I've been hearing good things about Convekta's CT-ART tactics training software for years, but I've always been content to do puzzles from books instead. I've recently discovered the joys of studying chess on a computer, which I very much prefer to books these days. I've been doing tactics puzzles at the usual web sites (emrald.net, chesstempo.com), but I know that doing puzzles that were chosen by a professional coach for their instructional value is better than just doing tons of random puzzles. So I've decided that I'll probably buy CT-ART for focused tactics puzzles.

Shopping around, I found that not only does Convekta's web site have the cheapest price I could find ($25), but they've also got big sales going on right now on some of their other items. For instance, their "Total Chess Training" packages that include 5 different programs are only $42.50 for download or $50 on DVD. The first of those comes with CT-ART, along with Encyclopedia of Opening Blunders, Encyclopedia of Middlegame, Strategy 2.0, and Studies 2.0. For that price, I'm considering getting that one. I can probably live without the opening blunders thing, but the others look potentially useful, especially the endgame studies, and the cost is only $17.50 more than buying CT-ART by itself.

So does anyone have any experience with any of these products? Any recommendations?

In case anyone else is considering buying any of these, I feel I should point out that I found several reviews stating that Convekta products don't work on Windows Vista. Also, the "Total Chess Training III" (if it's total, then why do they need 3 of them? ) seems like the best bet for beginners and low level players.

--Fromper

TacBase was developed with the help of four OTB GrandMasters, (Four of the World's currently Top Players.) and an IM who is also a Professional Coach.

There are over 40,000 individual positions! Which show not only the solution to the puzzle, but also how to accurately convert that positional or material gain into a win.

You mentioned Fromper that when you get out of your book openings, you find yourself without ideas as to how to continue, which accounts for alot of your losses. Ergo, this method should be quite helpful to you.

Included in 90% of the intentionally chosen exercises are the "Continuations" through the middle-games and Endings.

All of the puzzles are from actual games between GrandMasters.

The advice of improving by going over games of Masters is good advice. Going over games of GMs is even better. (Especially when you have a 2800+ coach in Rybka showing you (Verified) proper play from both sides in specific situations that you are likely to encounter.)

My ELO with my trainers is well over 2300 FIDE in the last 12 months. (In timed and un-timed games.) A huge part of this has been alot of intense training with TacBase.

Admittedly, TacBase Vol. 1 is geared towards Experts and above. Though even intermediate players, Who are willing to put an honest effort towards improving cannot help but understand Chess at a much higher level.

So TacBase provides Tactical Training, Middlegame Understanding, And demonstrates Solid Endgame Technique.

Thomas,

I'm sorry if I've offended you by looking at another company for training software instead of yours. From what I've heard of Tacbase, as well as from what I've had time to go through of the puzzles you sent me, it seems like a very good program.

My problem is that I'm not a very good student. Honestly, I think I have Attention Deficit Disorder, though the only doctor I've talked to about it was useless in providing an objective analysis of that self-diagnosis. I do have most of the classic symptoms, though, and it's pretty easy to see in the way I play and study chess. For instance, I can't sit still for more than 20-30 minutes at a time, no matter what I'm doing or how interested I am. If you watch me play tournament chess, you'd probably be amazed by how much I fidget and how often I get up to refill my water bottle and/or go to the bathroom during each game. Another example - despite typing 70+ words per minute, I'll probably get up from my computer 2-3 times in the middle of writing a long post like this, proofread it at least 3 times, and reword half of it at least once, so it'll end up taking as long as if I was a "hunt and peck" typer.

I also tend to spend more time trying to figure out how I should be doing things than actually doing them. I have quite a few books of tactics puzzles at home, and I keep bouncing around, trying to figure out which one I should be focusing on. I spend 15 minutes thinking about which tactics puzzles I should be doing almost every time I decide that I want to work on tactics puzzles. Consciously, I'm aware that if I just pick one at random and spend the 15 minutes doing those puzzles, it'll be a better use of my time, even if the puzzles I do aren't the best choice. But that doesn't stop me from trying too hard to get organized to compensate for my disorganized brain.

This is another reason why I like studying on the computer - not having to set up a board minimizes the distractions and setup time. It's also part of why I started my improvement thread - to keep myself organized so hopefully I could just do what I said I'd do instead of re-thinking the plan every week.

If I was just in the market for a good set of tactics puzzles right now, I'd certainly buy Tacbase. But I've already got the book "Sharpen Your Tactics", as well as both of Reinfeld's 1001 puzzle books, all three of which provide over 1000 puzzles that are good for my level, and all three of which I've started, yet haven't been able to get myself to finish working through.

What I need is a tool that not only makes it really easy to study, but also encourages me to keep going using the same tool without rethinking what study I should be doing every time. And going through a large pgn file of puzzles with Winboard might be easier than using a paper book, but it doesn't compare to the interface that comes with the Convekta programs.

Besides reading reviews on the internet, I also downloaded the demo to try it. CT-ART can sort problems by difficulty, by theme, according to whether or not you've done them, or it can just give you the ones you got wrong in the past. When you get a puzzle wrong, it doesn't just tell you the solution - it gives you a hint to help you find it for yourself. And it comes with over 1000 puzzles that are geared for intermediate level players like myself. In this case, it's not just the quality of the material that matters - I'm spending the money on the interface that I think will be best in helping me overcome my own problems with studying. And all the Convekta products apparently come with the same interface, which is why I also looked at others besides just the tactics training when I saw that they're running a very good sale right now.

I certainly hope that my choosing another study product over yours won't prevent you and I from continuing to have the friendly conversations that we've had here in the past. I know that as a weaker player, I've always valued your insights about the game and how those of us at a lower level can improve our play.

--Fromper

I regret that I have been a bit over-sensitive lately. I have enjoyed our interaction as well. And I really believe that you will be playing at 1800+ before you know it, regardless of who's product you choose.

Good to see you back, ChessMastered! You are indeed an asset to this forum.