Board vision
Short drills for seeing the board quickly: where every square is, where a knight can go, what a position held and which moves give check. Each takes a minute or less.
The drills
- Coordinates30 or 60 secondsFind the square that is named, or name the square that is marked, as many as you can in the time.
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- Light or dark30 or 60 secondsA square is named with no board in sight: say whether it is light or dark.
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- Knight routes30 or 60 secondsTake the knight to the marked square in the fewest moves; only the shortest routes score.
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- MemoryOne positionStudy a position for a few seconds, then set it up again on an empty board.
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- Checks and capturesFive positionsFind every move that gives check, or every capture, for the side to move.
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Why board vision
Calculation rests on seeing the board without effort. A player who has to count to find f6, or work out whether a bishop on c1 reaches h6, has less attention left for the position. These drills make that seeing automatic, one skill at a time.
The positions in Memory and in Checks and captures are the kind you meet over the board: from famous games, textbook endgames, typical structures and the main lines of common openings. Everything runs in your browser, no account is needed, and your personal bests are kept on this device only.