Let's Go by april-mo on Flickr Late at night for the last several months I've been playing chess against my tablet. I find it relaxing having a puzzle bearing no relation to work or daily life. At first, the computer wailed on me, then gradually, my skills grew and the tables turned. But my satisfaction was short-lived. Had I really grown or had I just learned to repeatedly exploit the weaknesses of a single partner with a VERY consistent style of play?
Suddenly, an onscreen invitation to play online chess beckoned strongly. I clicked and was transported to www.chess.com where I immediately signed up. As I looked around, I was taken aback by what I had been missing -- six million members, ten thousand currently online, two thousand games in progress, and many grandmasters in our midst.
Intrigued, I signed up for a game. Speed of play was the main option. I could choose no time limit, 30 minutes, 10 minutes, or 3 minutes. Three minutes a move sounded reasonable so that's what I went with. I was paired instantly with another player and we commenced battle. It wasn't until the clock ran down on me that I realized my mistake. The time limit was 3 minutes a game, not 3 minutes a move! So that was my first loss. What a hick I was. I tried again on a 10 minute clock but was still caught short of time. That was loss number 2.
The third game I was wiser and chose 30 minutes. This time I had a better grasp of the environment and was more mindful of the ticking clock. I gained a small material advantage over my opponent then exchanged pieces until he had insufficient material to mate but I could still queen a pawn -- my first win.
When I was done playing, I observed a few games, then continued to explore the Chess.com website. In addition to single games, tournaments, and lessons, Chess.com has member profiles, player stats, chat, and friending capability. Kind of like a Facebook for chess nerds.
How remarkable, how wonderful, how truly awesome! When I was young, the only options for chess enthusiasts were to play with family, friends, or join a local chess club. The same options as in ancient times. Now you can get a game anytime with an opponent from anywhere on the planet. The Internet truly is shrinking the globe and I will most certainly become a regular visitor to this shrunken, digitized chess world.
Suddenly, an onscreen invitation to play online chess beckoned strongly. I clicked and was transported to www.chess.com where I immediately signed up. As I looked around, I was taken aback by what I had been missing -- six million members, ten thousand currently online, two thousand games in progress, and many grandmasters in our midst.
Intrigued, I signed up for a game. Speed of play was the main option. I could choose no time limit, 30 minutes, 10 minutes, or 3 minutes. Three minutes a move sounded reasonable so that's what I went with. I was paired instantly with another player and we commenced battle. It wasn't until the clock ran down on me that I realized my mistake. The time limit was 3 minutes a game, not 3 minutes a move! So that was my first loss. What a hick I was. I tried again on a 10 minute clock but was still caught short of time. That was loss number 2.
The third game I was wiser and chose 30 minutes. This time I had a better grasp of the environment and was more mindful of the ticking clock. I gained a small material advantage over my opponent then exchanged pieces until he had insufficient material to mate but I could still queen a pawn -- my first win.
When I was done playing, I observed a few games, then continued to explore the Chess.com website. In addition to single games, tournaments, and lessons, Chess.com has member profiles, player stats, chat, and friending capability. Kind of like a Facebook for chess nerds.
How remarkable, how wonderful, how truly awesome! When I was young, the only options for chess enthusiasts were to play with family, friends, or join a local chess club. The same options as in ancient times. Now you can get a game anytime with an opponent from anywhere on the planet. The Internet truly is shrinking the globe and I will most certainly become a regular visitor to this shrunken, digitized chess world.
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