Online Chess

[Chesspieceface]

Hi all, sort of a crosspost, sort of not.  I've been playing a lot of chess lately and really enjoying it.  For a long time most of the free online options kinda sucked.  I've been playing on chess.com and its got a great interface, chess forums, and articles and trainers.  Its also got free ranked live and correspondence chess.  I think its really great and I want more opponents in correspondence so I can improve.  I'm playing as earbiter.

If you decide to sign up and want to thank me for pointing it out, here's my referral link: http://www.chess.com?ref_id=6607830

Let's play some Chess.

Also Grudbegriff recommended chesstempo.com over on OO and it is a great site for free drills and trainers.

[Razgon]

Hi, I'm actually on Chess.com as well, where I play games with my daugther through their android app.

Can we link the ways we play (Me through the app, you through the website) in some sort of way?

[Chesspieceface]

Should be interchangeable from web to mobile afaik.  No reason it shouldn't be, chess games are just text messages.

[Razgon]

Just sent a friend request to you!

[Razgon]

Chesspieceface  - You are slaughtering me! Its been too long since I played last. I hope you still enjoy the game, and will play me again after this game. I promise to get better!

[Chesspieceface]

Of course I will.  Don't worry we all get slaughtered. coopasonic ruined me last game.

[Razgon]

and I just started a game with him as well..arrgghhh ;-)

[coopasonic]

and I just started a game with him as well..arrgghhh ;-)

Don't worry, I only ruined him when he made a spectacular blunder. He beat me in return and the third match could go either way. Of course I noticed he "randomly" has been white 3 times in a row... actually he noticed and told me. Random, sure!

[Razgon]

ehmm..okay - well, I don't think I am in the same league as you guys.

I'll still be up for playing, but I understand if its too boring.

[Razgon]

Damn, I forgot to make my challenge a rated game, CPF - Should I redo it?

[wonderpug]

CPF, I used your link but it's still asking for your name for the referral.  Is your username chesspieceface ?

I'm incredibly rusty at the game and I've never learned any openings other than "moving the king's pawn two spaces is a pretty good first move," but I'm having so much fun playing Hero Academy play-by-email I figure I'll also have fun playing the big boy version.  I'm ready to get slaughtered.

I did, however, win the chess tournament my 6th grade class held, so watch out.   

[Razgon]

He's earbiter at Chess.com and I'm razgon, in case you want someone else to play.

[coopasonic]

Wonderpug, send coopasonic a challenge when you get registered. 

[wonderpug]

Per razgon's question, should I be starting rated games with you guys?

How low do I have to get my rating before I start getting extra units and damage bonus handicaps? 

[coopasonic]

No reason not to play rated.

[Chesspieceface]

One of us. one of us!  Come on in the, water's great wonderpug. I don't know how long I can maintain my current obsession level but till then chess, chess, chess.  When I'm not with my gf or playing online, I'm studying chess or looking for games at a coffeehouse... so much chess.  Wish I didn't take ten years off, I'd be like awesome now!

[wonderpug]

Ok, I'm in!  Hope I remember which way the pieces move! 

[wonderpug]

Does the 3 day timer mean "take each turn within 3 days" or "you have a 72 hour clock that ticks down whenever you dilly dally"?

[Razgon]

You have 3 days to make your move - if you make it before, of course the turn goes to your opponent.

[Soulchilde]

Chess With Friends..   We had a fairly active once before


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[coopasonic]

Chess With Friends..   We had a fairly active once before


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Chess with friends is a competent app, but it's a small slice of what chess.com gives you, like rankings and tournaments and puzzles and you know... cool chess stuff.

[Razgon]

Sometimes, I think playing 3-4 games at the same time is too much (for me). I make stupid stupid mistakes!!

[wonderpug]

I was just about to say the same thing.  All I have going are the three matches against you guys, but that's 3x more simultaneous chess matches than I've ever done before.  If I get slower and slower taking my turns, it's because it's taking longer and longer for me to refresh myself on what's going on on the board.

[coopasonic]

I've played as many as 30 correspondence games simultaneously without issue. First you can use the notes panel if you need to remember a strategy or to watch for something. Second, history doesn't really matter, only the current position matters. I think it better switching games because it forces you to reevaluate the entire board rather than get complacent about potential threats that have been idle for a few moves.

[wonderpug]

It's the repeated reevaluation of the current position that's tripping me up.  With a single live match, you can keep a mental checklist of what's protecting what, and where the weaknesses are that you're trying to push toward.  Without being able to maintain a big picture look, I feel a lot more accident prone.  Also, I'd disagree that history doesn't matter, because I think the move history gives you hints about what your opponent is planning.

Mind you, I'm not some fantastic player or anything, it's just a hard to let go of old ways of approaching a match.

[Chesspieceface]

... and that's why computers destroy us at chess.  It is a solid state affair.  It does seem simpler, and is very human to want to see the chess game as a narrative, as indeed it certainly is some respects.  However, the decision of what is the best current move relates only to the current position and our silly human attachments to that narrative often lead us to make poor moves.  It is good practice to be able to look at a position and decide the best move without knowing how the position was arrived at.

[wonderpug]

This is going to be an agree to disagree sort of thing.  By seeing how a game got to where it is, you can see things like how aggressive or defensive a player is, whether they favor bishops or knights, a sense of what direction they're trying to move their pieces, etc.  I do get the logic of what you're saying, but in pretty much every multiplayer game I play, I like to get into my opponent's head.

[coopasonic]

Wait, there are people that favor bishops???

[Razgon]

Hey guy - If you don't want to play anymore, I'd appreciate a message about it, here for example.

[wonderpug]

Is this directed at me?

[Razgon]

No - I've sent a few game challenges that has gone unanswered, and I am unsure whether that's on purpose or just a mistake or if they even got sent at all :-)

[Chesspieceface]

Haven't looked here for awhile but I've not ignored any challenges.  Was in "vacation" mode for a couple weeks in March though. Sorry.  Still playing, still accepting all challenges.