Hi all,

Mitchell asks:

Hello.  I am a fairly serious chess player rated about 1500.  I was wondering what your views are on using a chess engine like Fritz in trying to improve.  For some reason, I’ve noticed that the more I review my games with Fritz, the worse I play.  On the other hand, the more videos of yours I watch on BetterYourChess.com and here, the better I play.  Do you think maybe this is because I shouldn’t be using a chess engine until I have reached a higher rating?  Thanks so much!

Hi Mitch, thanks for the compliment! It is simply really, the fact you play better when you watch videos by humans such as me, has to do with the fact that you are human too!

What I try to do in my videos is VERBALIZE what is going on and I always try to learn something general from what is going on in concreto. This leads to greater understanding. We humans cannot survive without these generalizations, since they allow us to go to the heart of a position rather quickly.

Although computers are also programmed to do more judgement and less calculation, they are still very much based on calculation powers, their so-called brute force.We humans simply don’t have that, also the top-players don’t have that, so we need something else and that something else is the aforementioned understanding.

Something else: If you want to improve your chess, never use your computer as your main analytical aid. The reason for this is: you become very lazy! Also, there is no exploration, verbalization and humanization. The main analytical aid should first and foremost be yourself.

Only use the computer when you have done your own bit of analysis first. Remember, chess is very much a sport for which you have to train yourself. It is the same as with other sports. If you want to get a better serve at tennis, it doen not help to watch Federer endlessly. Skills therefore need to be developed and are more important than knowledge. The most important general skill is finding your way in unknown (chess) territory.

After you have done this however, you can use the computer to check your moves and analysis. Every time you are surpised by the computer’s suggestion ask yourself:

“Why is he playing this move? What could be the reason for this move in human terms? Aha, he brings another piece into the attack. Or: Aha, he makes use of the pin. Or: Aha, he waits and strengthens first. Etc… “

If you verbalize and humanize then you may stand to gain from the computer’s help!

Good luck!

Waldemar