--- title: "Game review in chess" url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review" last_updated: "2026-11-07" type: "reference" summary: "A game review is an automatic engine pass over a finished game that marks each move, shows how the evaluation changed and points out the turning points." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/engine-analysis.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/accuracy.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/post-game-analysis.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review-habit.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/evaluation-bar.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/computer-chess.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"] --- # Game review in chess > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. A game review is an automatic engine pass over a finished game that marks each move, shows how the evaluation changed and points out the turning points. A game review is an automatic engine pass over a finished game that marks each move, shows how the evaluation changed and points out the turning points, mistakes and missed chances. After a game ends, many analysis tools offer an automatic review. The [engine](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-engine.md) goes through every move, compares it with its own preference, and presents a graph of the [evaluation](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/evaluation.md) along with labels such as [inaccuracy](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/inaccuracy.md), [mistake](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/mistake.md) and [blunder](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder.md). Different tools compute these marks differently, so treat them as approximate. For a club player a review is fast and convenient: it shows where the game turned, often within seconds. Its weakness is that it does not explain your thinking. It can say that a move lost a pawn, not that you were short of time or misjudged the pawn structure. The common mistake is to skim the marks, feel good or bad, and close the page. A better habit is to review in two steps. First, go through the game yourself and write down where you think it turned. Second, run the automatic review and compare. The gaps between your notes and the engine's marks are exactly what you should study, because they show what your own judgment misses. Also called: automatic review. Also worth reading is [Average centipawn loss](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/average-centipawn-loss.md). Average centipawn loss, or ACPL, is the mean amount of evaluation a player gave up per move compared with the engine's best choice, measured in hundredths of a pawn, so lower figures mean cleaner play. Also worth reading is [Brilliant move](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/brilliant-move.md). A brilliant move is a label some analysis tools give to a strong, hard-to-find move, often a sacrifice, that the engine confirms keeps or improves the position despite looking risky. Also worth reading is [Engine analysis](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/engine-analysis.md). Engine analysis is the use of a chess program to search a position and report which moves are strongest, along with a numeric evaluation and the lines it expects both sides to follow. An engine can tell you what "Game review" means for a position, but not which mistakes you keep making; a [first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md) with George Li reviews your games and finds those. ## Related terms - [Engine analysis](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/engine-analysis.md) - [Accuracy](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/accuracy.md) - [Blunder](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder.md) - [Post-game analysis](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/post-game-analysis.md) - [Game review habit](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review-habit.md) - [Evaluation bar](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/evaluation-bar.md) ## Guides that go further - [How to choose a chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-choose-a-chess-coach.md): What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid. - [How much does chess coaching cost?](https://georgelichess.com/chess-coaching-cost.md): Published rates for private, group and subscription chess coaching, with the source and the date of each. - [The first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md): A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li. [Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com. ## Related - [Engine analysis in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/engine-analysis.md) - [Accuracy in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/accuracy.md) - [Blunder in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blunder.md) - [Post-game analysis in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/post-game-analysis.md) - [Game review habit in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/game-review-habit.md) - [Evaluation bar in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/evaluation-bar.md) - [Chess terms: Computer chess and analysis](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/computer-chess.md) - [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)