The everything CHESS thread - Page 13 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Iowa_Flames_Fan · 03-15-2023, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

I think rapid and longer time controls are better if you're trying to learn and get better at chess in general, because it gives you time to think about what you're doing and why.

Blitz is good fun, but the quality on both sides goes way down because of time pressure. Like TheIronMaiden said, learning your opening lines will be huge, because you can get 5-10-15 moves into a game without needing to take time to think. It definitely lends itself to wilder, trickier tactics and attacks, because people don't have time to calculate and find the right move.

I'm way worse at blitz because I haven't figured out the balance to time management yet. Recognizing when to play a safe move quickly even if it isn't the most accurate vs. spending precious time working out a tactic or double-checking for blunders is a whole new skillset in short time.

If you're playing more passively, rather than going for a big attack, I think it's important to keep track if any of your pieces aren't directly defended or if one piece is defending two things. Where in a longer game you might move a piece to a safe square, knowing you will need to move it if it gets attacked, that's easy to forget when you're making moves quickly on a different part of the board.

I couldn’t agree more. Blitz is fun and addictive, and from what I understand (I haven’t actually tried it…) bullet chess is like meth for nerds. But playing at faster controls doesn’t help you improve nearly as much, and for me I found that playing more blitz actually made me a worse player at rapid time controls, because I got into a rhythm of thinking and calculating less.

That’s probably just me—one of my main flaws as a player is sometimes getting into an analytical single - track and then lacking the patience to calculate lines all the way to the end. When I was playing lots of blitz I kind of forgot what a huge problem that can be when your opponent has more time.

Superfraggle · 03-15-2023, 10:15 PM

Chess is hard.

Superfraggle · 03-15-2023, 10:22 PM

Congrats to 72UCI on a well-deserved win in the tournament. Everything seemed to be going so well until a clever knight sacrifice which I accepted, missing the tactic until it was too late.

Superfraggle · 03-15-2023, 10:26 PM

https://www.chess.com/game/daily/484427135

FireGilbert · 03-15-2023, 11:56 PM

^Gotta love games with opposite side castling and files opening in front of the kings.

When that game link was shared I thought black had a distinct advantage with the battery on the b-file. Was thinking putting the black Queen on a3 and then either playing Ra4 (making use of the pinned pawn) or just pushing your a pawn were unstoppable attacks. Absolutely savage tactics by white though and a clinical finish.

Superfraggle · 03-16-2023, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

^Gotta love games with opposite side castling and files opening in front of the kings.

When that game link was shared I thought black had a distinct advantage with the battery on the b-file. Was thinking putting the black Queen on a3 and then either playing Ra4 (making use of the pinned pawn) or just pushing your a pawn were unstoppable attacks. Absolutely savage tactics by white though and a clinical finish.

Yeah, both of those things were on my mind as options. I just thought his queen would be in time to defend against mine going to A3, and I was really leery of trades, since he would win the tournament with a stalemate. The pawn push was my main plan before he moved to h4, but I got distracted by the opportunity to take the h4 pawn. His only way to defend it would have been to move the queen over, after which mine could go to F6 and attack the d4 pawn. Then with my rook coming back to b4, the only way to defend both pawns would have been to move his C2 pawn up, undermining B3. For some reason he decided to come up with his own plan, rather than follow mine.

TheIronMaiden · 03-16-2023, 09:47 AM

I can start a new tournament. I was looking into setting up a swiss, so everyone could play everyone , but I am not sure you can do that for daily tournaments.

So I will set up one day to move, groups of 3 top 1 advances?

Is a start tomorrow at noon too soon, or is it better to wait until monday?

Superfraggle · 03-16-2023, 10:01 AM

I'm happy to join a new one whenever, but I suspect we will get more people if it is open for joining for a couple days before it starts.

TheIronMaiden · 03-16-2023, 10:11 AM

I did a little experimenting.

I can make a swiss tournament by giving 1,440 (1 day) minute time control with a 1,440 increment
or I would do 14,400 (10 days) and if the clock stops you lose.

The benefit of the swiss tournement is that you would get to play everyone. Although that could be too hectic.

I am fine with which ever the group prefers.

Slava · 03-16-2023, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I did a little experimenting.

I can make a swiss tournament by giving 1,440 (1 day) minute time control with a 1,440 increment
or I would do 14,400 (10 days) and if the clock stops you lose.

The benefit of the swiss tournement is that you would get to play everyone. Although that could be too hectic.

I am fine with which ever the group prefers.

I'm good with whichever format, but it would be fun to play everyone.

TheIronMaiden · 03-16-2023, 10:31 AM

I agree, lets try, it is low stakes, we can always change it for the next one.

TheIronMaiden · 03-16-2023, 10:34 AM

https://www.chess.com/play/tournament/3897917

not sure if this will work as I thought.

EDIT don't use this link

Superfraggle · 03-16-2023, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

https://www.chess.com/play/tournament/3897917

not sure if this will work as I thought.

When I click the link, it says it's 120 min and that registration begins an hour before the event starts.

TheIronMaiden · 03-16-2023, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

When I click the link, it says it's 120 min and that registration begins an hour before the event starts.

Yeah. Thats what I saw. drats.

Ok back to plan one.

TheIronMaiden · 03-16-2023, 10:57 AM

https://www.chess.com/tournament/the...ii/join/aee394

Scornfire · 03-16-2023, 11:02 AM

I cracked 1k the other day so now's a good time for you guys to tank my ELO again

Slava · 03-16-2023, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I agree, lets try, it is low stakes, we can always change it for the next one.

It better be no stakes, otherwise I'm in the hole by a lot!

Iowa_Flames_Fan · 03-17-2023, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scornfire

I cracked 1k the other day so now's a good time for you guys to tank my ELO again

It’s a jungle at around 1000…. I’ve played with that threshold a bunch myself!

Looking forward to another round here.

FireGilbert · 03-17-2023, 04:19 PM

I’m in! What happens next?

Superfraggle · 03-17-2023, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

I’m in! What happens next?

Not a whole lot until the tournament starts. When it does, we will be split into groups. You will have games automatically started against everybody else in your group simultaneously. When one game ends, your next one against the same person will start with opposite colours. It's daily time control, so each person has up to a full day to make a move on their turn. Whenever the other person makes a move, you should get a notification on Chess.com to let you know it's your turn.