Daily drills
Short drills, a few minutes each, for the things that should become automatic. Your best scores stay on this device.
Coordinates: find the square
Thirty seconds: find as many squares as you can, with no letters or numbers on the board.
Not tried yet
- Files are letters, a to h, from White's left. Ranks are numbers, 1 to 8, from White's side.
- Say the file first, then the rank: e4 is the e-file, fourth rank.
- Light on right: the near right-hand corner is always a light square.
Coordinates: name the square
The reverse: a square lights up, and you type its name. Thirty seconds.
Not tried yet
- Files are letters, a to h, from White's left. Ranks are numbers, 1 to 8, from White's side.
- Say the file first, then the rank: e4 is the e-file, fourth rank.
- Light on right: the near right-hand corner is always a light square.
Pieces: where can it go?
A piece on a random square. Tap every square it can move to, then the next one. Five positions.
Not tried yet
Safety: is this move safe?
Before every move, ask: can they win something, or mate me, straight after it? Judge ten moves.
Not tried yet
Safety: spot the loose piece
Loose pieces drop off: a piece nothing defends is the first target for a fork. Tap every one, on both sides. Five positions.
Not tried yet
Basic mates against the clock
Mate the lone king from a random start. Your score is the moves you have left over.
Not tried yet
Puzzles by theme
Ten puzzles at a time on one idea: mate in one, back-rank mates, hanging pieces, forks, pins, skewers and discovered attacks. Start the puzzles.