Chess Visualization with Aiden Rayner
Improve your Chess and master visualization while on the go! Featuring science-backed exercises, insights, and lessons designed to make your adult brain better on the 64 squares. Brains are awesome. Yours included.
🧠 Long Arm of the Law (Awareness Exercise)
Awareness Exercise: Listen to the locations of all the pieces in the position, then answer the questions to test your awareness.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
8/5p1k/1bP3rp/8/6N1/7P/2R5/6K1 w - - 0 1
Listen to the episode for the questions and answers.
🧠 Natural Sprinters (Hybrid Exercise)
Hybrid Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are, then read a series of moves from that position. When prompted, try to identify the best next move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN for today's exercise:
5rk1/5np1/6p1/8/8/8/P5PP/4R2K w - - 0 1
PGN for today's exercise:
a4 Ng5 2. a5 Ne4 3. Rxe4 *Answer at the end of the episode.
👨🏫 Patterns Don't Always Help Us (Insight Episode)
Welcome to the Friday insight. This is a quick aside for the ongoing "Conceptualization and Rating" series on the Friday Insight. You can find the first part on the pod a couple of weeks ago.
Pattern recognition and intuition can be strengths, but left unchecked can override what we consciously intended to do. And, for example, cause you to write, record, and release the entirely wrong episode on the entirely wrong week and not notice. Y'know, just as an example.
Mentioned in this episode:
Willpower is Not the Answer Jessika's Review The New Mantra...🧠🧠 Elimination Process (Lost Piece Exercise)
Lost Piece Exercise: The audio will tell you the position of most of the pieces on the board. Can you work out where the missing piece is meant to be?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
r3r2k/2q1n2p/2n3p1/5p2/1p6/1B3P2/1P4PP/3Q1RK1 b - - 0 1
Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Severed Heaven (Position Exercise)
Position Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are and whose turn it is. Find the best move!
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
5qk1/R7/6pP/4B1K1/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Help Center (Find the Blunder Exercise)
Find the Blunder Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. One player will blunder and the other will not punish them for it. Can you find the blunder and the best punishment?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
Nf3 c5 2. g3 b6 3. Bg2 Bb7 4. O-O e5 5. d3 Nc6 6. e4 d6 7. Nc3 Nf6 *Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Bishop on a Bishop (Awareness Exercise)
Awareness Exercise: Listen to the locations of all the pieces in the position, then answer the questions to test your awareness.
To get comfy with your square colors, spend a couple minutes each day in the Don't Move Square Color Trainer (free)
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
8/4bpk1/4b3/7P/3KR1P1/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
Listen to the episode for the questions and answers.
👨🏫 Building to 1000, Conceptualization and Rating Part 2 (Insight Episode)
Welcome to the Friday insight. This is part two for the ongoing "Conceptualization and Rating" series on the Friday Insight. Find the first part in last week's insight episode.
Starting out with Chess is tough on the brain. Here are the key conceptualization skills you need to finally reach 1000.
Mentioned in this episode:
Don't Move Until You See It training tools The New Mantra Technique articleFor more articles like this, head to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/articles
And to learn more about the 10-minute stretch feature and the Don't Move membership...
🧠🧠 Tasty Potshots (Opening Exercise)
Opening Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. At a certain point, one player will make a mistake and it’ll be your job to find the move to punish it.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. Nc3 d6 8. Nd5 Ng4 9. O-O Na5 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bd2 Nxb3 12. axb3 c6 *...
🧠🧠 Chances Come Once (Hybrid Exercise)
Hybrid Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are, then read a series of moves from that position. When prompted, try to identify the best next move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN for today's exercise:
7r/1k4pp/1pp5/2b5/3pB3/3K4/7r/5R2 w - - 0 1
PGN for today's exercise:
Rf7+ Ka6 2. Rxg7 Rh3+ 3. Kc4 Re8 4. Bxc6 d3 *Answer at the end o...
🧠 Jump the Gun (Illegal Move Exercise)
Illegal Move Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. Somewhere in there, a player will make an illegal move but the game will continue anyway. Find the illegal move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 Be7 4. d4 d6 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Bxd8 7. e4 Nf6 8. Bd3 O-O *Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Stretched Further (Opening Exercise)
Opening Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. At a certain point, one player will make a mistake and it’ll be your job to find the move to punish it.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 d5 4. Ne2 Nf6 5. Ng3 Bg4 6. Be2 Bxe2 7. Qxe2 Qd7 8. d4 Bb4+ 9. c3 O-O-O *Answer at the end of th...
🧠 Hopping Mad (Lost Piece Exercise)
Lost Piece Exercise: The audio will tell you the position of most of the pieces on the board. Can you work out where the missing piece is meant to be?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
8/8/8/2k5/3p4/5R2/2K5/4n3 w - - 0 1
Answer at the end of the episode.
⚡️ What 1800s Are Missing (Quick Lesson)
In my work with 1800 and 2000 rated students, I've seen two common areas for improvement that seem to mark the difference between players at that level and the level above. Here's what they are and how to train them.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
👨🏫 Conceptualization and Rating (Insight Episode)
Welcome to the Friday insight. Today we kick off a new series walking you through key rating milestones and exactly what conceptualizations skills are most important to master at each one.
For more articles like this, head to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/articles
And to learn more about the 10-minute stretch feature and the Don't Move membership, head to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/join
🧠🧠🧠 One Anand Done (Position Exercise)
Position Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are and whose turn it is. Find the best move!
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
2r3k1/2r2pp1/p3p3/1p2P3/2nPp3/7R/PP2NP1P/1K5R b - - 0 1
Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠🧠 Hold a Candelario (Awareness Exercise)
Awareness Exercise: Listen to the locations of all the pieces in the position, then answer the questions to test your awareness.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
2r2rk1/5Rp1/p4bQp/8/8/6P1/1qB1RPKP/8 w - - 2 1
Listen to the episode for the questions and answers.
🧠 One Point Down (Hybrid Exercise)
Hybrid Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are, then read a series of moves from that position. When prompted, try to identify the best next move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN for today's exercise:
8/8/1q6/3k1B2/8/3P1P2/3NK3/8 w - - 0 1
PGN for today's exercise:
Be4+ Kd6 *Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Grobtastic (Find the Blunder Exercise)
Find the Blunder Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. One player will blunder and the other will not punish them for it. Can you find the blunder and the best punishment?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
g4 b6 2. Bg2 Bb7 3. Nf3 c5 4. O-O Nc6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 *Answer at the end of the episode.
🚶♂️ Both Sides of the Move (Walkthrough)
Walk through a conceptualization exercise with Aiden from Don't Move Until You See It.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/
🎉 Mate-in-2s for Quiet Moments (Saturday Fun Episode)
In today's I-do-whatever-I-want episode, I give you three "Meredith" mate-in-2 puzzles to memorize and chip away at through your day.
Here's the positions in human notation (rather than an FEN).
1 ->White: Kb2, Qf3, Nb3, Nd3
Black: Kc4, Nf6, b5, d6
White: Kc6, Nd6, Ne6, b7, c7, f7, g7. h7
Black: Ke7, Nb6, Nf6
White: Ka4, Qc8, Ra1, Ba8, Bf1
Black: Ka6, Qb7, Rd7, d5
Answers at the end of the episode.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It...
👨🏫 An All New Don't Move Until You See It
The new Don't Move Until You See It is live! And the feedback's been very good.
If you’re fired up about training and understanding your adult Chess brain, reducing blunders, and calculating with clarity and confidence, there’s never been a better time to join as a Don't Move member. Find out more and sign up here.
ry the new free interactive training tools here.
Or just jump in and explore what the new site has to offer.
If you have any ideas how I could integrate the site and the...
🧠🧠🧠 Doom in Dunedin (Find the Blunder Exercise)
Find the Blunder Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. One player will blunder and the other will not punish them for it. Can you find the blunder and the best punishment?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 Qxe5 11. Re1 Qd6 12. Nb5...🧠🧠 Seventh Haven (Lost Piece Exercise)
Lost Piece Exercise: The audio will tell you the position of most of the pieces on the board. Can you work out where the missing piece is meant to be?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
1r4r1/7p/1P5b/Nb3p2/6n1/1B6/1BP3PP/2R1R1K1 b - - 0 1
Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Data First (Opening Exercise)
Opening Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. At a certain point, one player will make a mistake and it’ll be your job to find the move to punish it.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 Nf6 *Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Rook Endings (Vigilance Exercise)
Vigilance Exercise: Follow the sequence of moves from a position and decide at the end which of two moves should be played.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
8/1R6/8/4pk2/r7/4K3/8/8 w - - 0 1
PGN from today's exercise:
Rf7+ Ke6 *Answers at the end of the episode.
🚶♂️Resisting the Obvious Move (Walkthrough)
Walk through a conceptualization exercise with Aiden from Don't Move Until You See It.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/
🎉 Models of the Masters (Saturday Fun Episode)
In today's I-do-whatever-I-want episode, I discuss the conceptualization spectrum and break down some of the most interesting models I've run into in my half-decade of researching this stuff. And I try (and fail) not to go on tangents about cool Chess conceptualization stories.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
⚡️ Aphantasia and the Visual-Verbal Spectrum
A quick lesson in conceptualization from Aiden at Don’t Move Until You See It.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
🧠🧠🧠 The Spice Melange (Vigilance Exercise)
Vigilance Exercise: Follow the sequence of moves from a position and decide at the end which of two moves should be played.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
2k5/5R2/1p5b/p3B3/3Pn3/1KP5/PP4r1/8 w - - 0 1
PGN from today's exercise:
Rc7+ Kd8 2. Rc6 b5 3. Rxh6 Nd2+Answers at the end of the episode.
🧠🧠 One Needle, Big Haystack (Position Exercise)
Position Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are and whose turn it is. Find the best move!
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
5n2/5k1p/2b3N1/4Qp2/2p2P1q/7P/6P1/3B1R1K b - - 0 1
Answer at the end of the episode.
🧠 Splayed Out (Awareness Exercise)
Awareness Exercise: Listen to the locations of all the pieces in the position, then answer the questions to test your awareness.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
1k3b2/2p5/8/3R4/4K3/8/7P/3n4 b - - 0 1
Listen to the episode for the questions and answers.
🧠 Jaws of a Draw (Hybrid Exercise)
Hybrid Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are, then read a series of moves from that position. When prompted, try to identify the best next move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN for today's exercise:
8/1q6/8/8/3k4/3P4/3KB3/2R5 w - - 0 1
PGN for today's exercise:
Rc4+ Kd5 2. Bf3+ *Answer at the end of the episode.
State of the Pod, and What's Next
Changing it up today to run you through my plans for the podcast from here.
To try the new Don't Move Until You See It website, head here: https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
If you have feedback or ideas for the podcast, contact me here: https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/contact
See you on Monday where we launch our new daily structure!
🧠 Thinking with Portals (Illegal Move Exercise)
Illegal Move Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. Somewhere in there, a player will make an illegal move but the game will continue anyway. Find the illegal move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. h3 Ne7 6. g4 Bd7 7. Bg2 c5 8. c3 Nbc6*And the answer is...
Black's move 6... Bd7 is...
🧠 Omnipotence (Lost Piece Exercise)
Lost Piece Exercise: The audio will tell you the position of most of the pieces on the board. Can you work out where the missing piece is meant to be?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
8/4rn2/6p1/2Q5/8/KP1pk3/8/8 b - - 0 1
And the answer is...
Qc5
🧠🧠 Miss Zhu (Awareness Exercise)
Awareness Exercise: Listen to the locations of all the pieces in the position, then answer the questions to test your awareness.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it
FEN from today's exercise:
q7/6bk/P5p1/1P3p1p/2Q4P/1Np3P1/2R2P1K/3r4 w - - 3 1
Listen to the episode for the questions and answers.
🧠🧠 Slip of the Thumb (Find the Blunder Exercise)
Find the Blunder Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. One player will blunder and the other will not punish them for it. Can you find the blunder and the best punishment?
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. Nd5 Be7 4. d4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Nf6 6. Nxe7 Qxe7 7. b3 Nc6 8. Qc3 O-O 9. Bb2 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Qc2 Rd8 12. e3 * <...🧠 Two Rooks > Queen (Hybrid Exercise)
Hybrid Exercise: The audio will tell you where each of the pieces on the board are, then read a series of moves from that position. When prompted, try to identify the best next move.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
FEN for today's exercise:
2rk4/3rp3/8/4P3/Q3K3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
PGN for today's exercise:
e6 Rb7 2. Qa6 Rcb8 3. Qc4 *And the answer is...
Rb4🧠 Development Is the Most Important Thing (Opening Exercise)
Opening Exercise: The audio will lead you through a series of moves from the beginning of a game. At a certain point, one player will make a mistake and it’ll be your job to find the move to punish it.
To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization
PGN for today's exercise:
e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nc3 *And the answer is...
4... exf3
