I've studied chess puzzles for a long time. At first I believed that I ought to know them after looking at them once - wrong. Then I looked at them 1/2 year later & had forgotten most of them. I did the same a year later with the same dismal effect. a few weeks ago I started doing it the proper way:
1. look at some puzzles.
2. repeat ten minutes later.
3. repeat next day.
4. repeat next week.
5. repeat next month & you should have put them in your long term memory!

This is the only efficient method. You may think its boring, but everything else is a complete waste of time.

This site is good because you can go back & repeat the exercises before you get the new ones.
all the best, siegrun

? I've studied chess puzzles for a long time. At first I believed that I
? ought to know them after looking at them once - wrong. Then I looked at
? them 1/2 year later & had forgotten most of them. I did the same a year
? later with the same dismal effect. a few weeks ago I started doing it the
? proper way:
? 1. look at some puzzles.
? 2. repeat ten minutes later.
? 3. repeat next day.
? 4. repeat next week.
? 5. repeat next month & you should have put them in your long term memory!
?
? This is the only efficient method. You may think its boring, but
? everything else is a complete waste of time.
?
? This site is good because you can go back & repeat the exercises before
? you get the new ones.
? all the best, siegrun

Please define "some". Also what kind of puzzles? Mate in how many? Thanks

How many you study depends on how much time you have & the complexity depends on your present level.
I'd say start with the archive section & the novice exercises for the 4 month which are there. There are ten ex in each set. The beginners have 15 per set. But if you find that your concentration goes after 5 puzzles, don't force yourself to do more.
The important thing is to have fun & learn fairly easily.
The archive section is good, because you can check up on the puzzles & make sure you understand them.
ciao, siegrun

My concern with studying is you need to review position the several times in order for them to become part of your knowledge. But when you review archives/answers you cannot study them properly because it does not say which player it is to move, so you have to check the answer which means it spoils examining the position again. Could it be possible to put white/back to move which will help review

I had the same problem, but from July the format has changed & its much better now to revise! You even get bonus points! & whats most important, you can see the solutions after 15 exercises.
I do the beginners, intermetdiate & advanced & I get the same % in all of them! May be one day, the levels will be sorted out.
But I noticed that minor players are just as sharp at tactics as advanced players. So may be there isn't a difference, anyway.

? I had the same problem, but from July the format has changed & its much
? better now to revise! You even get bonus points! & whats most important,
? you can see the solutions after 15 exercises.
? I do the beginners, intermetdiate & advanced & I get the same % in all of
? them! May be one day, the levels will be sorted out.
? But I noticed that minor players are just as sharp at tactics as advanced
? players. So may be there isn't a difference, anyway.

I blelive there is a difference. I figure if the beginner/ intermediate player had to type in their analysis, it would not match the advanced students analysis. This type of tactical exercise rewards the right move made. The beginner might be thinking,' I like attacking the king so I will play Bxf7+.' The intermediate player will say, ' The enemy king looks vulnerable and I have a greater number of attacking units than he has defenders.' The advanced player will say, ' There is weakness on f7, my forces can cut the enemy king off from escaping, and the remaining enemy pieces cant cover these invasion trajectories for my attacking units. The position must be won for me, it's just of question of details.' Each of these player may have clicked the right first move but I am pretty sure the reasoning or thoughts may be something like this. I think it might be great for a qcombo puzzle to be posed to all, let everyone submit their ideas and rating (no need to be bashful about ratings now) and lets see how the grandmaster thinks about the position / move. I thinks this will be of great benefit to all. Actually this was done to a large degree in Jon Levitt's column that was scrubbed (or is it back now? I stopped looking after a while when nothing was happening). Despite the perceived lack of interest, it is a great teaching tool. It took too long for the answers . Make it weekly or biweekly. No prizes, that delays the answers!

? I thinks this will
? be of great benefit to all. Actually this was done to a large degree in
? Jon Levitt's column that was scrubbed (or is it back now? I stopped
? looking after a while when nothing was happening). Despite the perceived
? lack of interest, it is a great teaching tool. It took too long for the
? answers . Make it weekly or biweekly. No prizes, that delays the answers!

That's a thought, maybe subscribers liked it but just couldn't be bothered to send their answers in?
I am happy to bring it back, in fact I could easily do it myself using positions I have examined with one of my advanced students - it is always interesting to see how differently we assess these same positions.

What i didn't know last year was that you must study problems appropriate to your level. I'm pleased that the beginners section has become easier in April 06! I did 3 sessions in one go & that's how it ought to be. If you get more than 80 % then they're at the right level, less than 50 % & they're far too hard.

I especially liked the endgame study, where you got the final trick first, then the puzzle was made a little bit harder etc. There should always be at least 1 endgame study.

Chess is easy & fun, if you get it in bite sizes! Thanks Tony for a good job!

? I especially liked the endgame study, where you got the final trick first,
? then the puzzle was made a little bit harder etc. There should always be at
? least 1 endgame study.

Glad you like the 'reversed combinations' - after juggernaut said he thought it was a bad idea we weren't too sure, so we only added a couple. Maybe more next month?!