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Main
Date: 25 Mar 2008 17:16:27
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Is GetClub interesting?
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Hi all,
Just want to know what's to get from GetClub? Is this site interesting
at all? It looks like scam to me, but I see references to it on every
chess newsgroups...
Appart from that site, where should I play online for free? Is it worth
it to suscribe to a paying site and which? And, lastly, if I want to
improve fast, where shoul I spend my time? (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz...
any suggestions?) I guess I am just around 1000points FIDE... so just
beginning really.
Thanks!
Ciao
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 08:12:49
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
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"Eric Normandeau" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> Just want to know what's to get from GetClub? Is this site interesting at
> all? It looks like scam to me, but I see references to it on every chess
> newsgroups...
>
> Appart from that site, where should I play online for free? Is it worth it
> to suscribe to a paying site and which? And, lastly, if I want to improve
> fast, where shoul I spend my time? (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz... any
> suggestions?) I guess I am just around 1000points FIDE... so just
> beginning really.
Hi Eric,
I used to play a lot at www.caissa.com
which has very fast chess, 1 or 2 minute games, but also 5, 10, 15 and 30.
Its pretty active so you don't have to wait long to play. Sign up as a
guest, and I think you get 30 days free, then sign up again with another
handle. I think you can still save your games, even as a guest.
Chessville also has a free server [see www.chessville.com ] which is
organised by the people who make Rybka, the top computer program.
Probably best advice for 1000 rated is to try 15 minute games, and just play
a lot!
Try using just one opening system as white, and keep at it till you
understand what to do and what not. Play a 'boring' system like the Colle -
then expand it to the Stonewall and Torre attacks. These are all very solid
systems, and will keep you out of trouble long enough to get into a middle
game - and then its pure chess, where you are not fighting other people's
book knowledge to your own disadvantage.
As black figure out something solid against e4 and also d4 and one other
formation for everything else.
Study for 1 hour, play for 6 to 8 hours is maybe a good ratio? Maybe study a
bit more at the start so that you understand your own opening play! ;)
Good luck! And let us know sometime what you think of these sites or others.
Cordially, Phil Innes
> Thanks!
>
> Ciao
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 17:48:18
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
On 27, 1:31 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected] > wrote:
> > The Stonewall is probably a better first choice in my opinion (was it
> > a Horowitz book that recommended that years ago?)
>
> It was "How to Think Ahead In Chess" IIRC. An interesting repertoire
> book. Stonewall for White. For Black, against 1.d4, Lasker's
> defense. Both of these choices have many advantages in simplicity and
> ease of learning, even if they are not the sharpest sticks in the
> bundle. But against 1.e4 the book recommends the Sicilian Dragon.
> Probably not the right thing for the beginner these days. The Center
> Counter is much, much easier to learn even if it has a few theoretical
> minuses.
>
> I am a certified lousy player and have settled on the Colle, the
> Center Counter, and the Tarrasch (against 1.d4) mostly because at my
> level I have no business studying anything but tactics, and I just
> want to know a few opening ideas so I don't play the opening extra
> stupidly.
The trouble here is that such openings will
keep you safe or "insulated" from many
tactical threats, since a wall of pawns is
established in the center. That's not to say
that there aren't any tactics in those lines,
just that many tactical ideas are virtually
impossible.
If you really wish to work on improving at
tactics, you need to focus heavily on what
they call the "open" games and gambit
play-- including some unsound gambits.
My last tournament game against the
Stonewall had my opponent hanging a
piece to an obvious (to me) pawn fork; I
suspect he was better equipped in the
area of strategy, but I confused him by
placing a pawn on d3 (as White), so he
would not know what to do with his KN--
the piece which "normally" spearheads
the attack by jumping to e4.
Some other openings which block the
center and therefore slow the learning
of certain common tactical ideas are
the French Defense, the KIA, and of
course, the accursed Caro-Kann.
-- help bot
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 14:54:07
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
> For Black, against 1.d4, Lasker's
> > defense.
> Which is all very well but, these days, it seems that 1.d4 - 2.Nf3 is
> the most common at the amateur level.
I've faced this also, and in my own amateur unskilled way I play for a
transposition to a Tarrasch. After 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 I play 2. ... e6
anyways and four times out of five (so it seems) the other guy
transposes back with 3. c4. If he plays 3. g3 or 3. e3 I can play
3. ... c5 and we're going to go more or less where I'd like.
Of course at times this fails and once, when my opponent wanted to
play a Reti, I ended up on the black side of a Sicilian (!) oczy
bind. What a weird transposition that was. I lost the game, but then
again the guy was rated over 500 points higher.
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:31:36
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
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> The Stonewall is probably a better first choice in my opinion (was it
> a Horowitz book that recommended that years ago?)
It was "How to Think Ahead In Chess" IIRC. An interesting repertoire
book. Stonewall for White. For Black, against 1.d4, Lasker's
defense. Both of these choices have many advantages in simplicity and
ease of learning, even if they are not the sharpest sticks in the
bundle. But against 1.e4 the book recommends the Sicilian Dragon.
Probably not the right thing for the beginner these days. The Center
Counter is much, much easier to learn even if it has a few theoretical
minuses.
I am a certified lousy player and have settled on the Colle, the
Center Counter, and the Tarrasch (against 1.d4) mostly because at my
level I have no business studying anything but tactics, and I just
want to know a few opening ideas so I don't play the opening extra
stupidly.
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 21:21:31
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
[email protected] <[email protected] > wrote:
> It was "How to Think Ahead In Chess" IIRC. An interesting repertoire
> book. Stonewall for White. For Black, against 1.d4, Lasker's
> defense.
Which is all very well but, these days, it seems that 1.d4 - 2.Nf3 is
the most common at the amateur level. In a tournament a couple of
years ago, I had somebody play the Gruenfeld against me and, after the
game, he reked that he'd almost forgotten the moves because so few
people played 2.c4 against him.
> But against 1.e4 the book recommends the Sicilian Dragon. Probably
> not the right thing for the beginner these days. The Center Counter
> is much, much easier to learn even if it has a few theoretical
> minuses.
I'm always wary of people who recommend the Sicilian to beginners.
Neglecting the centre and neglecting development really is a good way
to get killed unless you're very careful. (Mind you, it might be an
idea to play it a few times, just to learn what that kind of death
looks like and how to inflict it.)
Dave.
--
David Richerby Moistened Mentholated Tool (TM): it's
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ like a hammer but it's invigorating
and moist!
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 10:10:27
From: SBD
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
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On 26, 7:12=A0am, "Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote:
>
> Try using just one opening system as white, and keep at it till you
> understand what to do and what not. Play a 'boring' system like the Colle =
-
> then expand it to the Stonewall and Torre attacks. These are all very soli=
d
The Stonewall is probably a better first choice in my opinion (was it
a Horowitz book that recommended that years ago?) and then Colle and
Torre.
Just my $.02.
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 08:34:08
From: SAT W-7
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?Helpbot
|
Hey that guy posted the one of the sites i tried to send you Carisa
chess site , go check it out.
You can play the computer or people BUT the bad part is , unless it has
been changed because i have not been there in awhile is when you clock
comes on the screen it blocks the 7th and 8th rank and if your in the
middle game or end game and forget were his pieces are on those ranks
you mite move a piece to the wrong square ..So i have a chess set , set
up so i can know where all the pieces are during the game ...
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 11:48:46
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?Helpbot
|
SAT W-7 a �crit :
> Hey that guy posted the one of the sites i tried to send you Carisa
> chess site , go check it out.
Yes, I thought this site looked promising!
Ciao!
Eric
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 10:41:43
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
Chess One a �crit :
> Hi Eric,
>
> I used to play a lot at www.caissa.com
> which has very fast chess, 1 or 2 minute games, but also 5, 10, 15 and 30.
> Its pretty active so you don't have to wait long to play. Sign up as a
> guest, and I think you get 30 days free, then sign up again with another
> handle. I think you can still save your games, even as a guest.
>
> Chessville also has a free server [see www.chessville.com ] which is
> organised by the people who make Rybka, the top computer program.
>
> Probably best advice for 1000 rated is to try 15 minute games, and just play
> a lot!
>
> Try using just one opening system as white, and keep at it till you
> understand what to do and what not. Play a 'boring' system like the Colle -
> then expand it to the Stonewall and Torre attacks. These are all very solid
> systems, and will keep you out of trouble long enough to get into a middle
> game - and then its pure chess, where you are not fighting other people's
> book knowledge to your own disadvantage.
>
> As black figure out something solid against e4 and also d4 and one other
> formation for everything else.
>
> Study for 1 hour, play for 6 to 8 hours is maybe a good ratio? Maybe study a
> bit more at the start so that you understand your own opening play! ;)
>
> Good luck! And let us know sometime what you think of these sites or others.
>
> Cordially, Phil Innes
Hi Phil,
Thanks for all the advice. I'll inspire myself from it.
I also got quite a few replies and might try experimenting the different
sites and then do some form of review or just give my opinion with a
list of the different places to play and learn.
Anyone with anymore suggestions is mostly welcomed!
Ciao!
Eric
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Date: 25 Mar 2008 23:39:57
From: Sanny
Subject: GetClub is interesting.
|
> Just want to know what's to get fromGetClub? Is this site interesting
> at all? It looks like scam to me, but I see references to it on everychessnewsgroups...
First saying GetClub it Interesting then saying It is a Scam??? You
visit the GetClub site and look for yourself. If you can ever win the
Beginner Level or not.
I hope you want to play Chess there and you can play it with Beginner/
Easy/ Normal Levels without any problem, What else you want from the
Site?
Play Chess at: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html
If you are arround 1000 rating then you are even lower than me I am
1100- 1200 Rated So will find it very difficult to win at GetClub
Chess.
I am unable to win even against the Beginner Level. Play 10-20 Games
for Free at GetClub Chess and see if you can ever win a game against
Beginner.
You can play Chess at GetClub by login and play upto 30 games for
free. And can win more games if you rank among the TOP 6 players.
Play Chess at: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html
There is a tough Competition going at GetClub Chess.
You find many people criticizing me because they are from Competing
Sites and they do not like a new Site "GetClub" get ahead of them.
There is competition every where So you find a lot of criticizers
along your path.
If you find anything wrong at GetClub Site tell me directly instead of
asking others. I am there to sort your Problems regarding playing
Chess at GetClub.
Bye
Sanny
Play Chess at: http://www.GetClub.com/Chess.html
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Date: 25 Mar 2008 23:13:30
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
Eric Normandeau <[email protected] > wrote:
> Just want to know what's to get from GetClub? Is this site
> interesting at all? It looks like scam to me, but I see references
> to it on every chess newsgroups...
You see references to it because its author posts incessantly about it.
Don't bother with it.
> Appart from that site, where should I play online for free?
If you want to play against a computer,
http://www.ludochess.com/jester_eng/jester_eng.php3
http://www.lokasoft.nl/jchess/chessgame.htm
If you want to play in real time against other people,
http://www.freechess.org/
If you want to play correspondence chess, I've only used
http://www.queenalice.com/
and have no significant complaints with it.
> Is it worth it to suscribe to a paying site and which?
If you don't like FICS, try http://www.playchess.com/ or the ICC at
http://www.chessclub.com/ . I've never used either, since I was
perfectly happy with FICS.
> And, lastly, if I want to improve fast, where shoul I spend my time?
> (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz... any suggestions?) I guess I am just
> around 1000points FIDE... so just beginning really.
In that case, you'll get most benefit from practising tactics. I've
often seen the server at http://chess.emrald.net/ recommended, though
I've never used it myself.
Don't bother with the openings beyond basic principles of getting your
pieces out, castling and not attacking until you're fully developed
(unless your opponent blunders and lets you win a piece or more, of
course).
Make sure you know the basic endgames: how to checkmate in KQ vs K,
KRR vs K and KR vs K. Knowing how to play KP vs K is also useful.
Dan Heisman has lots of good instructional material for beginners at
chesscafe.com . The latest (monthly) article and the archive can be
found, respectively, at
http://www.chesscafe.com/heisman/heisman.htm
http://www.chesscafe.com/archives/archives.htm#Novice%20Nook
Dave.
--
David Richerby Psychotic Cheese (TM): it's like
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ a lump of cheese but it wants to
kill you!
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 08:26:38
From: SAT W-7
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
Sanny seem to be a good guy too , i have WEBTV and can not use his site
yet he played his GC vs Ivan , my computer and they are equals in ELO
..That game took a few weeks too when Sanny mite have had better things
to do with his time ...I say give his site a try ..
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 17:35:54
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
On 26, 11:26 am, [email protected] (SAT W-7) wrote:
> Sanny seem to be a good guy too , i have WEBTV and can not use his site
> yet he played his GC vs Ivan , my computer and they are equals in ELO
I haven't followed the finish in detail, but if
indeed Ivan defeated the GetClub program,
they are hardly "equals in ELO"; the winner
might be assigned a rating some 400 points
higher than the loser, and the mid-point
might be pegged at, say, 1600 USCF, until
it is known for certain that Ivan's claimed
1800 rating is bogus.
This would put the winner of the first game
at 1800 (what a coincidence!), and the loser
at 1400, for now. If and when the GetClub
program actually wins a game, its perform-
-ance rating could increase dramatically, to
a more reasonable number. The key is to
stick with the reality, with the actual results,
not what you wish the ratings to be.
-- help bot
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 10:33:17
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
David Richerby a �crit :
> In that case, you'll get most benefit from practising tactics. I've
> often seen the server at http://chess.emrald.net/ recommended, though
> I've never used it myself.
>
> Don't bother with the openings beyond basic principles of getting your
> pieces out, castling and not attacking until you're fully developed
> (unless your opponent blunders and lets you win a piece or more, of
> course).
>
> Make sure you know the basic endgames: how to checkmate in KQ vs K,
> KRR vs K and KR vs K. Knowing how to play KP vs K is also useful.
>
> Dan Heisman has lots of good instructional material for beginners at
> chesscafe.com . The latest (monthly) article and the archive can be
> found, respectively, at
>
> http://www.chesscafe.com/heisman/heisman.htm
> http://www.chesscafe.com/archives/archives.htm#Novice%20Nook
>
>
> Dave.
>
Thanks for the advice. I will read the material on chesscafe!
Ciao!
Eric
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 03:39:57
From: yearlypap08
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
David Richerby;263963 Wrote:
> Eric Normandeau [email protected] wrote:-
> Appart from that site, where should I play online for free?-
>
Also consider Chess.com as a better free option than GetClub:
http://www.chess.com
Free Chess, Live with human opponents,
or computer, or turn-based correspondence.
Play chess in teams, join a group, or interact through vote chess.
Get ten problems of tactics training per day, keeping track of
stats/tactics rating.
Chess.com also has forums, Chess articles by Masters,
and chances to win t-shirts, etc. It's got a veritable craps-load
of free resources.
Members must pay to use Chess Mentor, an online interactive
chess training program with a solid reputation. Try it free:
http://www.chess.com/chessmentor/
Read the descriptions of positions, to the right when you start th
demo.
Need more free tactics than what you get at Chess.com?
http://chesstempo.com/chess-tactics.html
Chess Tempo is a free tactics trainer, a slower alternative
to emrald's speedmeister
--
yearlypap08
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 10:35:55
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
yearlypap08 a �crit :
> Need more free tactics than what you get at Chess.com?
> http://chesstempo.com/chess-tactics.html
> Chess Tempo is a free tactics trainer, a slower alternative
> to emrald's speedmeister.
Thank you, ChessTempo looks nice, will try it.
Ciao!
Eric
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Date: 25 Mar 2008 16:11:08
From: help bot
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
On 25, 5:16 pm, Eric Normandeau <[email protected] > wrote:
> Just want to know what's to get from GetClub? Is this site interesting
> at all? It looks like scam to me, but I see references to it on every
> chess newsgroups...
It's just about the only place left where
you can find a computer that is not master
strength; where you can find one that is not
a virtual encyclopedia of chess openings
theory; where you still have a chance of
winning, now and then.
> Appart from that site, where should I play online for free? Is it worth
> it to suscribe to a paying site and which? And, lastly, if I want to
> improve fast, where shoul I spend my time? (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz...
> any suggestions?) I guess I am just around 1000points FIDE... so just
> beginning really.
A lot of people are told offhand that they
might be X strength, only to find out later
that that number was way off; why not
instead get an actual rating, from playing
actual chess? That way, once you start
improving, you will be able to measure
just how much (or how little) you've
really improved, and how far you have
yet to go.
Tactics are where it's at, mostly. A
player who can mimic a computer, in
terms of tactical strength, has a huge
advantage over most average players.
A few players have posted links here in
rgc to videos in which allegedly strong
players analyze their games "live", which
can be instructive (or not!). I've played a
few games at sites like redhotpawn.com
and chessworld.com, but those were
more like correspondence chess than
over-the-board; slow, but you can have
quite a few games in progress at the
same time, if you like.
-- help bot
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:32:14
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
> Would playing on FICS be a good way of getting a "somewhat" accurate rating?
If you played enough you would have an accurate FICS rating :)
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 10:26:41
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
help bot a �crit :
why not
> instead get an actual rating, from playing
> actual chess?
I guess I should enlist in my local chess club. Otherwise, is there a
means of having an accurate rating on any chess site?
> Tactics are where it's at, mostly. A
> player who can mimic a computer, in
> terms of tactical strength, has a huge
> advantage over most average players.
> -- help bot
Ok, I'll keep concentrating on tactics for now.
Thanks,
Ciao!
|
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Date: 26 Mar 2008 16:46:20
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
Eric Normandeau <[email protected] > wrote:
> help bot a �crit :
>> why not instead get an actual rating, from playing actual chess?
>
> I guess I should enlist in my local chess club. Otherwise, is there
> a means of having an accurate rating on any chess site?
All ratings are accurate. But they don't measure what you think they
measure -- a player's strength. Rather, they measure the quality of a
player's results, i.e., how many games they've won, lost and drawn and
against players of what rating. Now, within any one pool of players,
strength and results will be well correlated so the strongest players
will tend to have the highest ratings and a player with a much higher
rating will tend to be much stronger. But, across sites, the ratings
mean nothing -- there's one site where I'm rated over 2100 and another
where I'm rated under 1400, for example.
In a way, it's unfortunate that almost all rating organizations assign
ratings between about 1000 and about 2700 -- it encourages people to
believe that, say, 2000 on one scale means the same as 2000 on some
other scale.
So, how does this relate to your original question? If you get a
rating on any site, that will tell you roughly how strong you are
compared to the other players on that site. If its a well-known site
with lots of players with FIDE ratings, there might be a known
correlation between that site's ratings and FIDE ratings.
Dave.
--
David Richerby Broken Revolting Laser (TM): it's like
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ an intense beam of light but it'll
turn your stomach and it doesn't work!
|
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Date: 27 Mar 2008 13:23:00
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
David Richerby a �crit :
> If you get a
> rating on any site, that will tell you roughly how strong you are
> compared to the other players on that site. If its a well-known site
> with lots of players with FIDE ratings, there might be a known
> correlation between that site's ratings and FIDE ratings.
>
> Dave.
Would playing on FICS be a good way of getting a "somewhat" accurate rating?
Eric
|
| | | | | |
Date: 27 Mar 2008 21:17:55
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
Eric Normandeau <[email protected] > wrote:
> Would playing on FICS be a good way of getting a "somewhat" accurate
> rating?
Sure. And if you type "finger surveybot" at the FICS prompt, you'll
even be told the correlation between FICS ratings and FIDE ratings.
(But do remember that it's just a correlation.)
I'd recommend 15-30 minutes per side; I think I've already said that.
Dave.
--
David Richerby Flammable Artificial Watch (TM):
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ it's like a precision chronometer
that's made of plastic but it burns
really easily!
|
| |
Date: 25 Mar 2008 15:50:41
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
> improve fast, where shoul I spend my time? (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz...
> any suggestions?) I guess I am just around 1000points FIDE... so just
> beginning really.
You might want to spend substantial time on Chess Tactics Server
(chess.emrald.net) working on tactics. Then if you want free, live
play, you can get it on the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS); go to
www.freechess.org to get started.
|
| | |
Date: 26 Mar 2008 10:23:10
From: Eric Normandeau
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
[email protected] a �crit :
>> improve fast, where shoul I spend my time? (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz...
>> any suggestions?) I guess I am just around 1000points FIDE... so just
>> beginning really.
>
> You might want to spend substantial time on Chess Tactics Server
> (chess.emrald.net) working on tactics. Then if you want free, live
> play, you can get it on the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS); go to
> www.freechess.org to get started.
Thank you, I added the sites as bookks and will explore them :)
Ciao!
|
| |
Date: 25 Mar 2008 14:46:25
From:
Subject: Re: Is GetClub interesting?
|
On 25, 5:16=A0pm, Eric Normandeau <[email protected] > wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Just want to know what's to get from GetClub? Is this site interesting
> at all? It looks like scam to me, but I see references to it on every
> chess newsgroups...
>
> Appart from that site, where should I play online for free? Is it worth
> it to suscribe to a paying site and which? And, lastly, if I want to
> improve fast, where shoul I spend my time? (Books, Chessmaster, Fritz...
> any suggestions?) I guess I am just around 1000points FIDE... so just
> beginning really.
My advice: Don't waste your time with it. Sanny just hypes his lame
program ad nauseum on the newsgroups. The gulf between his hype and
reality is immense.
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|
