Playing Black is weird

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Date: 06 Sep 2008 02:08:23
From: John Salerno
Subject: Playing Black is weird

One final question for the night. As a beginner, is it good to study how
to play White and Black simultaneously? Or should I just focus on White
for now? So far I have been, so when I played Black, it was very
disorienting, not only because the king and queen are reversed and the
square names are changed, but also because certain moves (like 1.e4) are
so ingrained in my mind that it's weird when that no longer applies and
you have to readjust to a whole new set of moves.

(On the other hand, is it correct to say that the difference in playing
White or Black is mainly seen in the opening, then everything becomes
more or less the same no matter the color?)

Thanks.

Date: 07 Sep 2008 03:08:38
From: Alessandro J.
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

On 6 Set, 08:08, John Salerno <[email protected] > wrote:
> One final question for the night. As a beginner, is it good to study how
> to play White and Black simultaneously? Or should I just focus on White
> for now? So far I have been, so when I played Black, it was very
> disorienting, not only because the king and queen are reversed and the
> square names are changed, but also because certain moves (like 1.e4) are
> so ingrained in my mind that it's weird when that no longer applies and
> you have to readjust to a whole new set of moves.

You just gotta play, buddy, move those pieces around, hope for the
best, and quit " theorizing " about this silly game of ours, it really
is a lot simpler than it looks !

With all due respect, this sort of question suggests to me that rather
than playing as much as you can, you are spending more time thinking
up questions to put to the NG rather than letting experience taking
care of your queries, and believe me a couple of months is all it
takes to get to the " inexperienced tournament player " level you
should be aiming for, where answers to questions like these are pretty
obvious.

Detecting sincerity and boundless enthusiasm in your posts, my whole
hearted advice is that you join a chess club as quickly as you can,
where you will be able to experience the game in full, and, for the
price of a beer, you will get to talk chess all evening. I know I
loved that phase, I wish you the same enjoyment.

Alessandro.

Date: 09 Sep 2008 14:10:55
From: Alessandro J.
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

On 9 Set, 20:05, Sanny <[email protected] > wrote:
>
> Its very difficult to improve further. Last month there was no
> improvement at all. As no new idea came to my mind.
>
> I am looking each game to see if any way the game can be further
> improved.

I was actually referring to your new rating estimates : Baby went down
from 2000 to " Easy Game " and Beginner from 2100 to " Strong game ",
which are more accurate reflections of their playing strengths, though
they still want for precision and need further downtuning but no
matter, you'll get there eventually.

Date: 09 Sep 2008 11:05:08
From: Sanny
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

> > Baby : Simple game
> > Beginner: Strong Game
> > Easy: Very hard game
> > Normal: Very few can win it.
>
> I've gotta hand it to you buddy, your new evaluations beat your old
> ones like carrots, and are twice, nay, THRICE =A0improved over your
> previous estimates ! I must say that they still need a little tuning,
> but no matter, great effort !

Its very difficult to improve further. Last month there was no
improvement at all. As no new idea came to my mind.

I am looking each game to see if any way the game can be further
improved.

Bye
Sanny

Play Chess at: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html

Date: 09 Sep 2008 16:41:39
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

"Sanny" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:c671193a-8ff6-406d-b1bb-ae0c9435ca80@p31g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

> > Baby : Simple game
> > Beginner: Strong Game
> > Easy: Very hard game
> > Normal: Very few can win it.
>
> I've gotta hand it to you buddy, your new evaluations beat your old
> ones like carrots, and are twice, nay, THRICE improved over your
> previous estimates ! I must say that they still need a little tuning,
> but no matter, great effort !

Its very difficult to improve further. Last month there was no
improvement at all. As no new idea came to my mind.

I am looking each game to see if any way the game can be further
improved.

**Need attend different evaluation function from opening, which computer
don't play yet, to middle game, which computer don't play yet with welnness,
so lose one move boo-boo. How to make same knight not move 7 times in 17
moves is most needed inhibitory function - also limit other knight not
attempt same as first knight go walk-about. Knight try take pawn, knight
sometimes don't sometimes do, result always doo-doo. Is puzzle how not make
knight do doo doo tour when other fella most pieces are developing, though
how to score other fella piecings, since is not tactical 3 move resolving
and captures also absent?

**Is also problem all beginner.

Bye, PI

Bye
Sanny

Play Chess at: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html

Date: 09 Sep 2008 10:57:27
From: Alessandro J.
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

On 9 Set, 18:14, Sanny <[email protected] > wrote:

>
> There is one great Chess Club GetClub.com here you can play 120 Chess
> games for free.
>
> Visit:http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html

Sanny, seriously, every RGC poster, lurker and his/her dog/cat/hamster
are acquainted with your club, this is down and out spamming, and no
way to make friends, unless you are a troll, which you might well be
at this point considering your goings on, however, it does help me
clarify a point :

An Internet Club, no matter how good it is, and there are some fine
ones out there, the Slow Time Control bunch on ICC , ( STC for
short ), the first that spring to mind, is no good substitute for the
hands on experience, especially, as in John's case, if you are
starting out, and need the sort of interaction that only verbal, beer-
sustained Chess play and communication can satisfy. This by no means
is putting down the net experience, which is a wonderful complement ,
I profited as much as anyone, but the Club and the Tournament Hall is
where the real player is made.

> Many players practise Chess at GetClub as they get a Matching
> Opponent.
>
> Baby : Simple game
> Beginner: Strong Game
> Easy: Very hard game
> Normal: Very few can win it.

I've gotta hand it to you buddy, your new evaluations beat your old
ones like carrots, and are twice, nay, THRICE improved over your
previous estimates ! I must say that they still need a little tuning,
but no matter, great effort !

Date: 09 Sep 2008 16:34:18
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

"Alessandro J." <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:e5f08c56-8223-40e1-a888-4c4a5f95e4cd@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> On 9 Set, 18:14, Sanny <[email protected]> wrote:

>> Baby : Simple game
>> Beginner: Strong Game
>> Easy: Very hard game
>> Normal: Very few can win it.
>
> I've gotta hand it to you buddy, your new evaluations beat your old
> ones like carrots, and are twice, nay, THRICE improved over your
> previous estimates ! I must say that they still need a little tuning,
> but no matter, great effort !
>

Yes applause, now get-clubbed almost as fast as I play correspondence chess,
except for several days waiting, solved tomorrow!

alas, get-clubbed not as good with 'Easy: Very hard game' tropospheric level
as normal untitled 1600!

Tomorrow, better, soon all book moves, like play MCO! Then people only
win are lucky, or have no better doings to make. Karma, neh?

PI

Date: 09 Sep 2008 09:14:35
From: Sanny
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

On Sep 8, 12:48=A0am, "Alessandro J." <[email protected] > wrote:
> On 7 Set, 19:37, John Salerno <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Alessandro J. wrote:
> > You're right, I do tend to theorize a lot on any new interest I have!
> > Right now I'm in the stage of reading a lot about chess, but also
> > playing on the computer, but not really actively getting involved with =
a
> > chess club, etc. I feel like I'm not quite ready for that, but maybe
> > you're right, maybe I should just do it and see how it goes!
>
> A point worth mentioning : there's Chess Clubs, and then there's Chess
> Clubs. Some places have the power of putting folk off Chess for good,
> with the local players being somewhat distant, when not downright
> unfriendly. A case in point is my local club, where I must have set
> foot in about twice in 5 years, and I'm passionate about this game of
> ours as anyone.
> I have fond memories of both Hammersmith and West London Chess Clubs I
> played in, back when I was living in England, extremely friendly
> people, and very welcoming of absolute patzers like myself, plenty of
> late night Pubs and Restaurants, with me going on no end about any
> Chess topic under the sun, and the other club guys benevolently
> tolerant of my ramblings, the strongest protest being " Alex, there's
> a training schedule, and then there's trying too hard ". :o)
> I went solo for about three months when the chess bug hit me, but
> consider myself to having really become a Chess Nut only when I
> crossed that Pub door so long ago ...

There is one great Chess Club GetClub.com here you can play 120 Chess
games for free.

Visit: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html

Become a member for free and play.

Play with Baby Level. And if you are able to win the games play with
Beginner & Easy Levels.

Slowly as your game improves you can chose higher levels.

3 Months membership is free. You can play 120 games for free. And you
get atleast one level that plays as good as you. Just find the level
that matches your strength and start practising.

Many players practise Chess at GetClub as they get a Matching
Opponent.

Baby : Simple game
Beginner: Strong Game
Easy: Very hard game
Normal: Very few can win it.

Bye
Sanny

Play Chess at: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html

Date: 08 Sep 2008 09:05:53
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

"Alessandro J." <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:6a4090cb-3acb-468e-8136-4f8ade5385ef@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On 6 Set, 08:08, John Salerno <[email protected]> wrote:
>> One final question for the night. As a beginner, is it good to study how
>> to play White and Black simultaneously? Or should I just focus on White
>> for now? So far I have been, so when I played Black, it was very
>> disorienting, not only because the king and queen are reversed and the
>> square names are changed, but also because certain moves (like 1.e4) are
>> so ingrained in my mind that it's weird when that no longer applies and
>> you have to readjust to a whole new set of moves.
>
> You just gotta play, buddy, move those pieces around, hope for the
> best, and quit " theorizing " about this silly game of ours, it really
> is a lot simpler than it looks !
>
> With all due respect, this sort of question suggests to me that rather
> than playing as much as you can, you are spending more time thinking
> up questions to put to the NG rather than letting experience taking
> care of your queries, and believe me a couple of months is all it
> takes to get to the " inexperienced tournament player " level you
> should be aiming for, where answers to questions like these are pretty
> obvious.
>
> Detecting sincerity and boundless enthusiasm in your posts, my whole
> hearted advice is that you join a chess club as quickly as you can,
> where you will be able to experience the game in full, and, for the
> price of a beer, you will get to talk chess all evening. I know I
> loved that phase, I wish you the same enjoyment.
>
> Alessandro.

I agree with Alessandro. One more point being that by playing the game, lots
of 15 minutes games, for example, you /unconsciously/ get the context and
the pattern of things in ways that are very difficult or artificial to do
otherwise. Avoid slow games of an hour limit - my experience is that
beginners play the same moves no matter how much time they have. More
understanding of the game is available by playing three or four 15 or 20
minute games, than a single hour game. Anyway, try that if you will, and
good luck. Tell us all what happens in a few months time.

Cordially, Phil Innes

Date: 07 Sep 2008 12:48:02
From: Alessandro J.
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

On 7 Set, 19:37, John Salerno <[email protected] > wrote:
> Alessandro J. wrote:

> You're right, I do tend to theorize a lot on any new interest I have!
> Right now I'm in the stage of reading a lot about chess, but also
> playing on the computer, but not really actively getting involved with a
> chess club, etc. I feel like I'm not quite ready for that, but maybe
> you're right, maybe I should just do it and see how it goes!

A point worth mentioning : there's Chess Clubs, and then there's Chess
Clubs. Some places have the power of putting folk off Chess for good,
with the local players being somewhat distant, when not downright
unfriendly. A case in point is my local club, where I must have set
foot in about twice in 5 years, and I'm passionate about this game of
ours as anyone.
I have fond memories of both Hammersmith and West London Chess Clubs I
played in, back when I was living in England, extremely friendly
people, and very welcoming of absolute patzers like myself, plenty of
late night Pubs and Restaurants, with me going on no end about any
Chess topic under the sun, and the other club guys benevolently
tolerant of my ramblings, the strongest protest being " Alex, there's
a training schedule, and then there's trying too hard ". :o)
I went solo for about three months when the chess bug hit me, but
consider myself to having really become a Chess Nut only when I
crossed that Pub door so long ago ...

Date: 07 Sep 2008 13:37:05
From: John Salerno
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

Alessandro J. wrote:

> You just gotta play, buddy, move those pieces around, hope for the
> best, and quit " theorizing " about this silly game of ours, it really
> is a lot simpler than it looks !

You're right, I do tend to theorize a lot on any new interest I have!
Right now I'm in the stage of reading a lot about chess, but also
playing on the computer, but not really actively getting involved with a
chess club, etc. I feel like I'm not quite ready for that, but maybe
you're right, maybe I should just do it and see how it goes!

Date: 06 Sep 2008 10:10:31
From: Arfur Million
Subject: Re: Playing Black is weird

"John Salerno" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> One final question for the night. As a beginner, is it good to study how
> to play White and Black simultaneously? Or should I just focus on White
> for now? So far I have been, so when I played Black, it was very
> disorienting, not only because the king and queen are reversed and the
> square names are changed, but also because certain moves (like 1.e4) are
> so ingrained in my mind that it's weird when that no longer applies and
> you have to readjust to a whole new set of moves.

I'd say study both together. After all, half of your games are going to be
with the Black pieces! Also, when studying an opening, try to see if from
the opponent's point of view too. Learning the vagaries of the notation will
come quickly enough. (Incidentally, some old notations (called
"descriptive") did have the same notations for the squares and moves, so
that the move 1 e4 e5 would be written 1 P-K4 P-K4 - but this might be a
confusing digression.)

>
> (On the other hand, is it correct to say that the difference in playing
> White or Black is mainly seen in the opening, then everything becomes more
> or less the same no matter the color?)

Yes. Although it's fair to say that the early middlegame is more likely to
see White attacking than Black.

>
> Thanks.

Regards,
Arfur