Thread: Anyone plays chess

I play with my wife a lot. But also been playing in the computer for ages with the chessmaster series.

Problem is I can't concentrate on the screen the same way I do on the real thing. I tried several table setups (2d, 3d, perspective) and even change the angle of the board. Currently I rank 1380 with chessmaster but I know I can do much better. I lose many games by sheer distraction and have trouble focusing; something that doesn't happen while playing with my wife on a real board. Strange... when considering I can abstract easily enough to concentrate myself while coding.

Of those of you who play, did you have/had the same problem? Did you find a setup you are more comfortable with?

Have you read this? It spans about a month I think! pretty long thread really!

Personally I don't play very often, but I'm trying to teach some young 'uns at the moment. I prefer playing on a board, it's easier to concentrate than staring at the screen

>> I play with my wife a lot

I should hope so

Something I do is to download the moves of a chess game between 2 masters, make the first 10 moves say. then cover up the moves and try to work out which move the masters make. your playing a real game and getting a good insight into the style of really good players.
Also I find playing online very interesting and I really want to win, so no attention loss there.

>>I play with my wife a lot.
>>I should hope so

Dammit, can't *believe* I missed that one
My witty reply would have been:

>So do I !

But hey, ya beat me to it

www.chess.net

>>>> I play with my wife a lot.
>> I should hope so

She's actually a very good player. Usually she makes it to the finals on our local anual chess competition and ends up always playing with that same old nerd with whom she has a W3 L8 D1. She hates him

Most of the time she beats the crap out of me. But I guess that's a good thing, given the quote above

And thanks for the link Betazep. I know them for a while already. Never thought of looking there for some info on this.

I just started playing again at chess.net. I am absolutely miserable now. I used to be a 1600 and now I am right around 1000 after several horrible games with 1200-1300 people.

Man I am rusty.... doesn't help much to have a one year old that gets into absolutely everything while I am playing. He was even so nice as to hit the reset button on my computer while I was playing.... then smiled at me.

Gotta love kids. They are so funny.

>Of those of you who play, did you have/had the same problem?

Yes. It's hard to visualize things on the screen. I don't think you can play as well using a display, especially blitz games. It's easier to see what's happening using a real board and pieces. Some people use a chess set to help them play, even when playing on the computer.

When playing online, I prefer the 2-D boards to the 3-D boards.

I only care to play those that have four dimensions. j/k

>I only care to play those that have four dimensions. j/k

You might need four if you play that Star Trek version of chess.

>> Some people use a chess set to help them play, even when playing on the computer

Yes, that seems a good idea. Thanks.

>> after several horrible games with 1200-1300 people

I recommend you to take down 1600/1700 players. With your score, you can play them (rules state 400 point difference at most, if i'm not mistaken). Your mind will work for you and you'll concentrate on the game fully, because you know your opponent is no simple match. Playing with lower ranks makes us soft and not worried. When we awake, it's already too late and soon another lower rank will have something to brag at our expense.

This is all, of course, a matter of discipline. Something I lack a lot. Other players play with the same care with a 500 as with a master. But if you are not that kind of guy, hunt down the higher ranks. It will also mean a lot less loses on your own rank if you lose against a 1700. A loss with a 1200 will plummet your score down to anywhere between 1000 and 1100 in a two match game. While with your rank, if you lose to a 1700, it will get down 1-5 points only.

TK and you there with the two dots,

This has been quite a nice thread.
Should I go any further? Or do you want me to keep explaining the merits of allowing people to discuss things in an adult fashion?