The Woodpecker Method works through repetition: you solve the same puzzle set multiple times in cycles, getting faster and more accurate each round. Disco Chess automates the entire process.

How Cycle Tracking Works

When you start a puzzle set, Disco Chess creates Cycle 1. As you solve each puzzle, the app records:

Whether you solved it correctly on your first attempt
How long you took to find the solution
Which tactical motifs the puzzle contains

Once you complete all puzzles in the set, the cycle ends and your results are summarized. Start the set again and you're in Cycle 2.

What Each Cycle Measures

Each cycle produces three key metrics that directly measure pattern recognition:

Accuracy

Percentage of puzzles solved correctly. Shows if patterns are sticking in memory.

Solve Time

Average seconds per puzzle. Measures how automatic your pattern recognition has become.

Efficiency

Combines accuracy and speed into a single improvement multiplier vs. Cycle 1.

Learn more about interpreting these metrics in Performance Analytics.

Expected Progression

Here's what typical progress looks like across cycles:

Cycle	Accuracy	What's Happening
1	60-75%	First exposure. You're encountering patterns for the first time.
2-3	75-85%	Recognition developing. Patterns start feeling familiar.
4-5	80-90%	Speed increases. You're solving faster with maintained accuracy.
6-7+	85-95%	Mastery. Patterns are automatic. Solve times significantly lower.

When to Move On

You've mastered a puzzle set when you can complete a cycle with:

85%+ accuracy: you recognize most patterns correctly
Significantly faster solve times: patterns are automatic, not calculated
2x+ efficiency: you're solving twice as effectively as Cycle 1

At this point, move to a harder puzzle set to continue improving. Staying on mastered sets maintains your skill but doesn't build new patterns.

Unlimited Cycles

Unlike some platforms that limit you to 3-8 cycles, Disco Chess offers unlimited cycles. The Woodpecker Method works best when you can repeat until true mastery, not until an arbitrary limit is reached.

What Happens to Mistakes?

Puzzles you get wrong during a cycle don't just disappear. They're automatically added to your Mistake Review queue for Anki-style spaced repetition. This ensures your biggest weaknesses get the most practice.

Training Cycles