Author: Dagh Nielsen
Date: 21:55:11 11/07/05
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You can also play chess at a slow pace (= correspondence chess) at chessfriend.com, for a small amount of money a month or something. There are lots of players of all strengths there. For faster server chess (blitz chess and 15 0), the two usual main recommendations are playchess.com (Chessbase server) and chessclub.com (ICC). I would think that playchess.com is more beginner-friendly, and you can get started and play with rating for free there (you would pay to get some extra options). However, on ICC it is easier to find opponents for long games (like 15 0). Chess programs today are very strong, stronger than at least most grandmasters under usual tournament conditions (in general, the more time, the better the odds of the human). Team chess is possible on chessfriend.com, they arrange games against grandmasters from time to time, and then users vote on the move to play. I'm not sure there's much competitive point in team chess with a 4-6 hour time control, I think the problem is that the handicap of time spent on communication would outweigh the bonus of having more eyes on the position. However, there's much point in analysing for fun or interest as a "team", it's actually one of the best ways to learn and improve. Some people in chessclubs do that all the time, going through each others club league games, 5 hands on the board and lots of shouting :P As an addendum to my recommended "playing approach" for learning chess, I would have to agree with other posters that tactics is "everything" for beginners, and openings, strategy etc. only secondary. However, it gets easier to remember tactical motifs once you have "sorted" your chess experience by adopting and playing some different opening systems. My advice is to try out lots of different stuff, and whenever something catch your interest, make a mental note so you can apply the (tactical) idea later. This should be learning by interest and personal considerations instead of rote memorization of moves you don't understand yet. The crucial point is that you actually invest some mental energy into it, but I hope that should be possible by simply letting you guide yourself by your interest. Regards, Dagh Nielsen On November 08, 2005 at 00:01:26, Philip Brocoum wrote: >Thanks for all your replies! Keep them coming =) > >I just discovered the awesomeness of http://postcardchess.com/ so now I'm >playing with all my friends at a nice casual pace =P > >I highly recommend you guys check out http://thepixiepit.co.uk/scrabble it's the >same thing but with Scrabble (if you like that game, it's another one of my >favorites). > >Slightly off topic: how good are computer chess programs these days? I don't >mean Deep Blue, I mean your average downloadable chess software. Can most good >players still beat them? > >I was reading up on Deep Blue lol, and even though Kasparov lost I think the >fact that Deep Blue does 200,000,000 calculations per second and the fact that >Kasparov is just a man is really a testament to the power of the mind. If it >takes 200,000,000 calculations per second to beat the human brain that is one >powerful human brain lol. > >Also, has anyone ever tried team chess? As in, stick 5 grandmasters in a room so >they can talk the game over and have them play against Kasparov as a team? (or >some other variant of that sort of thing). Just curious! > >Thanks for your replies =) > >Stedwick >http://philip.brocoum.com
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