Chess.com is a fantastic platform for playing and analyzing chess games. One of the features that many users enjoy is the ability to add arrows and shapes to the board for analysis and communication. While the platform doesn’t natively support different colored arrows, there’s a workaround you can use to achieve this effect.
Using the Annotation Feature
The key to creating the illusion of colored arrows lies in using the annotation feature creatively. Here’s how:
- Select the Arrow Tool: Start by selecting the arrow tool from the analysis tools available on chess.com.
- Choose Your Color: Instead of drawing a regular arrow, click and drag on the square where you want your “colored” arrow to originate. This will create a colored square highlight.
- Add the Arrow: Next, without changing your tool, click and drag from the edge of the colored square in the direction you want your arrow to point. This will create a standard black arrow originating from the colored square.
Creating a Visual System
To make your analysis clear, use different colored squares to represent different things. For example:
- Red: Threats or bad moves.
- Green: Good moves or opportunities.
- Blue: Developing moves or positional ideas.
By establishing a consistent visual language, you can quickly and easily understand your own analysis and communicate your thoughts to others.
Benefits of Using Colored Arrows
While not a native feature, using this workaround offers some advantages:
- Enhanced Clarity: The color-coding makes your analysis easier to understand at a glance.
- Improved Communication: It helps you convey your ideas more effectively when sharing your analysis with others.
- More Engaging Analysis: The visual variety makes the analysis process more engaging and less monotonous.
Example
Imagine you want to show a forced checkmate sequence. You could use a red square and arrow to indicate the checking moves, leading to a final checkmate highlighted with a green square. This immediately conveys the criticality of the red arrows while highlighting the positive outcome with green.
Chessboard with a checkmate sequence highlighted using colored arrows
While chess.com may not offer different colored arrows directly, this simple method allows you to add a new dimension to your analysis. It’s a testament to how a bit of creativity can enhance the way we use even the most established platforms. So why not try it out in your next analysis session and see the difference it makes?
