Does anyone use this program? It's gotten great reviews, and I've started to use it myself. It really seems to be very promising, and I seem to be able to tell a noticable improvement in combinatory vision and things seems to be getting clearer on the board for me. Not profoundly, but things take time. My biggest weakness currently is loss of position or material due to oversights of combinations. Anyone else have any experience with this software?

Hello? Anyone? Anyone want to talk about Ct-Art?

I don't have any comment since I don't have this software. I usually just do puzzles from books.

--Fromper

Are you using it in a 'Seven Circles' way like de la Maza recommends in his 400 points in 400 days routine (basically doing all the problems in shorter and shorter stages until you sit down for ~8 hours one day and do them all)?

I've seen it get good reviews elsewhere, as well. There is an old post on the blog "Confessions of a Chess Novice" looking at various software packages for use in a Seven Circles way.

I'm considering getting it, but there are a few other things I'm looking at right now (books and other software).

Awesome, we can finally talk about CT-Art!

Going through the 7 circles sounds like a great idea. However, right now, I'm only just openeing the program, and solving the exercises, about 10 at a time, maybe 20 or so a day. I have heard before that it takes you 7 times of looking/reading/doing something before you "truly" have it. Sounds like a very reasonable way to use the program.

de la Maza's article is at Chesscafe in the Archives, if you haven't seen it. Basically, the seven circles starts at ~35-40 problems a day so you do 1,000 in 32 days, then you do them in 16 days, 8 days, 4, 2, and finally 1. Its supposed to be really solid tactical drilling, but tends to favor the unemployed/independently wealthy who still have time to play while doing the Circles

How are the early levels? My daughter is 8 and has been playing for a few months and if she could handle the software's early offerings, it might be worth prioritizing its purchase over a couple of books I want.