Chess

[Liep]

4 games later, Ulmont would barely have eked out one win (in addition to two losses and one draw).

Some great games.

My chess ability have improved a lot from puzzles. I went from a puzzle rating of 650 to ~1450 during the holidays. It's super addictive.

[DGuller]

I'm getting into chess myself.  So far my games are typically a race of who can hang more pieces the quickest.  Half of the time it is my opponent, so my rapid rating hovers around a perfect 1000.

[DGuller]

Playing chess reminds me of when I was taking actuarial exams.  No matter what I do, I lose track of time and get myself timed out, even on 10 minute matches.  It's so frustrating to keep getting flagged in an end game when up a piece, or with passed pawns.  How does one get better on the clock, other than by getting more practice in so that moves come more naturally?

[ulmont]

Playing chess reminds me of when I was taking actuarial exams.  No matter what I do, I lose track of time and get myself timed out, even on 10 minute matches.  It's so frustrating to keep getting flagged in an end game when up a piece, or with passed pawns.  How does one get better on the clock, other than by getting more practice in so that moves come more naturally?

1. Some of that re: practice.
2. Try slowing down; play 15, 20, or 30 minute games for a while and see if it helps.  Seriously; even when you come back to the faster games you'll be faster.
3. Also I see people time out in 15 minute games over the board on a regular basis.  No matter the time control, people can get in trouble.
4. No matter how good you are at chess, unless you are top 10 out of around 600,000,000 players, there will always be someone who can beat you without really thinking about it.  And since chess is a game of perfect information it will always be your fault for missing something.  You gotta learn to relax.

[DGuller]

Moving to 15|10 from 10|0 definitely helped.  I feel like I'm actually winning or losing based on the ideas that I see or not see, and not because of timing out or time-induced blunders.

[KRonn]

I used to be a decent beginner at chess, but haven't played in years. I still have an old electronic chess board which really improved my game play as I learned better play when using it. Had to learn to win games! I tried a game a few months ago and it clobbered me on a low setting, showing me how much my skills have faded. But if I wanted to improve again I could games on it. Been thinking about it recently in fact.  I also have an old computer game which may or may not work on Win 10, aside from playing at an online site.

[Liep]

Dguller already seems like a tricky opponent.

We should set up a languish tournament with blitz game, who can hang the most pieces?

[DGuller]

Argh, I had a feeling I was giving away the game by not checking with the rook.  And then I let you off the hook in the endgame again.   

[Liep]

Argh, I had a feeling I was giving away the game by not checking with the rook.  And then I let you off the hook in the endgame again.   

Yeah, I was struggling throughout and thought it lost when I noticed my mistake with that pawn move. Good game.

[DGuller]

I thought you had it lost as well.    We should find some time to play some live 15|10 or something, for immediate gratification.

[DGuller]

I have never been as utterly hopeless at any game as I am at speed chess.  My rapid rating is around 1150 now, but my blitz rating is 825 and still searching for its floor.  The only reason I don't make 10 blunders every game is that I run out of time after 5.

[Liep]

I have never been as utterly hopeless at any game as I am at speed chess.  My rapid rating is around 1150 now, but my blitz rating is 825 and still searching for its floor.  The only reason I don't make 10 blunders every game is that I run out of time after 5.

My 10 minute is around 1000-1100 and I have not dared enter the blitz games yet.

[Liep]

I thought you had it lost as well.    We should find some time to play some live 15|10 or something, for immediate gratification.

We can try sunday, I'll just be at home nursing a potentially rather massive hangover.

[DGuller]

I thought you had it lost as well.    We should find some time to play some live 15|10 or something, for immediate gratification.

We can try sunday, I'll just be at home nursing a potentially rather massive hangover.

I'll be around after Dutch Grand Prix.

[DGuller]

I timed out in a blitz game where I was at one point +19 on material.    That has got to be some serious hall of shame material.