn’t carried out, just open the auxiliary chessboard (click here to see where you can find this button) and visualize the position you are studying.

Then you will be able to make the move you imagined, see how the 'Crafty' responds to it and understand it better. In case you want a suggestion from the 'Crafty' for this position, click 'go' without making any move before and the 'Crafty' will make the move for you.

How to Identify Your Own Style and choose a Repertoire of Opennings?

Each player has a particular style that is determined by personal impressions about games that are played or studied.

Certainly, you’ve already noticed that some situations during a game please you more than others, no matter if you are playing or just watching. You may feel more comfortable under attack, for example, or prefer to defend yourself or to move in closed positions where planning is fundamental.

This 'feeling' towards certain positions determines your style. Watching and analyzing games is very important because you can learn from great masters and develop your impressions in order to create your own style. At the beginning it’s fundamental to learn a great number of openings and games in order to gain a wide and diverse knowledge.

Later on you will realize that specific situations are determined by specific openings and, considering your personal taste, you may build up your own repertoire.

There are groups of openings that present certain characteristics; therefore it will be easier to build up a repertoire that is in accordance with your style, if you know both: your style and those characteristics.