Chess visualization training: ghost puzzles

Why train chess visualization?

Every calculation is visualization. When you think "I take, he takes back, then my knight forks", you move pieces in your head that the board doesn't show. The further ahead you can see them clearly, the more tactics you find, and the fewer you walk into. Ghost puzzles train that one skill, with real tactics.

How a ghost puzzle works

1. The board shows a position a few moves before a puzzle, and stays that way.
2. Those moves play as ghosts, and they're listed beside the board. Watch them again as often as you like.
3. Find the best move as the pieces stand now: tap a piece's square, then where it goes. Your moves and the answers play as ghosts too.
4. At the end the board catches up, and plays the whole line with real pieces.

From one ghost move to ten

You start with one ghost move: the move that sets up the puzzle. Once you're solid at a depth, the next one opens, up to ten ghost moves; five and more open once you're strong at four. Most puzzles come at your depth, some one lower and some one higher, so it never gets stuck.

Help when you need it

After a miss, a hint marks where the piece to move stands now, and a peek shows the real position for as long as you hold the button. The coach explains the idea on the board.