Who hasn’t faced this problem? You spend minutes calculating deep variations, only to realize that a simple developing move would have been enough. In his new course, super grandmaster David Navara puts this very question at the center:
When is precise calculation worthwhile, and when is common sense the better choice?
The world-class Czech player distills his decades of tournament experience into a concise 94-minute video course, available for download from the ChessBase Shop.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Invisible moves
Navara structures the training into several sections. I found the following particularly helpful:
- Intuition vs. Calculation
Using typical middlegame positions, he explains which features should trigger immediate calculation (such as exposed kings or loose tactical motifs) and when a positional move is usually the better choice.
- Time management
Here he shares tricks that help him keep control of the clock even in complex situations.
- “Long Variation, wrong Variation” (Bent Larsen)
This was my favorite section, as it’s something that happens to me often in my own games. Breadth is more important than depth. It’s better to calculate several candidate moves briefly than to follow a single long line that may already be flawed by the second move.
An example illustrating “one step further”:
The question is whether 29…Nd7, improving the knight, is possible.
After a brief moment of reflection, the line 29.Rxb7 Nc5 30.Rc7 should come to mind. My first thought was 30…Nxd3, but that is quickly dismissed due to 31.Rxd3. The next candidate move would then be 30…Rxd3.
But I quickly dismissed that because of 31.Rxc5, and now both rooks are hanging and Black is a knight down, right?
This is where the concept comes into play. Only stop calculating when there are no more capture or check moves left. Especially in longer variations, you should not be too lazy (something I know from my own experience) to go that one extra step, because it could be decisive. Just like here: 31…Rxe3! and Black gets his knight back in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Another position comes from the concept of the “lazy man’s guide”. There, Navara explains that there are positions where not calculating can actually be the better decision, and strong players know this — it allows them to save energy and time for other situations.
White to move
At first glance, this seems to be a fairly complex position. Which side of the board should White play on? Do I need to play f4? Should I improve my knight?
Regardless of these questions, it is clear that 1.a5! slows down Black’s play and comes at no cost to us. The computer will show several moves with the same evaluation here. That’s why it is important to learn how to recognize such situations in practice, so as not to waste too much time. It won’t make a significant difference to the course of the game. With quick moves like this, you can also apply psychological pressure on your opponent, who might be unsettled by the speed. But this should be approached with caution, because only very strong players know exactly when it’s safe to press the accelerator.
Conclusion
Your Calculation Compass is not a dry tactics trainer, but a compact navigation tool for everyday play. When is it worth digging deep, and when is a quick glance enough? Navara answers this question with clear criteria, vivid examples, and a healthy dose of humor. For the price of a hamburger kebab, you get almost ninety minutes of top-level coaching that you can revisit at any time. If you want to use your thinking time more wisely while also sharpening your tactical vision, this is the right choice.
About David Navara
David Navara (*1985 in Prague) is the most successful chess player in Czech history and has been part of the extended world elite for many years. He was supported early on by renowned coaches such as Luděk Pachman and won numerous national and international youth titles. At the age of 14, he became an International Master and earned the Grandmaster title in 2002. Navara is a multiple-time Czech national champion and has represented his country at every Chess Olympiad since 2002, usually on the top board. His international successes include reaching the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup and winning the European Blitz Championship in 2022. Alongside his tournament career, he studied logic at Charles University in Prague and has been a full-time chess professional since 2010. Navara is known for his fairness and his deep, strategic style of play.
