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Subject: Re: I'm Curious Perhaps this should be a poll question

Author: Laurence Chen

Date: 07:18:17 01/10/99

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On January 10, 1999 at 01:39:03, Reynolds Takata wrote:

>How many points on average would you say that you(whoever you are) have
>increased in strength(if any) since you first purchased a professional chess
>program?  Answer only if you believe that the increase in strength had something
>significant to do with the usage of the chess program.  I'm not too interested
>as to the effect you think databases have had but that may be of some interest
>as well(yeah throw that in too :)).  I'm curious also if some statistic or
>comonality could be found in those whose strength did increase.  This is
>suddenly of interest to me because 95+% of all chess players in a 5 year
>period(excluding juniors) don't increase their rating beyond the statistical
>margin of error(when they do, the rating usually falls right back to where it
>started, and no significant change can be seen)
>
>R. Takata
>USCF Life MAster
Well I can only speak from my own experience, and I must say 0 (zero) rating
points on average. I don't find that playing games against the chess engines
alone improves rating. Even if one uses chess engines as sparring patners as
boxers would use to prepare for an upcoming match. Like boxers who goes through
extensive physical preparation, and study the opponent's fighting style for
strength and weakness, one must study and go over one's own games otherwise
there is no real significant improvement of chess points because the chess
engines nowadays are so strong that it becomes very discouraging to lose game
after game after game. Being crushed by chess engine does not lead to feeling
good, so no progress is accomplished. As for databases, I find databases more
useful as studying tools because it allows searches for games of any middlegame
themes, and that helps to study and master a particular position. After mastered
a position, one can go to play the chess engine and practice such position.
Therefore, the use of database + chess engine together could increase rating
points by as much as 100 or more.



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