Answers.Body: <p>In my experience if you are starting out it is better to solve same thematic tactical problems in a series and slowly moving onto other themes. After you get accustomed with the themes random problems or problems which doesn't tell you what to do helps. </p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-17T09:38:36.090Z
Answers.Text: My advice for beginner to intermediate players: Work out through Winning Chess Exercises for Kids and Winning Chess Puzzles for Kids vol. 1 & 2, both by Jeff Coakley. Don't fooled by the "...for Kids" part of the title. These books are gems and highly recommended by renowned chess coach NM Dan Heisman. Good Luck!
Answers.UserDisplayName: noisyoscillator
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Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-21T07:55:51.543Z
Answers.Text: Lou Hays's Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors is also an excellent collection for players around 1200. Of course, Polgar's 5334 puzzle collection is probably a good one for anyone and tends to be grouped by theme.
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Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-15T05:33:54.883Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: noisyoscillator
Answers.Body: <p>I had the same question when I thought about tactical improvement. What seems to be working for me is an "inclusive" approach. Don't stick to one method, as each method seems to be helping in different ways. This applies to degree of difficulty of chess problems as well. At one point in time, I could solve tactics problems rated 1800+ on lichess very easily only to stumble on problems rated 1500 and below. So a mix of all seems to be working well for me.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Keshav
Answers.Body: <p>I totally agree with noisyoscillator.
  I want to emphasize that tactics training is not just one practice. It is rather comprised of a number closely related practices, each aiming one/more of the following:<br />
  (1) Get familiar with a theme,<br />
  (2) Spot important themes in a given position,<br />
  (3) (Tactical) alertness training.</p>
  <p>For (1), definitely, doing puzzles with the theme given to you is best. Here if the puzzle has rating, you can try even higher rated puzzles than you would choose when you don't know the theme (of course, you should increase hardness level gradually only).</p>
  <p>For (2) and (3), solving puzzles without knowing the theme is best. I would like to add that positions where a clear-to-see tactical or strategic idea does not work could be added here to make it more closer to game situations.</p>
  <p>See <a href="https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/41144/14678">this answer</a> for a more  detailed description.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Cyriac Antony
Body: <p>Simply, which of the following two approaches will typically improve tactical ability the fastest:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Doing puzzles around a known theme or tactical motif - i.e. do 100 puzzles that involve a discovered attack, or a skewer, or mate in 3, mate in 2 etc. etc.</li>
  <li>Doing random puzzles where you don't know the theme or motif behind the puzzle. You may even throw in a number of puzzles without a tactical solution to simply force you think about the next best move.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>I always assumed number 2 would be better, but is there any research/authoritative anecdotes/good reasoning that show it is better to do 1?</p>
  
Tags: <learning><tactics><puzzles>
Title: Productive tactical puzzles: random or themed?
ThreadText: # Productive tactical puzzles: random or themed?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-01-13)
  
  Simply, which of the following two approaches will typically improve tactical ability the fastest:
  
  1. Doing puzzles around a known theme or tactical motif - i.e. do 100 puzzles that involve a discovered attack, or a skewer, or mate in 3, mate in 2 etc. etc.
  2. Doing random puzzles where you don't know the theme or motif behind the puzzle. You may even throw in a number of puzzles without a tactical solution to simply force you think about the next best move.
  
  I always assumed number 2 would be better, but is there any research/authoritative anecdotes/good reasoning that show it is better to do 1?
  
  **Tags:** learning, tactics, puzzles
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2015-01-15. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  In my experience if you are starting out it is better to solve same thematic tactical problems in a series and slowly moving onto other themes. After you get accustomed with the themes random problems or problems which doesn't tell you what to do helps.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: My advice for beginner to intermediate players: Work out through Winning Chess Exercises for Kids and Winning Chess Puzzles for Kids vol. 1 & 2, both by Jeff Coakley. Don't fooled by the "...for Kids" part of the title. These books are gems and highly recommended by renowned chess coach NM Dan Heisman. Good Luck!  
  > **username_2**: Lou Hays's Winning Chess Tactics for Juniors is also an excellent collection for players around 1200. Of course, Polgar's 5334 puzzle collection is probably a good one for anyone and tends to be grouped by theme.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2015-01-21. Score: 2
  
  I had the same question when I thought about tactical improvement. What seems to be working for me is an "inclusive" approach. Don't stick to one method, as each method seems to be helping in different ways. This applies to degree of difficulty of chess problems as well. At one point in time, I could solve tactics problems rated 1800+ on lichess very easily only to stumble on problems rated 1500 and below. So a mix of all seems to be working well for me.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2024-11-11. Score: 0
  
  I totally agree with username_1.
  I want to emphasize that tactics training is not just one practice. It is rather comprised of a number closely related practices, each aiming one/more of the following:  
  (1) Get familiar with a theme,  
  (2) Spot important themes in a given position,  
  (3) (Tactical) alertness training.
  
  For (1), definitely, doing puzzles with the theme given to you is best. Here if the puzzle has rating, you can try even higher rated puzzles than you would choose when you don't know the theme (of course, you should increase hardness level gradually only).
  
  For (2) and (3), solving puzzles without knowing the theme is best. I would like to add that positions where a clear-to-see tactical or strategic idea does not work could be added here to make it more closer to game situations.
  
  See [this answer](https://chess.stackexchange.com/a/41144/14678) for a more detailed description.
  
  
  ---
  
  