I want to learn chess.

[vulturesrow]

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cheaters

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How does one cheat at chess?


Adam

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Use computer programs to make the moves. In other words they have a computer playing program opened at the same time as they are playing you. They make your move and see how the computer responds. Then that is the move they make. FICS and ICC combat this in different ways. Yahoo, at least the last that I knew, doesnt.

[vulturesrow]

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thanks for the excellent and comprehensive reply.


(I may have further questions for you down the road. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img])


Adam

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Youre welcome. Let me know if you want to play online some time. I havent played in quite some time actually so I am very rusty but I can still talk you through some basic tactics and opening principles. Hopefully some other people weigh in because I know there are some very good chess players lurking around these forums.

[blaze666]

here's a tip for the person who has played a bit but never looked at strategy, try and find knight forks and pincers to hold opponent pieces in place, you propabaly know that already. i tried to learn chess about a fortnight ago, and i just wanted pretty much the same thing, you know to beat the the average guy. then i realsied 2 things:

1. the average guy is going to be your drinking buddy or something, and you 2 are't going to have the concentration to play chess. you can have a 'quick game of whist' or something, but there's no such thing as a 'quick game of chess'

2. if i wanted to be a serious player, there was no hope of me ever becoming any good, because the field is just too large to get anywhere.


but if you still want to learn how to play chess, the basic strategy can be found here: a very useful chess site.

[fluxrad]

Personally, I'd recommend Silman's How To Reassess Your Chess. It moved me from a ~1000 to a ~1300 player before I slacked off. Here are a couple of general tips:

1. Don't spend too much time on openings if you're just learning the game. You can have all the best openings memorized 15 moves deep and you're still screwed the moment you hit the end-game.

2. Get yourself a set you can take down to the local bar/coffee shop/hang out and play as many people as you can.

3. Get yourself an account on FICS. That's probably the best place to play.

3a. Don't play blitz until you know what you're doing. "2 12" can make you worse if you're just starting out.

[vulturesrow]

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Personally, I'd recommend Silman's How To Reassess Your Chess.

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I love Silman's books but I wouldnt recommend it to someone starting out. It wont be useful with out having basic tactics down.

[Arnfinn Madsen]

I know a few decent players (world class) and would sum up as follows:

Basically you become better each time you play an opponent that is better than you and worse each time you play a worse one. Blitz chess damages your game when you lack experience (when you have experience you are quick enough to use it to test different things). Play games with high time limits and spend at least a minute considering each position. If it is an interesting position, spend 10 minutes. NEVER do a move just to move, keep looking until you find a move that achieves something. This consciousness will slowly open your brain for the magic.

[zephed]

1.e4...

[Punker]

Schiller books are not good.

I advise picking up the "Winning Chess..." series by Silman and Seirawan. There's 3-4 books, all pretty inexpensive.

Play on FICS at www.freechess.org. I've been playing there for 10+ years.

Play whoever you can live. Don't be one of those people who thinks they have to "be good" before you can play in public. Accept that you will have to lose hundreds of games to get good.

[bugstud]

you spelled thousands wrong

I'll amen the seirawan book rec, especially the tactics one. Probably the one most responsible for me getting decent.

[JoshuaD]

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1.e4...

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More like 1.c4. It pwns everyone.