faetal on 21/6/2013 at 11:49
I need practice - if you use chess.com and/or its associated app 'Chess, learn and play', feel free to add me - my username is TurboChrist (all of my usual monikers were taken, so yes, I got stupid).
I've played since I was about 7 and for a while, was pretty good. I once even beat my chess teacher who used to play at county level (after which he refused to play with me anyway - what a dick). I've just started playing again after an 8 year hiatus and....I suck. So if you are average and upwards, expect to be able to wipe the floor with me, but I need to brush up, so feel free to help :)
Yakoob on 21/6/2013 at 18:35
Duuude I'll play chess with you. I'm not very good but spent many enjoyable nights being horribly defeated by one of my best friends :p
I've used Yahoo in the past would that work or do I need to register on chess.com ?
demagogue on 21/6/2013 at 18:55
I like chess, but like everything else it takes up time to do it right.
I think I was at my best in college, when I was going through books, but then I haven't studied it since and not sure how good I am now.
I recall reading that it's good to go through books in a series of topics in detail (I mean a book or two for each topic), after you got the basics down, something like ... openings, endgame, tactics, strategy & positions, and then work through all-around famous & instructive games. I mean like go through those 5 stages rigorously to get a solid foundation, and after that you're free to skip around to whatever interests you. (I only got through the first three myself incompletely though.) I've found John Watson's books are good.
On a related topic, for info's sake, does anyone play Go? After living in Japan, I began to realize it's every bit as complex & interesting as chess. They're both about recognizing & working with patterns, but in a different way. Chess is about getting a feel for classic lines, and when to attack and when to hold back.
Go is about threading the needle between bulking up your walls (protecting them but also risking suffocating yourself) and spreading them thin and long (going on the offensive, but also risk getting easily captured by the other guy)... There's a sweet spot between those that you have to feel out, but in the middle of a game it's intense trying to find it, especially if you know once a piece is down you're committed, you can try to repair it with other pieces, but you can't take it back. Now I really like both games (but chess is my first game I'll always like.)
faetal on 21/6/2013 at 19:10
Koob - chess.com is free and very good. You can pay more for extra options, but for just playing, the free version is fine.
Dema - it does take time, but if you set the move limit to 3 days, you can just do a move every day or 2 and dedicate the odd 5-15 minutes here or there to playing.
In short - CHESS ME.
SubJeff on 22/6/2013 at 00:08
i hear your mom plays cheese rite guys
[Kurgen] Fight me [/Kurgen]
Yakoob on 22/6/2013 at 03:09
faetal - just friended you on chess.com . my Name is koobazaur btw if anyone wants to add :)
faetal on 22/6/2013 at 15:46
Awesome :)
Koob - I've started up a game for us :)
demagogue on 22/6/2013 at 17:46
Ok ok, my account name is Demagoggles. I'm preparing to go to Japan next week, so I'll be out of it for a while, but in a few weeks I'll give it a whirl. I tried to add your usernames, but if it didn't work you can add me. Keep your forks, pins & skewers sharp and watch those pigs on the 7th.
faetal on 22/6/2013 at 19:53
I can't find your name or see your add - guessing probably a server sync lag of some kind.
