Tactics training guide
The Woodpecker Method: train chess tactics in cycles
Solve one set of tactics, then solve the same set again, faster. Repetition turns calculation into recognition, so you spot forks, pins and mating patterns during your own games. This guide explains how to run the method, how to size your set and how to track each cycle, with a free printable training log (PDF).
Where the method comes from
The training system was developed by Swedish grandmaster Hans Tikkanen and presented with Axel Smith in The Woodpecker Method (Quality Chess, 2018). The idea is simple and demanding: a large set of puzzles, solved repeatedly in faster cycles, until the patterns become automatic. It is hard work, not a shortcut, and it only helps if the positions match your level.
How to do the Woodpecker Method, step by step
Build one fixed set of puzzles
Pick tactics that are hard enough to make you think but that you can mostly solve. The book works with more than a thousand puzzles; most club players start smaller. In Chessdesk a Premium set holds between 100 and 1,000 puzzles (300 by default), drawn around your puzzle rating and optionally focused on one theme.
Solve the whole set once, carefully
The first cycle is slow on purpose. Calculate every line, write down or play out your answer, then check it. Accuracy matters more than time here; record how long the full cycle took.
Repeat the same set, aiming to halve your time
Solve the identical set again. The usual target is to finish each new cycle in about half the time of the previous one, while keeping accuracy high. Chessdesk sets that target automatically: cycle 2 aims for 50% of your first-cycle time, cycle 3 for 25%, and so on.
Rest between cycles and stop when patterns are automatic
Take a short break between cycles, then continue until you recognise most positions at a glance. Around seven cycles is a common goal. In Chessdesk a set can be marked complete after 2 cycles, and a Premium set allows up to 10.
Choosing set size and cycle targets
| Your situation | Set size to start | Weekly time |
|---|---|---|
| First try of the method | 20 positions (free discovery set) | One short session |
| Club player, limited time | 100 to 150 puzzles | 2 to 3 hours |
| Regular training plan | 300 puzzles | 4 to 6 hours |
| Serious preparation | 500 to 1,000 puzzles | 6 hours or more |
The weekly times are practical starting points, not rules from the book. If your first-cycle accuracy is below about two thirds, pick easier puzzles rather than pushing through.
Track every cycle
Write down the date, total time, number of puzzles solved correctly and the positions you missed. The printable training log has a row per cycle and space for missed patterns. In Chessdesk the timer, target time and accuracy are recorded for you. Missed positions are also worth turning into your own personal blunder puzzles, and single positions can be explored on the analysis board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Woodpecker Method in chess?
It is a tactics training system developed by Hans Tikkanen and named and published by Axel Smith and Hans Tikkanen in The Woodpecker Method (Quality Chess, 2018). You solve a large set of tactical puzzles, then solve the same set again and again, faster each time, so the patterns become automatic.
How many puzzles should a Woodpecker set have?
Enough that you cannot memorise the answers after one pass. Many club players start with a few hundred. Chessdesk offers sets from 100 to 1000 puzzles, 300 by default, chosen around your puzzle rating.
How many cycles should I do?
Continue while your time keeps dropping and your accuracy stays high. The common plan halves the time on each cycle. Chessdesk sets the target time for every cycle and allows up to 10 cycles on a Premium set.
Is the Woodpecker Method good for beginners?
Yes, if the puzzles fit your level. Beginners benefit most from a smaller set of simple motifs such as forks, pins and back-rank mates. If you miss more than a third of the positions in the first cycle, the set is too hard.
Can I try it for free on Chessdesk?
Yes. A free account can start one discovery set of 20 positions and play 2 cycles. Premium sets of 100 to 1000 puzzles, with themes and further cycles, are built after 50 rated puzzles have calibrated your level.
Start your first Woodpecker set
Start with a free discovery set of 20 positions over 2 cycles. Premium unlocks sets of up to 1,000 puzzles around your rating, themes and up to 10 cycles, once 50 rated puzzles have calibrated your level.