Do you play? I haven't played much since high school (20 years ago), but recently, I downloaded a chess widget and started to play a bit late at night. It is really a basic, no-frills game (it was free after all), and I beat it on the second try, so obviously it is a fairly easy level. Can anyone recommend a good cheap (or free) computer chess game that would have some decent features (like some indication when you or your opponent are in check, like a display of captured pieces, etc.)?
I don't have any recommendations, but I do have a gorgeous carved Russian chess set from when my dad was doing missionary work there. All the pawns are either little Lenins or Washingtons! ;D I haven't played in ages. I wouldn't mind again, if I had more time.
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on April 30, 2008, 12:20:12 AM
Do you play? I haven't played much since high school (20 years ago), but recently, I downloaded a chess widget and started to play a bit late at night. It is really a basic, no-frills game (it was free after all), and I beat it on the second try, so obviously it is a fairly easy level. Can anyone recommend a good cheap (or free) computer chess game that would have some decent features (like some indication when you or your opponent are in check, like a display of captured pieces, etc.)?
XB, this is a great site to play chess. It has all of those features you are looking for. It's free to play up to 8 games at a time. If you want more, you can have various tier memberships. There are also leagues and tournaments you can join, or just send a challenge to someone.
GameKnot (http://gameknot.com/play-online-chess.htm)
Quote from: ChamberNut on April 30, 2008, 09:04:32 AM
XB, this is a great site to play chess. It has all of those features you are looking for. It's free to play up to 8 games at a time. If you want more, you can have various tier memberships. There are also leagues and tournaments you can join, or just send a challenge to someone.
GameKnot (http://gameknot.com/play-online-chess.htm)
Anyone play chess? I hadn't played in over a year, but just started again! Anyone who plays chess and cares to join in to a game, sign up with Gameknot, for free!
Throw me a challenge, I'm 'catmando' :)
GameKnot (http://gameknot.com/play-online-chess.htm)
Quote from: Brahmsian on January 14, 2010, 10:00:24 AM
Anyone play chess? I hadn't played in over a year, but just started again! Anyone who plays chess and cares to join in to a game, sign up with Gameknot, for free!
Throw me a challenge, I'm 'catmando' :)
GameKnot (http://gameknot.com/play-online-chess.htm)
I wonder if they'll still reject my e-mail address and not let me log in. ;D
Quote from: Opus106 on January 14, 2010, 10:06:24 AM
I wonder if they'll still reject my e-mail address and not let me log in. ;D
I remember you telling me this. Bummer :( Not sure why? There are players from all over the world, including India.
Quote from: Brahmsian on January 14, 2010, 10:09:26 AM
I remember you telling me this. Bummer :( Not sure why? There are players from all over the world, including India.
Well, whaddya know -- they let me in this time. :)
Addendum: I'm g1tof3. Apparently, I'm not allowed to send PMs until I've played for a sufficiently long time or subscribed to their service
premiumly.
Quote from: Opus106 on January 14, 2010, 10:15:04 AM
Well, whaddya know -- they let me in this time. :)
Sweet! I'll send you a challenge, but I think I have too many games going on right now. :(
Quote from: Brahmsian on January 14, 2010, 10:17:13 AM
Sweet! I'll send you a challenge, but I think I have too many games going on right now. :(
No hurry, my friend. You can lose to me later. :P ;)
Quote from: Opus106 on January 14, 2010, 10:20:16 AM
No hurry, my friend. You can lose to me later. :P ;)
Are you a Grandmaster? :D
Quote from: Brahmsian on January 14, 2010, 11:16:50 AM
Are you a Grandmaster? :D
No, but I am related to the current World Champion. ;D (No, I actually mean it.) It's been a long time, however, since I've played. I used to a little, in my school days, and that's good decade away right now. And not that I was any good back then. ::)
Quote from: Opus106 on January 14, 2010, 11:24:37 AM
No, but I am related to the current World Champion. ;D (No, I actually mean it.) It's been a long time, however, since I've played. I used to a little, in my school days, and that's good decade away right now. And not that I was any good back then. ::)
You are related to the World Champion? :o
Ah, good old Viswanathan Anand.
Big players
(I think that she was Elizabetha Gilels)
Quote from: Carolus on January 14, 2010, 12:44:53 PM
Big players
(I think that she was Elizabetha Gilels)
Yes, I remember reading that both Oistrakh and Prokofiev were avid and serious chess players. And, I believe Oistrakh defeated Sergei Sergeyevich in this tournament.
So, now that this thread is back from the dead, I'll have to add that I discovered that Windows Vista has a pretty slick, good-looking chess game built in. I've progressed to difficulty level 3 (of 10), where I'm holding my own agains the machine. I guess I'd progress faster if I played more than twice a month.
Sometimes I play on freechess.org.
Plus if you are on Windows, there's nothing more flexible and beautiful than the www.babaschess.net client. It has it all. It's beautiful and has a lot of automation and scripting possibilities.
I have never lost playing chess in my entire life.
I won my first game and promptly retired on the spot, with my perfect record in tact. ;D
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on January 14, 2010, 09:08:50 PM
So, now that this thread is back from the dead, I'll have to add that I discovered that Windows Vista has a pretty slick, good-looking chess game built in. I've progressed to difficulty level 3 (of 10), where I'm holding my own agains the machine. I guess I'd progress faster if I played more than twice a month.
I play so badly that I don't want to play. I don't understand it.
(http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/classic/sad.gif) I'm smart....not dumb, like everybody says! (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/FredoCorleone.jpg)
Quote from: Wurstwasser on January 15, 2010, 01:08:34 AM
Sometimes I play on freechess.org.
Plus if you are on Windows, there's nothing more flexible and beautiful than the www.babaschess.net client. It has it all. It's beautiful and has a lot of automation and scripting possibilities.
I went there after reading this (www.babaschess.net) and ndownloaded the game and some add-ons. I am completely hopeless at chess, though I know all the moves. I can't even get past level 2 with the Windows game. But I do love chess, I even like spectating games to see what they're up to.
Thanks for the Babachess link. It's great and it has been put to use. ;)
Well. I played two games (under bame 'Mahler10th') - I lost them both. :'(
Quote from: John on January 15, 2010, 02:29:46 PM
I am completely hopeless at chess, though I know all the moves.
But I do love chess, I even like spectating games to see what they're up to.
I'm not alone, then! Oh, and do you also have the urge to prompt possible moves while you're watching? :D
Quote from: John on January 15, 2010, 06:24:44 PMWell. I played two games (under bame 'Mahler10th') - I lost them both. :'(
I'm also a rather bad chess player - a lot of blunders :) But hey, it's for having fun. I'm Wurstwasser there as well. Hey, Babaschess lets you easily analyse your games after you finished them. Just use a good UCI engine like Toga or Spike for analyzing your games...
My rating:
rating RD win loss draw total best
Standard 1252 149.8 4 9 0 13BTW, there's no "mahler10th"...:
finger Mahler10th
'mahler10th' is not a valid handle.This is my Babaschess match screen:
http://www.minnit.de/bilder/f226a45c.20100116.png
Observe Screen:
http://www.minnit.de/bilder/3ea60340.20100116.png
Chat, Console etc. screen:
http://www.minnit.de/bilder/af57e74f.20100116.png
I assigned f5-f8 to the various views. The Pieces are the "Alpha" Vector graphics.
I assume you have to be good at strategy or (horror of horrors) math.
Quote from: Opus106 on January 16, 2010, 05:33:25 AM
I doubt that.
Well, I suck at strategy. Or maybe I'm just impatient. Instead of "math", I maybe should have said "memory".
Quote from: Beethovenian on January 16, 2010, 05:34:44 AM
Instead of "math", I maybe should have said "memory".
Yes, memorisation and the ability to play (parts of) a game in your head quickly is definitely more important to be a master in chess.
I know a bit about strategy, but fail to see direct threats sometimes. A question of concentration failure... Like the famous Kramnik failure ;) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blunder_%28chess%29#Deep_Fritz_vs._Vladimir_Kramnik
I've been playing Monopoly on my iPhone lately. ;D
Rarely played, but even more interesting is "Shogi", japanese chess. The interesting point of it is, you can capture pieces of your opponent and they become part of your army. I.e. you can place them on the board, at any time you wish.
Quote from: Wurstwasser on January 16, 2010, 05:44:12 AM
Rarely played, but even more interesting is "Shogi", japanese chess. The interesting point of it is, you can capture pieces of your opponent and they become part of your army. I.e. you can place them on the board, at any time you wish.
They should do that with chess. Battle chess! If you capture a piece, you put a little helmet on it and it becomes part of your army. Capture their queen! Two-queen rampage!!! ARrrarrararrarrarrr!!!
Sorry.
Quote from: John on January 15, 2010, 02:29:46 PM
I am completely hopeless at chess, though I know all the moves. I can't even get past level 2 with the Windows game.
Sounds like me. I'm too lazy to learn all of the strategies or memorize the notation rules. But I am undefeated
(against my children, ages 11 and 12). ;D
Quote from: Opus106 on January 16, 2010, 05:37:35 AM
Yes, memorisation and the ability to play (parts of) a game in your head quickly is definitely more important to be a master in chess.
In Buenos Aires lived a poland guy named Najdorf, who for long time had the world record of blind games (thas it without seeing the board). I think he played against 40, with
one draw and all the rest win.
Quote from: Brahmsian on January 14, 2010, 03:44:56 PM
Yes, I remember reading that both Oistrakh and Prokofiev were avid and serious chess players. And, I believe Oistrakh defeated Sergei Sergeyevich in this tournament.
I think they tied. But then, I don't know what 1/2-1/2 means. ???
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266497 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266497)
It's a simulation of the Oistrakh vs. Prokofiev game.
Quote from: Wurstwasser on January 16, 2010, 05:24:15 AM
I'm also a rather bad chess player - a lot of blunders :) But hey, it's for having fun.
I am so sorry Wurstwasser, my name is 'symphonicchess' - NOT mahler10th.
Quote from: RexRichter on January 16, 2010, 08:57:41 AM
I think they tied. But then, I don't know what 1/2-1/2 means. ???
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266497 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266497)
It's a simulation of the Oistrakh vs. Prokofiev game.
Yes, you are right, it was a tie. Very evenly matched. Thanks for posting that!
Quote from: Beethovenian on January 16, 2010, 05:24:51 AM
I assume you have to be good at strategy or (horror of horrors) math.
Viktor Korchnoi (former vice-world champion) once wrote (in the seventies) that he believed there is certainly a link between talent in science and talent in chess. Especially math people he had met were at least always interested in the game, and most of them showed some talent, too. They know the laws of logic and are therefore less vulnerable to make ghastly blunders. Famous champions he mentioned were: Lasker, Euwe, Botwinnik, Smyslov.
On the other hand he wrote: those who are good in humanities can add some creative and spectacular
bonuses to the game. Best-known examples mentioned by Korchnoi: Aleckhine and Tal.
BTW: Korchnoi himself had a lot of talent for maths, chess .... AND creativity AND making ghastly blunders. :D
These blunders were mainly caused by his capability to think incredibly deep. So, his head was filled with loads of diagrams, and then he looked at his chess clock and discovered that he had grown older for about an hour, but never made an actual move on the chessboard. ;D
Oh yes, I like chess, too, but I'm miserable at it.
I could only win in
rapid games, by bluffing my pawns forward and so on, make my rival sweat and then .... he/she is out of time. :P
The last time I played a more or less serious game must have been at least 15 or 20 years ago. I guess I got sick of losing. :-\
Chess masters were also very good cryptographers. During WWII many of them worked on Station X helping to solve the Enigma machine. See Ronald Lewin,"Ultra goes to War" chapter 2.
So what do you prefer - Knights or Bishops?
I tend to prefer my Knights, however I know the Bishops probably, overall, are a bit more powerful, especially late in games when most of the pawns are cleared off.
However, even in an open game, if you managed to keep both your Knights safe, used together they can be powerful.
Now Navneeth knows my preferences........or am I bluffing?! ;D
Quote from: Brahmsian on January 18, 2010, 09:30:45 AM
Now Navneeth knows my preferences........or am I bluffing?! ;D
Dude, you're in the wrong game. :D
It is simple. I challenge you to a game in which I will use my preferred Bishops to manhandle and destroy your Knights in a swift and conclusive manner. Yes. Thats right. MY BISHOPS know about the two-faced sidestepping knights, and can manouver in marauding fashion to slice open the bellies of even the cleverest of Knights.
And long shall yer teeth gnash after such a sound defeat against my holiest of men.
???
Quote from: John on January 18, 2010, 05:27:38 PM
It is simple. I challenge you to a game in which I will use my preferred Bishops to manhandle and destroy your Knights in a swift and conclusive manner. Yes. Thats right. MY BISHOPS know about the two-faced sidestepping knights, and can manouver in marauding fashion to slice open the bellies of even the cleverest of Knights.
And long shall yer teeth gnash after such a sound defeat against my holiest of men.
???
My knights shall long ago trample you nasty bishops before you even get a chance to make any move! Bishops, stick to preaching the gospel, the battlefield of chess is not for you! :D
>:D I will have none of it. Your Knights are a mere breath in a hurricane to my GODLY ones. They do the work of GOD by RAZING the opposition, RAZING them into a howling submission of their stupid wooden bodies and throwing them to the pigs in supplication of GOD, whilst advancing steadily on your King, who would then be shackled to bow before one of my common soldiers, bow, and then be sent to shovel the graves of my battered but victorious army with a spoon from a dolls house. >:(
This of course is complete tosh and I suspect in a game I would recieve a good thrashing. :-[
Question re: Pawn promotion
Would there be any reason to not promote a pawn to a Queen (promote instead to Bishop or Rook) other than not to create a stalemate situation?
I know promoting to Knight could create a checkmate situation (I've done it before).
I'm a serious tournament player, but not a very good one. I have made USCF class A a couple of times, though my rating has dropped back below 1800 once more. I don't like to play on the Internet, though, but I never mind talking about and studying chess, even via electronic communication.
I was wondering if my favourite player, Smyslov, had ever been mentioned on here, and I found his name on this thread. And he passed away the 27th of March, 2010. Music's loss was chess's gain, as he did try out for the Bolshoi. Since this is a music forum, here you can hear him singing when he was over 60 years old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbDkuI3p3JI
I also have an mp3 of him singing Massenet's Piéces de genre, Op.10#5 (reworked by someone as a song for orchestra and voice; I almost think that gorgeous melodic line is more suited for voice than solo piano).
Quote from: JoshLilly on March 30, 2010, 03:42:38 PM
I'm a serious tournament player, but not a very good one. I have made USCF class A a couple of times, though my rating has dropped back below 1800 once more. I don't like to play on the Internet, though, but I never mind talking about and studying chess, even via electronic communication.
Hi Josh,
Wow, that is a very good rating! I straddle between 1000 and 1100, and just briefly was over 1200. I've only been playing for about 3 years.
I know you are out there, chess lovers! :)
Quote from: Brahmsian on July 02, 2010, 09:45:13 AM
I know you are out there, chess lovers! :)
Yes! Get over to gameknot with us!
Come play with us.....
(http://hayjax.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/shiningtwins.jpg)
Quote from: JoshLilly on March 30, 2010, 03:42:38 PM
I'm a serious tournament player, but not a very good one. I have made USCF class A a couple of times, though my rating has dropped back below 1800 once more. I don't like to play on the Internet, though, but I never mind talking about and studying chess, even via electronic communication.
I was wondering if my favourite player, Smyslov, had ever been mentioned on here, and I found his name on this thread. And he passed away the 27th of March, 2010. Music's loss was chess's gain, as he did try out for the Bolshoi. Since this is a music forum, here you can hear him singing when he was over 60 years old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbDkuI3p3JI
I also have an mp3 of him singing Massenet's Piéces de genre, Op.10#5 (reworked by someone as a song for orchestra and voice; I almost think that gorgeous melodic line is more suited for voice than solo piano).
Late reaction, but still: thanks for posting this Youtube link!
Smyslov was a true gentlemen, and still played good chess at a high age.
I also recall that Mark Taimanov was a rather good pianist, who performed at concerts with his first wife. She was a pro pianist, and they performed quatre-mains together.
Quote from: Bogey on July 02, 2010, 09:46:11 AM
Yes! Get over to gameknot with us!
Hi
Bill, I'm back on Gameknot.com
My user name there is 'ChamberNut'. :)
I love chess! I wish I was better than I am now. I used to play a good bit against my Dad, but that was when I was a teenager. As far as computer chess goes, I'm happy with Chess Titans that comes with Windows 7 and all the Microsoft OPs since XP.
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 15, 2012, 06:59:11 PM
I love chess! I wish I was better than I am now. I used to play a good bit against my Dad, but that was when I was a teenager. As far as computer chess goes, I'm happy with Chess Titans that comes with Windows 7 and all the Microsoft OPs since XP.
Hi John,
I didn't know you played Chess as well. Haven't played much over the last 2 years, and just started playing about 5 or 6 years ago. :)
Getting a bit better, but progress isn't lightning fast. Anyways, it's a great game!
Quote from: ChamberNut on December 15, 2012, 07:13:00 PM
Hi John,
I didn't know you played Chess as well. Haven't played much over the last 2 years, and just started playing about 5 or 6 years ago. :)
Getting a bit better, but progress isn't lightning fast. Anyways, it's a great game!
Yeah, I just love seeing a person's face when I say "Checkmate!" :D Yes, a great game, but a game that takes a lot of practice.
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 15, 2012, 07:16:09 PM
Yeah, I just love seeing a person's face when I say "Checkmate!" :D Yes, a great game, but a game that takes a lot of practice.
Easy game to learn to 'play'. Very difficult to master.
Quote from: ChamberNut on December 15, 2012, 07:17:27 PM
Easy game to learn to 'play'. Very difficult to master.
Just like a musical instrument.
I still dream of one day have a beautiful Chess set, wood or marble carved, with busts of some of my favourite composers! :D
Dare to dream..... 8)
Question to Chess lovers (connoisseurs of the game).
What is the etiquette on offering and accepting a draw?
Well, a first for me today. I've had my first ever 'draw' to a game, by declaration of the 3-fold move repetition.
It is within the official rules of the game. Perhaps it was a bit of a cheap way to achieve a draw, as I was down in the game, however, the other player should have realized this and changed his tactics, as he clearly did have other options.
Oh well. :D
Quote from: ChamberNut on January 07, 2013, 01:25:44 PM
Well, a first for me today. I've had my first ever 'draw' to a game, by declaration of the 3-fold move repetition.
It is within the official rules of the game. Perhaps it was a bit of a cheap way to achieve a draw, as I was down in the game, however, the other player should have realized this and changed his tactics, as he clearly did have other options.
Oh well. :D
Well played....never give up the ship!