I'm bad at chess

[horvack]

But I enjoy it quite a bit. Who here plays? What learning strategies increased your skill the most?

[ashi]

I played quite a bit as a youth, putting a non-trivial amount of time into first saving up for a hand-carved wood set and then attempting to make my own, but I wouldn't say I had pursued any organised or effective approach to consciously developing skill that I could pass on.

Then I did a chess webcomic in the early 2000s, but we don't need to get into that.

[rincon]

But I enjoy it quite a bit. Who here plays? What learning strategies increased your skill the most?

Chess is one of those things that I'd love to be good at intellectually and that I subconsciously delude myself into thinking that I actually am really good at. But in reality the simple truth is that I don't practice enough and when I do try I quickly get frustrated/bored with it and end up trying to soothe my bruised ego with "well, I'm sure I'd be really really good at it if I just put in the effort".

As for learning, when I have actually tried, I used a combination of a couple books, the internet, and computer chess program with a customizable chess engine that allows you to customize a shitload of stuff (like its ability level, move choice tendencies, player hint types/frequency/situations, etc.)

I guess in reality I don't really enjoy playing it as much as I think I "should" (because )

[horvack]

I played quite a bit as a youth, putting a non-trivial amount of time into first saving up for a hand-carved wood set and then attempting to make my own, but I wouldn't say I had pursued any organised or effective approach to consciously developing skill that I could pass on.

Then I did a chess webcomic in the early 2000s, but we don't need to get into that.

Don't we, though? Spill it Ashi K... I'll read it.

[Utisz]

Started dabbling in college. One of my friends used to play a bit as a kid. He would kick our ass regularly, but eventually I got to the point where I could win the odd game against him just copying his moves in the opening. I think folks found it frustrating to play against me because we would play without a clock and I was slow as shit, reluctant to make even obvious moves.

He's in Canada now. We keep in touch still through postcard chess, sending a move once a week or so. It's a great way to stay in touch.

I would like to get better. I used chesstempo to grind puzzles/tactics for a while, getting up to a 1800 rating on puzzles, but my main issue is that I'm shit under time pressure and don't know have any openings memorised. When I find time, I've been thinking of starting an account on a site like lichess and grinding some bullet. I'm guessing I'd be around a 800-1000 rating in bullet to start out but not sure really.

There's also a lot of good videos on YouTube now for beginners, intermediates, what have you.

Then I did a chess webcomic in the early 2000s, but we don't need to get into that.

I think we do though, don't we?

[Ferrus]

Started dabbling in college. One of my friends used to play a bit as a kid. He would kick our ass regularly, but eventually I got to the point where I could win the odd game against him just copying his moves in the opening. I think folks found it frustrating to play against me because we would play without a clock and I was slow as shit, reluctant to make even obvious moves.

He's in Canada now. We keep in touch still through postcard chess, sending a move once a week or so. It's a great way to stay in touch.

I would like to get better. I used chesstempo to grind puzzles/tactics for a while, getting up to a 1800 rating on puzzles, but my main issue is that I'm shit under time pressure and don't know have any openings memorised. When I find time, I've been thinking of starting an account on a site like lichess and grinding some bullet. I'm guessing I'd be around a 800-1000 rating in bullet to start out but not sure really.

There's also a lot of good videos on YouTube now for beginners, intermediates, what have you.

Who can forget the (in)famous intpcomplex chess tournament?

[Utisz]

Who can forget the (in)famous intpcomplex chess tournament?

Ah yes, someone cheated didn't they?
They used a chess engine and told their team about it.

[MoneyJungle]

All I want is to play in person with someone good enough to know my cheap tactics but I can still beat roughly half of the time. I’m not interested in computer chess and that’s where you really get good. I only play video games in conjunction with listening to stuff and chess is not conducive to that. You can listen to Bach and play chess but you can listen to Bach and do anything.

I used to play at the marina with a guy who was funny and about my skill level and it was some of the best times I’ve had. I don’t foresee that happening again. You probably have to get good to find someone who is willing to play over the board and is competitive. It was a miracle I made a friend at a 950 ELO who was down to meet up and play every couple of weeks. I imagine every consistent OTB game in my area is 1250 people at least. I may be wrong!

Every time a wild spectator would appear they seemed to really know their shit but I’m not willing to put in the hours to find out. I suspect I lack the intelligence anyway. I wonder how many games would have occurred in public had Queen’s Gambit come out when the world was open. Seems like a huge missed opportunity but I’m sure some people are still playing from that show.

[JohnClay]

I went to a small inter-school high school competition and I was the worst one out of everyone. I was also about the oldest student. I don't think very many moves ahead. I was the dux of my year though (though there were only about 25 students in year 12).
In high school I came up with this opening which I called "the Atlantic Wall". I thought it was pretty strategic though I didn't think very deeply about it....

chess1.PNG (19.91 KiB) Viewed 3793 times

[ashi]

postcard chess, sending a move once a week or so

I had, and may even still have, a magnetic travel chess set I would use in this way by sending photos of it to internet friends. The open board left out, affording the other person a small portion of my physical space to occupy between turns.

chess.jpg (163.48 KiB) Viewed 3788 times