|
Helianthus Annuus posted:in the game, i thought i was supposed to get my knight to an outpost on d4, but it got traded away almost immediately, and it was unfavorable This is a fairly difficult timing thing to learn. Remember that you want to control that square. Controlling that square often means being able to put your pieces on that square. If you have a pawn on that square you can no longer put your pieces there, which means you no longer really control it. (As a trade off, of course, your pawn on d4 asks questions about e3 and c3, if you can make use of those squares.) Controlling a square doesn't mean you have to put a piece on it immediately. Sometimes you want to make sure that the square stays open for your pieces. Sometimes you want to take with the pawn because it's more valuable to control the two new squares the pawn covers. To decide which, you have to have an idea of what you want to do next. Some further plan.
|
#
?
Jun 26, 2021 20:35
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 11, 2024 19:26 |
|
|
new general rule of thumb is: don't let randoms have takebacks. Had a decent game today, someone requested a takeback, I said sure, I'm in a good mood. Later on my finger slips causing an obvious blunder, and the rando wouldn't let me get the takeback, instead choosing to taunt me. Never again.
|
|
#
?
Jun 26, 2021 22:58
|
|
|
Verisimilidude posted:new general rule of thumb is: don't let randoms have takebacks. Had a decent game today, someone requested a takeback, I said sure, I'm in a good mood. Later on my finger slips causing an obvious blunder, and the rando wouldn't let me get the takeback, instead choosing to taunt me. avatar / post combo Zwabu posted:
I felt like Magnus Carlsen seeing this instantly. God I gotta get studying Sillman again.
|
|
#
?
Jun 27, 2021 11:40
|
|
|
Hand Knit posted:Stuff Do you mind if I ask what your Elo is?
|
|
#
?
Jun 27, 2021 23:02
|
|
|
smiling giraffe posted:Do you mind if I ask what your Elo is? Been sitting at a nice round 2175 since I last played early last year. I like to imagine I'm stronger but it's probably more genuinely reflective of a very erratic player.
|
|
#
?
Jun 27, 2021 23:08
|
|
|
This game would be a lot more fun if I could stop blundering my pieces away in winning positions...
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 04:40
|
|
|
Hand Knit posted:Been sitting at a nice round 2175 since I last played early last year. I like to imagine I'm stronger but it's probably more genuinely reflective of a very erratic player. Ok I now feel a lot better about 95% of your words going over my head (actually they're easy to follow I just can't imagine having that kind of encyclopedic knowledge of openings)
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 09:27
|
|
|
What's a realistic ELO to gun for if you're a casual/average player?
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 09:40
|
|
|
busalover posted:What's a realistic ELO to gun for if you're a casual/average player? 1500 (lichess) is reasonably achievable with some tactics practice and consistently playing games
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 16:32
|
|
|
busalover posted:What's a realistic ELO to gun for if you're a casual/average player? I don't know how well it translates to online ratings because I've long since given up actually playing chess myself but I've always considered around 1200 to be "in the chess club," 1500 to be "one of the good players," and 1800 is probably "the best player in chess club." This being scholastic chess clubs, I mean. Past 2000 you're probably good enough to coach a school chess club. I think a realistic goal for most chess players is 1500 as a "well I play a bunch of chess and have read some books" or 1800 if you really decide to hunker down and read more books and play seriously every day. 2200, which is master level, you basically need to say, "this is my second job" to be able to achieve it that and going past that, you're going to have to make it almost your first job. Again, this is what I think for most chess players - there are certainly exceptions.
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 16:47
|
|
|
Does the age you first learned how to play make a big difference in the highest rating you can achieve, or is starting super young only really applicable to the really high ratings?
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 16:51
|
|
|
busalover posted:What's a realistic ELO to gun for if you're a casual/average player? I think any goal has to be 'realistic' compared to how much time you want to put into it. I have a friend who learned from scratch in his late 30s or early 40s because he wanted to help run his son's school club and he made it up to ~1900 in not too long a time. But he put in the effort, you know? Rather than aiming for a particular rating, I'd recommend aiming for a level of understanding that lets you enjoy the game as you're playing it. oh no computer posted:Does the age you first learned how to play make a big difference in the highest rating you can achieve, or is starting super young only really applicable to the really high ratings? The advantage of starting young is just that kids seem to be better at repeatedly doing mind-numbing exercises, having more social spaces to play, and generally having more free time to commit to learning. Your barriers to learning as an adult are not physiological but rather things like "having commitments," "making dinner," and "devoting mental energy to thinking about bills."
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 17:03
|
|
|
What time control is this ELO?
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 17:09
|
|
|
Control Volume posted:1500 (lichess) is reasonably achievable with some tactics practice and consistently playing games You start at 1500 on Lichess.
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 17:36
|
|
|
INTJ Mastermind posted:You start at 1500 on Lichess. Yeah but if you're a beginner you will rapidly fall below that. I think 1500 is set up to be about the median of players on lichess? Not sure. In other news, we're having a special on smothered mate! 
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 17:51
|
|
|
INTJ Mastermind posted:You start at 1500 on Lichess. Then make the goal to stay there
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 18:13
|
|
|
Control Volume posted:Then make the goal to stay there Don’t play any games
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 18:50
|
|
|
INTJ Mastermind posted:Don’t play any games Do you have a point beyond a pedantic gotcha
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 19:07
|
|
|
You don't start at 1500 on lichess anyway. You start at "1500(?)". It's a provisional rating deliberately calculated to change rapidly.
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2021 22:21
|
|
|
I think a less annoying way to put it is, 1500 is around median on lichess and though I'm sure some of those are serious dedicated players, most are probably randos (like me!) who haven't necessarily played for years. So even for casual players it's possible to aim higher without committing to putting a lot of study into the game. This is truer of longer time controls. I mainly play 5+0; I imagine 1500 in bullet is more difficult (certainly it would require a lot more experience IMO just to be able to click reasonable squares in time)
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2021 05:05
|
|
|
Do note that lichess score tends to be inflated by a few hundreds, as compared to chess.com for example.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2021 10:42
|
|
|
In the Elo and Elo-type systems as used in chess, a 400 point different is very roughly equivalent to saying "will win 90% of the time". Here's my beginner impression of what the "levels" might be looked at in terms of 400 point intervals- 200: How good a regular person is at chess during their first game. More or less every move is a blunder. 600: Someone who's just beginning but probably has a few dozen games under their belt and will usually not let pieces wander into traffic more than a few times per game. 1000: Can see basic tactics pretty well, knows the general concepts of center control and the kinds of things that should be happening in the opening, and is generally going to get beaten most of the time at the local chess club but conversely will often beat people not in the local chess club. 1400: A middle-of-the-pack club player? 1800: Good at chess to the point of consistently beating more or less everyone who's not a semi-full-time chess player. 2200: Masters 2600: Grandmasters I'm guessing I'd be a 1000ish USCF? I got into chess during the pandemic so I haven't played any events. I hope to change that this year. As a guy starting off in my mid 30s, my goal is 1400. If I make it, I'll probably shoot for 1600. Full time is not an option and at any rate my brain is not plastic enough these days, so I wouldn't expect to get much beyond that. oh no computer posted:Does the age you first learned how to play make a big difference in the highest rating you can achieve, or is starting super young only really applicable to the really high ratings? I would love to see some data on this myself. My guess would be that if you're not a rising star in grade school you're probably never going to be titled. But merely getting good at chess at the local chess club? I bet the ceiling for adults is still respectable.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2021 12:03
|
|
|
Lichtenstein posted:Do note that lichess score tends to be inflated by a few hundreds, as compared to chess.com for example. https://lichess.org/stat/rating/distribution/classical I vaguely remember lichess having exactly 1500 as median ranking a few years ago, but they changed something and now it is only approximately so. Last time I remember checking chess.com had 1200 median ranking, but I don't play there.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2021 12:23
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2021 22:57
|
|
|
https://lichess.org/dlb9pFIdGlBX I was really excited about this sacrifice but then I hung my queen for no reason and lost. 
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2021 22:07
|
|
|
dhamster posted:https://lichess.org/dlb9pFIdGlBX Castled when you had mate in 1 It's surprising how much carnage simply 3...xfe5?? leads to. I guess because it's compounding the blunder of 2...f6?? Which on the surface doesn't seem terrible, what could be bad about advancing a pawn and defending a central square? (Everything)
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 06:57
|
|
|
What is with the chess.com puzzle today? It seems to be sacing a rook and a knight for a rook and position? I'm just not seeing the logic of it creating a benefit
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 12:00
|
|
|
If I'm looking at the same puzzle, can't black almost immediately win the bishop on f4.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 13:09
|
|
|
.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 14:59
|
|
|
Doccykins posted:What is with the chess.com puzzle today? It seems to be sacing a rook and a knight for a rook and position? I'm just not seeing the logic of it creating a benefit You haven't sacrificed anything - you exchanged a rook and knight for rook and bishop. But now the white f4 bishop is hanging and unsaveable whoops, meant to edit my last post
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 14:59
|
|
|
ah I see now, was just thrown by the puzzle ending earlier than that and white capturing my knight with the rook rather than g pawn, though that would compromise the king's defense
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 16:06
|
|
|
It would compromise it so severely it leads to mate in five.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2021 19:58
|
|
|
losing a drawn rook and pawn endgame because of time pressure in blitz  what are you doing?
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2021 22:18
|
|
|
Someone help me, a complete idiot, 'get' Nimzo-Indian. Like, I can do my home work and go through the main lines but I don't think the idea behind it has really clicked in my head. It looks like something I'd enjoy playing, but I'm not super sure how to really capitalize on it, other than to poo poo up the black squares not to miss the bishop too much. I guess Bogo-Indian too.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2021 15:26
|
|
|
Lichtenstein posted:Someone help me, a complete idiot, 'get' Nimzo-Indian. Like, I can do my home work and go through the main lines but I don't think the idea behind it has really clicked in my head. The Nimzo standardly revolves around contesting e4. The reason you play Bb4 is to challenge (and usually eliminate) the N on c3 which white uses to control that square. This is also why many of white's plans in the Nimzo involve looking to prepare and play e4. Particular lines of the Nimzo often have different ideas. A common one is that in lines where black has taken on c3 to double white's pawns, black is going to want to play c5 to try and fix white's c-pawns and then target the c4 pawn with Ba6 and Nc6-a5. Another common idea for black is to use the control of e4 to put a bishop on b7 and general kingside pressure against white. There are more ideas too, but I don't really know them. The Bogo Indian often pursues a similar idea but worse, as white doesn't have to put the knight on c3. I like to play the Bogo for playing e5, trading on d4, and sticking a knight on c5. However a more common way of playing is looking to secure favourable trades before creating a QGD-like setup. I'll see if I have any games which are illustrative.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2021 15:38
|
|
|
Me, an intellectual: “I haven’t played bullet in a while. Maybe I should give it a shot after hammering tactics for a few weeks”
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2021 23:15
|
|
|
Are you me
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2021 23:21
|
|
|
The steadily decreasing opponent Elos lol.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2021 23:27
|
|
|
does anyone have a good buyers guide for chess sets and clocks? i've been playing online only, but now that things are more under control in my area i'm considering trying out a local chess club that meets in a nearby park. they ask that folks bring their own sets and clocks when possible, and since i'm neither a penniless child nor a senior citizen on a fixed income, i could do my part (also i kind of just want a physical setup). i don't want to blow a lot of money, but i also don't want to cheap out on something that will fall apart with a little continued use, and i have no idea where to start.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2021 01:19
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 11, 2024 19:26 |
|
|
For tournaments the standard is a roll-up board with weighted plastic pieces and a vinyl bag to carry everything. A basic set like this one is very affordable. https://www.chesshouse.com/collections/club-chess-sets/products/basic-club-chess-set Clocks are pricier. Spend your money on the clock. Digital is the way to go since you can program in time delay and increments. I have a Chronos myself.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2021 01:47
|
|