I recently discovered the website http://www.testyourchess.com, and am very
favorably impressed so far.

After assessing your approximate chess playing ability with a quick test, it
has two main features:
1. Find the Moves: You play through a (real) game, at each move deciding
what you would play in the given position. Good moves are rewarded with
points; less good moves receive less points and an explanation.
2. Checkmate Challenge: This is easier, since you know that there is a
forced checkmate (in one or more moves). The positions are divided into
eight levels from simple to mind-bending. When you succeed in finding a mate
you go up a level; when you fail you go down. The Challenge is to get as
many right in succession as you can.

What I like about it:
1. Unlike much other tactical training, it features *real* games and
positions, so you're placed inside real games and have to make decisions
about moves.
2. It is catered to your level.
3. It is annotated, so you receive an explanation about why your move is
wrong, or why another move is better.
4. You receive a score, so it's a challenge for you to improve yourself.

Two questions for the newsgroup:
1. Have any other users tried this site, and do you have any comments about
your experience with it? Like it? Useful?
2. Is there any software with similar features? Or perhaps PGN files or
Chessbase files?

--
Gregory Topov
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't necessarily agree with everything I say." - Marshall McLuhan

Gregory Topov wrote:
I recently discovered the website http://www.testyourchess.com, and am very
favorably impressed so far.

After assessing your approximate chess playing ability with a quick test, it
has two main features:
1. Find the Moves: You play through a (real) game, at each move deciding
what you would play in the given position. Good moves are rewarded with
points; less good moves receive less points and an explanation.
2. Checkmate Challenge: This is easier, since you know that there is a
forced checkmate (in one or more moves). The positions are divided into
eight levels from simple to mind-bending. When you succeed in finding a mate
you go up a level; when you fail you go down. The Challenge is to get as
many right in succession as you can.

What I like about it:
1. Unlike much other tactical training, it features *real* games and
positions, so you're placed inside real games and have to make decisions
about moves.
2. It is catered to your level.
3. It is annotated, so you receive an explanation about why your move is
wrong, or why another move is better.
4. You receive a score, so it's a challenge for you to improve yourself.

Two questions for the newsgroup:
1. Have any other users tried this site, and do you have any comments about
your experience with it? Like it? Useful?
2. Is there any software with similar features? Or perhaps PGN files or
Chessbase files?

Two comments:
1. I can't stand the board colours.
2. It gives me a rating of "puma". What the heck does this mean???

"Keith Boone" wrote in message
able.rogers.com...
Gregory Topov wrote:
I recently discovered the website http://www.testyourchess.com, and am
very
favorably impressed so far.

Two comments:
1. I can't stand the board colours.
2. It gives me a rating of "puma". What the heck does this mean???

1. Click "Your Preferences" from the left menu, and you can choose a green
board instead of the brown one. Not much choice, I know, but I don't mind
the green one personally.

2. Check the FAQ page for info on the animals. Apparently your final
percentage matches a different kind of animal. Puma means you got between
80 and 90% - nice going! It seems to be connected with some contest the
webmaster ran to kick off the site.

--
Gregory Topov
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"I don't necessarily agree with everything I say." - Marshall McLuhan

Gregory Topov wrote:
I recently discovered the website http://www.testyourchess.com, and am
very favorably impressed so far.
[...]
Two questions for the newsgroup:
1. Have any other users tried this site, and do you have any comments
about your experience with it? Like it? Useful?

I spent a couple of hours `finding the moves' last night after reading
your post. I've seen things like that on paper but, to be honest, always
found them a little tedious. The online format is much more engaging and
avoids trying to hide things with bits of paper. So, yes, I'm impressed,
too.

I'm not sure how beneficial the site is being for my chess as I'm not
playing much at the moment. I seem to be getting better at answering
their questions but I'm not sure if that's just because I'm learning the
author's playing style. :-)


2. Is there any software with similar features? Or perhaps PGN files or
Chessbase files?

Fritz can annotate games and insert quiz questions but that's not really
the same thing.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Generic Tool (TM): it's like a
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ screwdriver but it's just like all
the others!

Keith Boone wrote:

Gregory Topov wrote:
I recently discovered the website http://www.testyourchess.com, and am very
favorably impressed so far.

After assessing your approximate chess playing ability with a quick test, it
has two main features:
1. Find the Moves: You play through a (real) game, at each move deciding
what you would play in the given position. Good moves are rewarded with
points; less good moves receive less points and an explanation.
2. Checkmate Challenge: This is easier, since you know that there is a
forced checkmate (in one or more moves). The positions are divided into
eight levels from simple to mind-bending. When you succeed in finding a mate
you go up a level; when you fail you go down. The Challenge is to get as
many right in succession as you can.

What I like about it:
1. Unlike much other tactical training, it features *real* games and
positions, so you're placed inside real games and have to make decisions
about moves.
2. It is catered to your level.
3. It is annotated, so you receive an explanation about why your move is
wrong, or why another move is better.
4. You receive a score, so it's a challenge for you to improve yourself.

Two questions for the newsgroup:
1. Have any other users tried this site, and do you have any comments about
your experience with it? Like it? Useful?
2. Is there any software with similar features? Or perhaps PGN files or
Chessbase files?

Two comments:
1. I can't stand the board colours.
2. It gives me a rating of "puma". What the heck does this mean???

"Puma" equates Mountain-Lion.(USA). = The American Lion commonly lives
in the wilderness, mountain (rockies) closer to God. It is a fabled
predator, which will not ignore an obtuse & stupid human rambler, at
all!. It has no 'ruff'. See, African 'leo' - male variation, 'feline' -
"King" etc. for a related image of LION - (felicitous)..