Here's a little explanation on the purpose. I'm sure you read the newpaper yesterday. How many of you can remember the story? The odds are: after a few days it will fade into distant memory. Wetzell refers to this as "light images". The purpose of flash cards is to eliminate you mistakes by putting those positions into "heavy images"--images you will always remember and maybe even be able to recall instantly.
Wetzel created thousands of index cards (before the day of the computer) made from blunders/inaccuracies in his games. He went over the positons at least once or twice a month from what I can recall. Not only did he eliminate his mistakes, but more importantly, he eliminated the thought process behind the mistakes.
Here's an example of a flash card taken from one of Juan Jauregui's games:
Jauregui-Fischer, 2009 North-South Team Championship 2009, 1/2-1/2
White to move
Here Juan played 1. Bf4. Now 1. Bf4 isn't a bad move. It leads to a dead even game. However, strategically the Bishop probably does not belong on f4.
Thinking along strategic guidelines, maybe 1. Bc2 is better, offering to trade Black's best placed piece--his light-square bishop in exchange for White's most poorly placed piece.
Several other moves can also be played such as: Ne2, a3, Ne4, Bd2 Qe2). However, I believe the move that best fits the needs of the position is 1. Bc2.
So a the bottom of the flash card (or database file), I might put: LESSON LEARNED: Offer to trade off your worst placed piece for your opponent's best piece.
Note: This was a team game so maybe under the circumstances Juan may have been playing for a draw. My point is not to criticize his play because nothing was terribly wrong with 1. Bf4, but to offer an example of what a flash card would look like.
I hope you try creating flash cards. It has to improve your play. The most important tool in learning chess is removing weaknesses, and most people don't realize it.
Cheers
Paul
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