Training and Move Certainty

[FreeRepublic]

These are two topics that perhaps could be related.

For starters, Move Certainty appears to have been replaced by Multimedia. This seems to be a matter of screen geography since otherwise they would be in the same spot. I assume the Move Certainty code still exists and it could be added back elsewhere in the window.

I really see a LOT of promise in the Training feature. I have used it a little, and plan to use it more. The problem, for me at least, is to set up a COW book that is suitable for Training. I want to narrow my scope. For example, rather than start with a Black repertoire, I would start with a Tartakover variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD) repertoire. Later, I would combine repertoires, adding a Vienna variation repertoire, and a QGD exchange variation repertoire.

I want good moves by white and black. How to get started? One way would be to buy an ebook. Another would be to download games where each player is rated above 2400, and import them into COW. These approaches are very feasible. However, even here there may be some moves that I would like to exclude from training. Yet another approach is to use one of my existing COW game files, warts and all, and select moves to include for training, or exclude from training.

Training has an option Must Play Top Candidate. I find this too restrictive. However, not selecting this option has problems too. Too many mistakes or second/third best lines may be included. A Must Play from the Top Four Candidates, might be be better for me. However I realize that selecting four is totally arbitrary, and would not work in all cases anyway.

After all this musing, I concluded that the certainty slider might be a great way to designate a move for inclusion in training. If the certainty was set to high, the move would be used for training. Or perhaps it would make sense to proceed from the opposite direction. All candidates are eligible for training except those whose certainty has been set to low. A command could be added to Train Based on Certainty.

I'm just putting this out for consideration. Feel free to comment, one way or another.

By the way, have you ever studied a position in a book (physical or electronic) and thought you had command of the material, only to reach the position on the board and draw a blank? I've already seen that the training feature simulates that experience! Better a simulation that the real thing.

[FreeRepublic]

Another point is that not all training choices are about good versus bad moves. Consider the position after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6. At this point, both 6Nf3 and 6c5 are possible, usually leading to very different games. You might choose a repertoire based on 6c5 and train on it. Later, you might change your mind and choose 6Nf3 and want to train on that repertoire.

Besides move certainty, there are other ways Chess Opening Wizard could select candidates for training. For example, it could exclude candidates with the following symbols: ??, ?, and ?!. Evaluations could be used the same way, excluding a candidate that evaluates as better, or much better, for the other side.

[FreeRepublic]

I have been working with the training feature and think it's great. There are many ways to use this feature and I thought I'd mention some end-user strategies.

Background. I purchased a PGN eBook on a variation of the open Catalan: 1d4 d5 2c4 e6 3Nf3 Nf6 4g3 dxc 5Bg2 Bb4ch, and now 6Bd2 c5, or 6Nbd2, or 6Nc3. I imported it to COW. I imported material from other sources. I now have a modestly sized eBook of around 47,000 positions.

I have trained from the starting position at move 1. Also, I have played out and started training after one of White's 6th moves. There is no requirement to play the top move and the setting is random with coverage. A lot can happen and it's almost like playing a thematic tournament against very strong opposition.

I recently tried another approach. I played out to 6Bd2 c5. At this point I identified 5 white moves of interest. I played one out to a convenient stopping point and "exported line to a game." I repeated the process for the other 4 candidate moves. At this point I have one PGN file. I created a new COW ebook, "Catalan Training" and imported my PGN file. I now have a tiny COW eBook of only 41 positions. I use it for focused training and will continue to do so until I have it down pat. When done, I intend to repeat the process for 6Nbd2, and later 6Nc3.

I have described two processes, one with a large file, and one with a small file. The large file can be used for many purposes, including training. The small file is only going to be used for focused training.