PGN Analysis Checklist: What to Review After Every Game

Before turning on engine lines, write down the practical context: time control, color, opening, result, and one sentence about how the game felt. A blitz loss caused by time pressure should not be reviewed the same way as a slow classical game where you had time to calculate.

• • Where did you first feel uncomfortable?
• • Which move did you spend the most time on?
• • Did the result match your impression of the position?

Use the engine to find the biggest changes in evaluation, but do not stop at the number. For each swing, ask what type of decision caused it. Was it a missed tactic, a poor exchange, a pawn weakness, a king safety issue, or a move-order problem?

A useful note looks like this: "Move 18: I traded bishops because it looked simplifying, but after ...Qh4 my king became weak. Theme: check opponent threats before voluntary trades."

In the opening, the goal is not to memorize ten engine moves. First find the moment you left a position you understand. Then compare the engine suggestion to normal opening principles: development, center control, king safety, and piece activity.

Add one practical repertoire note, not a full database dump. For example: "Against this setup, develop the bishop before pushing the c-pawn because the knight needs the c3 square."

End each review with a short action list. Good training tasks are specific and testable:

• • Solve five back-rank tactic puzzles.
• • Review rook activity in rook-and-pawn endings.
• • Add one line to your opening notes after move 8.
• • Practice calculating forcing moves before quiet moves.

Use this five-line template after each game:

• • Opening note: one position to remember.
• • Biggest evaluation swing: move number and reason.
• • Missed tactic or plan: what you did not see.
• • Endgame note: technique, conversion, or defense.
• • Next training task: one concrete exercise.

This keeps analysis short enough to repeat, but detailed enough to improve future decisions.