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ganstaman
♡ 101 ( +1 | -1 )
During your opponent's time... During an OTB game, I will analyze the board regardless of whose turn it is. Occassionally I'll get up and not think about the game for a moment, but usually there's not really enough time to waste the time you have when your opponent's clock is running.
But in a correspondence game? How many of you analyze the board and think of moves during your opponent's turn? Does it help, or is there already so much time to think that the advantage from this is marginal to none?
Also, let's say you have a forced (or at least nearly forced) move to make. Do you make it right away (after making sure it's forced), or will you delay making the move so that you can use the extra time to analyze what will happen after it? In an OTB game, you should make the forced move right away, since your clock is ticking down. But here, your time gets reset once you move. But again, is there enough gain in this?
rallyvincent
♡ 40 ( +1 | -1 )
Sure Depending on the move time of the opponent, though. If he takes two days for a move, why not look the game up and think over it again? There is always the possibility that you will discover a new aspect that you missed before. And (if not writing down lines) it helps to "stay in the game" (in other words, not to forget everything and thus having to do all the brain work again).
Greetings,
Rally V.
tag1153
♡ 231 ( +1 | -1 )
My favorite instance..... .....of "what to do when your opponents clock is ticking" happened a few weeks ago at an OTB tournament. My opponent was one of those really nasty players who wouldn't even greet me when we sat down. I got the cursory handshake once the TD said to start the clock, but his demeanor and general attitude really put me off. I would hear him groan and shake his head when I made my move, trying to give off an air of superiority. He would study his position, and fairly slam his pieces to their new squares, and when he would capture he would do it in such a manner as you might see in a blitz game played in the park with a bunch of hustlers. I mean I really didn't like this guy - and wanted to crush him. The problem was, he was far better than I was, and within about 30 moves he was clearly winning. I wanted to shoot him. Then, the most beautiful thing happened. With about 14 minutes left on his clock, he played a very strong knight fork against my queen and rook, and he was really gloating - trying to make me feel even worse than I already did. In all of his self-important posturing, he forgot to hit his clock. I then put on a performance worthy of an Academy Award. I hovered over the board with my head in my hands. I made exaggerated head and eye movements over the entire board. I got up to view the board from behind my chair. I paced back and forth for about 5 minutes. Then I started repeating the whole process over again. He was leaning back in his chair with his hands clasped behind his head smiling like he just won the lottery. I put on my act for a solid 14 minutes. When his clock ran out, I just looked at him for about a solid minute with no expression on my face. Then I just smiled and pointed at the clock. I said "Good game" and immediately went to the wall chart to score my victory. The look of sheer horror and rage on this guys face was absolutely priceless. I wish someone had taken a picture. But the best part of this story wasn't realized until after the last round was over. My opponent missed out on 2nd place in our section (and $120). He didn't win anything (and probably lost about 50 ratings points). Who said there is no justice in the world?
tag1153
More: Chess For Dummies
mattdw
♡ 6 ( +1 | -1 )
tag1153 Hahah, that's brilliant! :D I'm glad he got what he deserved!
More: Flash Chess Game
ccmcacollister
♡ 452 ( +1 | -1 )
TAG ... A welldone come-uppance it seems. He didnt really have the grasp of the position as well as he thought. :)
I think we all know the player you are speaking of ...
Or we should, because he would be World Champion, except that ________ !
And just wants to let you know that 'you', a mere inconveniece on his path to glory, will never be in his league. [For which we all thank Caissa, & you should too; There are already too many in his league! :) ]
***
Of course the "Good Game" consolation was very sporting & second only to "Checkmate" for concluding such a wonderfully character building encounter.
Ha ha. Very nice restraint! Which I would hope to follow. AND YET, in your place would certainly have considered some additional Candidate Concluding Comments as well, before coming back to the high road. Maybe somethings as, perhaps: ___
#####
* Ma teached us boys "The clock is Always part of the position, and dont you Never forget it! Thar's some mighty powerful learning for ya"
* Would you like me to go over the game for you? (and point out where you went wrong !?!! :)))
* Why didn't you just Take my Queen here ?? (with bufuddled look)
* Don't believe em about a computer in the mens' room; those moves were ALL
MINE !
* 'YES Ye have no more clock-time, Yes ye have no more clock-time to play;
Yes ye have more clock-time today ... la la la la la la la '
* Wow, I was trying to decide whether to offer you a Draw, and your Clock just ran out!
* Oh yes, Yes; my First Win EVER, after Twenty Years!
* HALLALUUUUUJIA !!!
*****************
Good Game }B-)
************
ganstaman
I'm sure anyone I play must realize I like to use my time, and guess that I like to use theirs too. At least when playing at peak, my goal was not just the Move, or the Game, but to understand the position as fully as possible.
In otb I often do get up to walk around between moves; sometimes to relax and Forget the position, but most often to ponder various strategic matters & ideas, especially if dependent upon his next move or so.
But also things like: Which type endgames might be most likely; which possible to steer for; most favorable for me; given the pawns and position would I be winning if I could liquidate to endgame of: K+P(the most important),R+P?, Rook + minor?, N+p's, Opp Bishops, ETC.
In Postal, I would always look at the position several times while pending a reply, if it were of interest & possibilities at all. Try for deeper understanding. Sometimes use some deep analysis techniques. Like play to several most obvious, predictable
positions that might come. Then START analyzing from them, at that point. Or just
blitzing vs Yourself a dozen games from such starting point would at times turn up some amazing possibilities in that relaxed mode that you would just not consider for
Real Moves, if working at it too seriously.
Even now, playing semi-otb & semi-corr style in my GK games of this year ... I definately like to "sleep on it" when anything interesting appears. Largely due to a belief that the subconscious mind never forgets, and is not limited by Logic nor by Chess practicalities. It also does not understand the concept of "Impossible". And so during sleep, or even just over time, it can come up with an answer, or at least some very interesting ideas. Many times I have woken up with one or the other.
Also simply the sessions waiting for moves to be received would turn up new ideas, or a Flaw in prior analysis (or great shot for him to try), at a point when there is still ample time to deal with it.
That's how I felt about it. But you may have heard, um someone mention it took me a ten hour look at one position to win the last one with Eric Schiller in an Accelerated Dragon; probably the only survivable move, yet probably the best Quiet Move I'd ever made. Yet my own record for one move was 14 hours at the board for one position. I just always thought you can get out of Corr. Chess very much what you put into it. And that enough work, to try and see that move deeper or idea broader, sometimes could make up for a lot missing natural ability or efficiency. Doubtless one reason I'll never be an OTB Master; but afterall in Postal or Corr. forms you can try to look at every capture, check and reasonable move if you want to. (Fortunately Sac's & Unreasonable Moves seemed to come first to my own board vision :))) That saved some time ?!?! }8-)
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tag1153
♡ 20 ( +1 | -1 )
Craig I like your alternatives.....for what it's worth, I seriously considered wiggling my thumbs in my ears and chanting "Na, na, na, na,nahhhhh";)
tag1153
More: Play Chess Free
spurtus
♡ 69 ( +1 | -1 )
top tip... When calculating possible responses from my OTB opponent in their time I find you mind can go astray when looking for things you might have missed..... dont!
Thinking about ALL the possible alternatives seems like something that should have done before you moved!
To use time wisely I consider only the most likely response... if unsure just choose one quickly, and start working on the next move.
This can be great especially if you trust your board vision, you can whip out your next move immediately, in principle ( with a slow opponent ) you could be always thinking in your opponents time!
Spurtus.
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kewms
♡ 31 ( +1 | -1 )
I think I read somewhere that OTB GMs generally use their opponent's time for strategic considerations, rather than calculating lines.
Which makes sense. Presumably they calculated the likely responses as thoroughly as possible before moving.
Time trouble is probably an exception.
Katherine
More: Chess Moves
far1ey
♡ 26 ( +1 | -1 )
What kewms said is what I TRY to do.. Not working on calculating sequences (unless captures etc are obvious but just trying to think about where I would want my pieces in the next 5 moves and what I should be trying to do (k-side, q-side, middle etc)
mattdw
♡ 48 ( +1 | -1 )
Black's best defense against a Stonewall attack? Does anyone know any good ways to break up a stonewall attack? I don't think I need to be memorising opening lines for while yet but I really dislike closed positions at the moment, I would much prefer to be able to force the game into something much more open or sharp as soon as possible. Are there any gambits for black that can rip the centre open or if not, any good general ideas for diffusing white's kingside attack? Thanks,
Matt
mattdw