Sheilas sjakkskole

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The Woodpecker Method – Core Idea

• It's fun to solve small tactics, so it should be easy to find a spot for it in your daily routines.

• Builds pattern recognition so you spot tactics faster in games and later problems.

• You can target specific patterns or work with mixed/random ones in review cycles.

• Train by repeating the same tactical positions 4–6 times.

Focus of Training

• Goal: Pattern recognition, not deep analysis.

• Routine: Always do your reviews first.

• Check the calendar so that you fill up with new tactics when you have few reviews.

• Average solving time: 1–3 minutes per puzzle.

• If puzzles take too long, lower the rating range.

• One benefit of the training is to spot tactics quicker - so you should train being quick AND correct.

Using Mistakes to Learn

After a wrong solution:

• Repeat the puzzle immediately by click the button "Repeat puzzle" one or several times when you know the right line.

• Check the source game to understand why your move failed.

  
  

When you have analyzed a game you have played:

• Write in the game comments whenever you have missed a theme for yourself or your opponent.

• Search for tactics that involve the themes you have missed.

Role of Statistics (stats are coming soon)

• Training = hunting for weak patterns.

• Stats will show which patterns you need more work on so new tactic searches should include those themes.

• Reviews ensure you see tough positions again, strengthening memory.

• Numbers will show if you after a while take less time per correct solution or if the average of the tactics rating goes up.

Why Our Version is Different

• Dynamic difficulty: puzzles adjusted to your rating and progress.

• Review system: missed problems reappear quickly (next day) and have to be reviewed more times.

• The right focus: The tactics you master disappears quicker, instead of wasting time "studying" them more than 4-6 times. 

• Flexible pattern search: content changes with your needs, unlike fixed books.

• Your trainer can review your solved problems, themes you struggle with and thereby come up with more apropriate training material.

Why Not Puzzle Rush or similar games?

• Puzzle Rush = speed + simple tactics, no review.

• Woodpecker = repetition, review, and learning from mistakes.

• Focus is long-term improvement, not quick score chasing.

Here is a link to what I believe is the original woodpecker method, atleast in chess.