I have the feeling that we are really on to something. That focusing on the salient points slowly builds some feeling for salient points. But not every salient point is immediately visible for the mind's eye.
You need some logic to make them visible. The problem is, that each node initiates diversity. Like a tree fork from where new branches are sprouting.
I advocate to ignore the complexity that sprouts from the nodes in favor for the most simple and logical continuation until the big picture emerges. Only when the big picture is clear, you go back for working out the details of the nodes.
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Black to move |
2r3k1/2r2ppp/1p1b1n2/pP1Bnq2/8/PP2B1P1/3R1PKP/1N1Q1R2 b - - 0 1
[solution]
There are three salient points here that aren't immediately visible before the mind's eye.
- Bd5 doesn't look B.A.D. (Barely Adequate Defended).
- Rd2 doesn't pop out as a critical defender
- The diagonal d5/g2 looks taboo for the black Queen
Logic must reveal these salient points and make them visible for the mind's eye. You can only know that this are salient points with hindsight.
The point of pressure that pops into my mind is c1. If we invade a rook there we attack a Queen AND we deprive the white knight from a defender. It is a double attack.
The simplest reaction white can have is to trade a rook that invades on c1. That is the most straightforward idea.
Of course we can come back later, and investigate other branches that sprout from this node. But for now we prune those branches in order to keep it simple.
The trade of two rooks against a Queen changes the position. The white queen had a double function: to guard c1 AND Bd5.
So the bishop on d5 has become B.A.D. (Barely Adequate Defended). And our attention is guided to that BAD bishop. A new salient point has become visible.
And from the BAD target our attention slips to the defender Rd2. Because of simple logic. And another new salient point has become visible. We cannot harass the defender. But we can trade the bishop and transform the BAD defended target into a NOT defended target.
As we know, LPDO. And only now a new salient point becomes visible: the double attack against the white King and rook.
Sofar, three new salient points have become visible:
- Target Bd5
- Defender Rd2
- Vulnerable diagonal d5/g2
Only now the big picture emerges. By zooming out. We got here by following the most simple variation. And since the most simple line works in its most simple form it is now time to look back at the nodes and see whether we can see more complicated branches which refute the whole idea.
Summary
- Start with the salient points that are already visible (by zooming out)
- Follow the most simple and straightforward logic while ignoring the branches that sprout from the nodes (by zooming in)
- See the new salient points that become visible along the road (by zooming out)
- Follow the logic until you win a piece (by zooming in)
- See the big picture (by zooming out)
- Go back to the first node and look for alternative branches that might refutate the most simple and straightforward line (zoom in)
- Lather, rinse, repeat