# Any chess players?



## Covenant Joel (Aug 9, 2007)

Anybody else here enjoy chess?


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## Nebrexan (Aug 9, 2007)

*I do when I play well*

The best thing about chess to me is that it requires patience and thought, two disciplines that this age doesn't encourage.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 9, 2007)

I really enjoy chess, but have few opportunities to play these days.


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## caddy (Aug 9, 2007)

I really enjoy Chess as well. I have a lot of chess software, played a lot online over the years, but alas, I'm NOT that patient or good....


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## Scott (Aug 9, 2007)

I don't get to play much, but my 8 year old is learning and so I read Chess for Kids. It is a very nice little introduction to Chess. I always knew the moves, but I never knew good opening and end game strategies, specific tactics (eg. the fork), numerical value of chess pieces and the like. It was helpful. I look forward to playing some.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Aug 9, 2007)

Covenant Joel said:


> Anybody else here enjoy chess?



I've been know to enjoy a game or two now and then. A couple of my greatest lessons in humility have come from the chessboard. No matter what your skill level (and my is seriously deficient) it is humbling to lose to your 12 year old.


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## Civbert (Aug 9, 2007)

Yes! Best game in the world. I play correspondence chess on TimeforChess.com (which is the same as RedHotPawn.com with a less aggressive looking interface).

http://www.timeforchess.com/profile/playerprofile.php?uid=44514

I also play an occasional game on FICS (the Free Internet Chess Server), and ChessLive (although they are down for an upgrade to a new site).


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## ReformedDave (Aug 9, 2007)

Civbert said:


> Yes! Best game in the world. I play correspondence chess on TimeforChess.com (which is the same as RedHotPawn.com with a less aggressive looking interface).
> 
> http://www.timeforchess.com/profile/playerprofile.php?uid=44514
> 
> I also play an occasional game on FICS (the Free Internet Chess Server), and ChessLive (although they are down for an upgrade to a new site).



I understand that Clark was a good chess player.


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## toddpedlar (Aug 9, 2007)

I play correspondence chess on http://www.gameknot.com - there, my username is kuyperian. Challenges from PB'ers welcome! 

I've never heard of timeforchess. Perhaps I'll check it out...

Todd


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## Civbert (Aug 9, 2007)

toddpedlar said:


> I play correspondence chess on http://www.gameknot.com - there, my username is kuyperian. Challenges from PB'ers welcome!
> 
> I've never heard of timeforchess. Perhaps I'll check it out...
> 
> Todd



There you go!  An already starting with an opening I'm not used to.


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## x.spasitel (Aug 10, 2007)

Chess is one of my favourite pastimes: I play it on www.schemingmind.com under the handle timotheus4.


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## Civbert (Aug 10, 2007)

x.spasitel said:


> Chess is one of my favourite pastimes: I play it on www.schemingmind.com under the handle timotheus4.



Just joined as Civbert. Nice interface. Different then TimeforChess.com , but I like it.


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## etexas (Aug 10, 2007)

How would a 38 year old start? I would love to learn! My Pop, he was a good man in some ways....but he was not good with kids. He tried to teach me when I was about seven and when I had problems he told me I was an idiot. I have never tried again. Where would I start? Books? Teaching software? What is out there like that?


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## Civbert (Aug 10, 2007)

Fingolfin said:


> How would a 38 year old start? I would love to learn! My Pop, he was a good man in some ways....but he was not good with kids. He tried to teach me when I was about seven and when I had problems he told me I was an idiot. I have never tried again. Where would I start? Books? Teaching software? What is out there like that?



I've only been playing for a couple years (started about the same age you are now) and what got me going was the book "Play Winning Chess" by Yasser Seirawan. Before that all I knew was what moves were legal. After reading the book, I understood some basics that help me understand which moves make sense. That made chess a lot more fun, and I've been playing ever since. 

There are several good begginers sites you can try (Google should bring them up). I can try to post a few links later. Look for the basics of openings (like controlling the center squares) and getting you knights and bishops into play first. Learn some basic opening moves, and then some tactics. Tactics are really fun! 

You can also get Chess for Idiots or Chess for Dummies. Both are decent intros to chess. Then a book with chess tactic puzzles so you can spot forks, pins, and discovered attracts. And also play people, not computers. Computers will beat you even set on the easy, but people will make mistakes that computers won't. Even if you are only winning against low rated players, it's more encouraging than getting beat time and time again by a computer. 

Join a correspondence site like http://www.timeforchess.com or http://www.schemingmind.com . Theres also the FICS (Free Internet Chess Server). 

Get a good board and chess set from http://www.cajunchess.com/ . Something like this: Basic Piece Bag Combo Set. This is a real good deal and it has board coordinates. I know you can get a cheap set at the Dollar Store, but playing on a basic tournament quality set is not expensive and it's a true pleasure.


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## Civbert (Aug 10, 2007)

Lots of good basic material: http://www.exeterchessclub.org.uk/handouts.html
ABCs and more: http://www.chesscorner.com/
Dan Heisman's articles are very good: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/danheisman/Main_Chess/chess.htm


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## MrMerlin777 (Aug 10, 2007)

Used to love chess. Spent a whole summer trying to beat a friend of mine when I was in High School. By the end of summer I finally beat him in a game but by that time I was so burned out I hated chess. Still can't stand it and have probably only played the game maybe twice in the last 20 years.


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## Covenant Joel (Aug 11, 2007)

I play on Yahoo (games.yahoo.com/ch) under the handle swearingen_js. If anyone wants to play a game sometime, it would be a pleasure to have some Reformed competition (I'm not that good though). I've never done correspondence chess...Yahoo is just playing live, whether timed or not. Good set up though.


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## Greg (Aug 11, 2007)

I enjoy it, though I haven't played in years. I may check out one of those online correspondence chess sites.


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## Civbert (Aug 13, 2007)

Covenant Joel said:


> I play on Yahoo (games.yahoo.com/ch) under the handle swearingen_js. If anyone wants to play a game sometime, it would be a pleasure to have some Reformed competition (I'm not that good though). I've never done correspondence chess...Yahoo is just playing live, whether timed or not. Good set up though.



How cool is this! I'm playing two Puritan Board Members on www.timeforchess.com and one on SchemingMind.com. 

Conenant Joel (Joel Swearingen) who's joelws21 at TFC: gameid=3911925

Toddpedlar (Todd K. Pedlar) who is Kuyperian at TFC: gameid=3901247

and at SchemingMind.com I'm playing x.spasitel (Timothy Merkel) who is timotheus4 at SchemingMind.com: game_id=116045

and I expect all three are going to beat me! 

But even loosing at chess can be fun.


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## greenbaggins (Aug 22, 2007)

Yes, and my father was the one Clark played most often.


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## greenbaggins (Aug 22, 2007)

The best book by far for strategy is Reassess Your Chess, by Jeremy Silman. That book alone will make you jump 5 or 6 hundred points.


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 22, 2007)

Civbert said:


> You can also get Chess for Idiots or Chess for Dummies.



Sorry, this just struck me as funny that you recommended a book called "Chess for Idiots" to a man whose father called him an idiot as a 7-year old while trying to teach him chess!


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## Civbert (Aug 22, 2007)

Calvibaptist said:


> Civbert said:
> 
> 
> > You can also get Chess for Idiots or Chess for Dummies.
> ...



Oh! I didn't realize I did that. No offense was intended.


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## Brian Bosse (Aug 23, 2007)

Hello Everyone, 

I used to be an avid player on the Internet Chess Club (ICC). I seemed to hover between 1650 and 1750 for 5 minute to 5-20 games. My rating was right around 1800 for standard games. (Note: I prefer standard games.) 



> The best book by far for strategy is Reassess Your Chess, by Jeremy Silman.



This is my all-time favorite chess book. I highly recommend it. Even though a cursory read will be a benefit, there is no quick fix. You must study diligently to improve. Note, some have criticised the book because some of the analysis is flawed. But I dare say that no chess book is not subject to this flaw. The principles taught in the book are sound, and are well laid out. By the way, he just came out with a complete end game book that looks interesting. 

Anthony, I would love to start a game with you, but I dare not. I do not have enough character not to allow it to become a distraction for me. I had to give internet chess up. I do play some chess with my boys. 

Brian


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## Civbert (Aug 23, 2007)

Brian Bosse said:


> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I used to be an avid player on the Internet Chess Club (ICC). I seemed to hover between 1650 and 1750 for 5 minute to 5-20 games. My rating was right around 1800 for standard games. (Note: I prefer standard games.)
> 
> ...



That books on my wish list. I've heard it's excellent, and spent about a half hour in a book store reading it and it looks very good. Silman has another book that is also supposed to be very good: "The Amateur's Mind", but I heard "Reassess Your Chess" should be read first. 



Brian Bosse said:


> Anthony, I would love to start a game with you, but I dare not. I do not have enough character not to allow it to become a distraction for me. I had to give Internet chess up. I do play some chess with my boys.
> 
> Brian


 It's a distraction for me too. That's why I mainly play correspondence chess on line. I don't have to set aside the consecutive time needed for an OB (over the board) game. I just go and play a few moves when I have a break, and leave it for a day or two when I can't play.

I'm afraid my game-play on line is mediocre. I play correspondence chess like it was a live game in that I don't spend more than a few minutes contemplating my next move. At TimeForChess my rating runs between 1250 and 1350 (1200 is supposed to be the statistical average with 2400 near the top.) When I play real time chess, it's almost too exciting - clock ticking and I've got to move or my opponent will win on time. But I still love the game and sneak in a live game once in a while.


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## Brian Bosse (Aug 24, 2007)

Hello Anthony,



> Silman has another book that is also supposed to be very good: "The Amateur's Mind", but I heard "Reassess Your Chess" should be read first.



I own both books, and another by him. The Amateur's mind is ok, but you defintely want _Reassess Your Chess_ first.

Brian


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