ChessMessChess game review explained: accuracy, blunders and brilliant moves
What accuracy means, how moves are labelled from Brilliant to Blunder, how to read an evaluation graph, and how to use a game review to actually improve.
A game review compares your moves with what a strong engine would play. Here's how to read one — and how to use it to get better.
Accuracy
Accuracy (0–100) measures how much winning chance you kept on each move, averaged over the game. 90+ is very clean play; 70–85 is typical for club players; below 60 usually means a few big mistakes. Compare accuracy between your own games rather than with other people's — the kind of position matters.
Move labels
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Brilliant (!!) | A strong, hard-to-find move, often a sound sacrifice |
| Great (!) | The only good move in a critical moment |
| Best | The engine's top choice |
| Excellent / Good | Close to best; no real loss |
| Book | A known opening move |
| Inaccuracy | A small slip |
| Mistake | A clear loss of advantage |
| Blunder | A serious error, often losing material or the game |
| Missed win | You had a winning move and didn't play it |
The evaluation graph
The line shows who was better after each move. Big jumps are where the game turned — start your review there. ChessMess highlights these key moments for you.
How to review a game in five minutes
- Look at the key moments first, not every move.
- For each one, ask: what did I miss? — a threat, a capture, a check?
- Read the explanation and play through the better line.
- Note one pattern to remember ("check knight forks before moving the queen").
- Play again and look for that pattern.
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