In the comments of the previous post, I mentioned the PoPLoAFun system to be a single branch idea. It is a line from attacker to target. The mnemonics describe the different elements you can encounter along the way. The study of Vukovic had learned me that the PoPLoAFun system is especially suited for a description of the kingside attack. Where the end of the line of attack is the king, and an invasion square is a point of pressure. But I'm not sure whether it is the most adequate way to describe all other tactics. Let's have another look at this diagram. White to move 2rr1bk1 ..read more

 I start to get a pretty good idea where my boat is leaking. I use my own games to have a good look at the leaks at both sides. There are different areas that need attention. The first division in type of categories is skill and knowledge. I postulated that Result = Skill x Knowledge = How x What Furthermore, I postulated that skill is the fundamental "trick" that makes child prodigies to become grandmaster at the age of 14. Whereas the knowledge is provided by their coaches. Both Skill and Knowledge have their own problems. Recently, I'm studying Birds and Latin vocabulary with the aid o ..read more

I finally seem to have created some basis for future developments. In the past 24 years I have paid little attention to other parts of the game than tactics. Now I seem to book some results in that department, the omissions start to show themselves. I work like a madman to repair the holes and to get the water out. Of course it is an insane idea to throw all your openings out of the window and to replace them all at the same time at once. Especially when you do that so rigorously that you start all over again when an opening doesn't work out as you thought it would. Throwing an effort of two y ..read more

 I'm easy to surprise. And then again, I'm surprised that I am so easy to surprise by something that actually isn't surprising at all. It feels as is I'm rather naive, chesswise. It reminds me of an old post about focal gamma bursts. Where brain scans of amateurs showed that the they see every position as new, while in grandmasters the Long Term Memory and the region of complex motor skills showed much activity. White to move 3r2k1/ppq2pp1/3Np1b1/1N1nP2p/3Q4/Pn3B1P/5PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1 [solution] Treating it as a tit-for-tat problem, the first move was not difficult to find. 1 ..read more

 In the begin position of a problem I see certain salient cues. I know that there are salient cues that are not readily be seen, but which reveal themselves when you apply some logic. On the other hand, there are salient cues that are perfectly seeable already in the begin position, but which I do not see because I'm not looking for them. Those salient cues are the ones where I can make progress because they form my blind spots. Black to move 2r3k1/Q4n1p/p2Brpp1/1p1R4/4P3/2q2P1P/6P1/3R3K b - - 1 1 [solution] What I did see: target: Bd6 defenders: Rd5, Rd1 overloaded Rd1 ..read more

 A lot of the combinations in my database exist of two tactical elements which intersect. The elements make themselves manifest by salient cues. While the intersection is revealed by asking the right questions. Black to move 4r1k1/p2r3p/2q1p1p1/2P3N1/8/P1BnQ1P1/4R2P/3R2Kb b - - 1 1 [solution] There are two tactical elements here. Discovered attack Salient cues: Target: Rd1 Attackers: Rd7, Nd3 Mate in one Salient cues: Target: Kg1 Attackers: Qc6, Bh1 Defender: Re2 Intersection How do the two tactical elements interfere with each other? The sheer seeing of the salient cues ..read more

 Sometimes the salient cues are easy to see. The diagnosis seems to be more or less clear. But to see the remedy, you must first ask the right question. Which is a task of system 2. White to move r1q2rk1/p4pp1/2B1nb2/2N1p2p/2Pp4/P2P2PP/4PP2/R2QK2R w KQ - 1 1 [solution] The static salient cues of both sides' targets and defenders are clear enough. White's targets: Ra8, Ne6 with additional punch Rf8. Fighting the defenders Qc8, f7 Black's targets Bc6, Nc5, Rh1 It might not be immediately clear what to do after 1.Bxa8 Qxa8 That is the moment to ask the right question: Is there a ..read more

 There are static cues which are geared around the line of attack: State of the target balance of attackers and defenders invasion square killbox around the target present wrong target (need exchanges first to get the right target into position) State of the defender pinned overloaded has the wrong properties (must be exchanged for a defender with the right properties) State of the line of attack blocked target not on the endpoint yet attacker not on the beginpoint yet pivot point present LoA can be closed by defenders State of the attacker not on the beginpoint yet It doesn't ma ..read more

  I found the original tree of scenarios with the 23 scenarios. Time to rebuild it and make it more practical. We now know that a branch must be triggered by a salient point that is seen in the position. Let me reshuffle matters a bit. Trap/killbox related actions pry the box open squeeze the box squeeze the box until the target pops out onto a line of attack chase the target into the box plug a hole in the wall of the box salient cue: the killbox Tipping the balance add attacker plan adding attackers in the future clear the line of attack with tempo (= add attacker) eliminate defe ..read more

 I have the feeling that we are really on to something. That focusing on the salient points slowly builds some feeling for salient points. But not every salient point is immediately visible for the mind's eye.  You need some logic to make them visible. The problem is, that each node initiates diversity. Like a tree fork from where new branches are sprouting. I advocate to ignore the complexity that sprouts from the nodes in favor for the most simple and logical continuation until the big picture emerges. Only when the big picture is clear, you go back for working out the details ..read more