Current Lichess Puzzle Regimen
...and overall tactics training for a U1300 playerObservations after \~2 years of Lichess Tactics Puzzles
Right now I'm trying to make the most of Lichess puzzles by focusing on specific themes. After two years of doing puzzles almost daily, this is what I found:
- Puzzle Storm / Puzzle Streak does not help me. For slow OTB games, I need to be better at calculating and not making dumb blunders. These "time-bound" puzzle games don't help that and only reinforce bad behavior at my level. (I have not much interest in being good at blitz / bullet, so moving fast / quick tactics doesn't interest me as much as calculating / visualization).
- "Healthy Mix" helped for a while, but had diminishing returns as my general tactics improved and I realized I needed to develop certain aspects of my game - based on OTB post-game analysis, not Lichess puzzle "theme performance." For example, I had several games at the Eastern Chess Congress where I left a victory on the board due to poor Endgame technique. Likewise at a Marshall U1800 open.
- My calculation was not getting stronger
- I'm done studying openings until my calculation and tactic pattern recognition up to snuff. I am frequently "better out of the opening" (I have been told this recently - directly - by stronger players after OTB games). This is likely due to several chessable "short and sweet" free opening courses and my own private Lichess study of openings I've encountered in games... but once I reach the middlegame I often blunder a piece or miss a winning tactic - fail to convert my superior position. So, yeah. No more opening courses (sorry, chessable).
The Routine
Anyway, my daily routine is as follows:
\- Visit my Puzzle Dashboard and retry previously failed puzzles\. Force myself to recalculate the entire sequence to the end\, NOT just play the winning move if I happen to remember it\. Also try my hardest to eliminate the other failing candidate moves\.
\- Play through the following puzzles themes:
https://lichess.org/training/mateIn2
https://lichess.org/training/mateIn3
https://lichess.org/training/mateIn4
https://lichess.org/training/kingsideAttack
https://lichess.org/training/rookEndgame
https://lichess.org/training/pawnEndgame
https://lichess.org/training/defensiveMove
Finally, I am currently working through "Calculation: A Complete Guide for Tournament Players" by CM @AdviceCabinet
https://www.chessable.com/calculation-a-complete-guide-for-tournament-players/course/53691/
And soon after will work through Woodpecker Method:
https://www.chessable.com/the-woodpecker-method/course/10582/
And maybe then the "Calculation Workbook" also by @AdviceCabinet?
I also bought the Polgar CHESS "brick" book - but mostly for fun reading / curiosity after I finish all the above.
Bonus Puzzle
White's queen is immune to capture. Why? (This occurred in one of my lichess classical games and is why I'm focusing on tactics!).

