Frequently asked questions

The Woodpecker Method, from the book by Axel Smith and Hans Tikkanen, is a training technique where you solve the same set of tactical positions over and over, each pass faster than the last. Repeating the same patterns at shrinking intervals moves them from slow calculation into instant recognition. PatternChess applies the same idea to the blunders from your own games.

Blundering less comes from recognizing dangerous patterns before you move, and that recognition is built by repeated exposure. PatternChess collects the exact positions where you blundered and has you re-solve them across spaced sessions until the right move is automatic, so the same mistake stops repeating.

PatternChess imports your games from Chess.com or Lichess and runs the Stockfish engine over every position. It flags the moves where your winning chances dropped sharply — about 15% or more by the Lichess model — and turns those moments into trainable drills.

Yes. PatternChess is free to use. You sign in with Google, connect a Chess.com or Lichess username, and start training on your own games.

Yes. PatternChess pulls your public game history directly from Chess.com and Lichess. Your browser fetches the games, the engine analyzes them, and your blunders become a training set.

Spaced repetition means reviewing the same material at increasing intervals so it sticks in long-term memory instead of fading. PatternChess schedules each blunder you have drilled to come back on a widening ladder of days, which is far more durable than cramming in one sitting.