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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 20, 2009 - 11:14am PT
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Okay, I have had my new iMac and MacBook for a week now, and I love them.
That said, the Eric’s Solitaire on my old Macs is gone, so I have Chess.
I used Solitaire to wake my brain up in the morning and to unwind in the evenings.
But now I have Chess. I haven’t played the game for at least 20 years. I even forget some of the moves. Sad I know.
So I begin playing against the computer, and I get wiped out every time. It may be in eight or so moves or a bit more.
Question: Am I a loser playing against the computer? Have any of you beat the computer? Am I just a crap chess player or what? (Yes to the last question.)
Woody, this is not a troll.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Feb 20, 2009 - 11:32am PT
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They are beatable if you're good. It's nearly impossible to beat it on 'Expert' though.
Set the difficulty to 'Easy' or 'Moderate' until you get your strategy back.
I'm pretty good, but I've been playing electronic chess since the original Chessmater's came out in the early 80's.
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Indiana (the other Mideast)
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Feb 20, 2009 - 11:47am PT
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Ya, same thing here. I think after I set it to easy I started winning, but that was after I took back most my moves. I haven't played it in a while though. I really don't like playing the Mac computer. It's very "logical" and predictable in it's moves. Playing a human is much more enjoyable.
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WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
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Feb 20, 2009 - 11:52am PT
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Patrick, good for you, no troll.
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Feb 20, 2009 - 11:54am PT
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Patrick
I believe that the strongest computer programs can now beat the the strongest human players. So, not a worry, depending on the program your playing, most of us would have very little chance of winning.
I agree with you, chess is a good mental wake-up. I love to play speed (blitz) chess before going to work (in the ER). I believe in gets mind mind in gear for rapid decision-making while it's relaxing at the same time.
Check out the Free Internet Chess Server for games against humans. Unlike computers, humans make mistakes frequently and with some practice you might win a few games.
Phil
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Feb 20, 2009 - 03:28pm PT
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Just make sure the difficulty is really low. I got descent at chess in the last year, and then I found that same program and it cleans the floor with me unless I have the difficulty very low.
Josh
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2009 - 05:39pm PT
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Thanks folks, good idea Bluering. Dick, I am always taking back my moves. I even play computer against computer and watch to learn, but I am still hopeless. Oh well, at least I'm not bad at backgammon or checkers. ;-)
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Patrick Oliver
Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Feb 20, 2009 - 06:37pm PT
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Patrick,
Lots of different computer programs, some good, some very
rudimentary, not worth much. Even the simple ones, though,
can have certain lines "memorized," to make it easy to
beat one who is unprepared. Usually these programs, though,
get weaker the farther into the game you get. I regularly beat
my program on the advanced level, if I can get past the firs
15 moves without making a major mistake. When I was playing
online speed chess I reached a rating of 2450, which is senior
master, so I have a little edge on you, boy. But the huge
computer that beat Kasparov, though just barely, has a tremendous advantage over any human, what with all known lines
programmed in, and so forth, and its huge calculating capacity. That's not fair, though. Nor does it take anything away from
the greatness of the great chess masters today. It's kind of
like comparing the world famous weight lifter to a machine that
can lift twice what he can, with the help of all sorts of
mechanical devices, etc, or to compare a weight lifter with
a fork lift. It's not a fair comparison. If Kasparov had all that programming, or all the books available to
study or research, or his own computers to back up his play, the match would be more fair between him and that big computer. As it stands, he did amazingly well, winning as many games as he did, considering the tremendous starting advantage the computer had. Kasparov and those guys are incredible...
Pat
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Feb 20, 2009 - 07:48pm PT
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Also, I love 'castling' as a defensive move. The computer rarely does this and when he does he can be vunerable on lower skill levels.
If you do castle, make sure you keep all 3 protective pawns in place in front of your King. The one you may want to move is your end pawn (a-2 or h-2 depending on which side you castle on). Only move it one square though so that it retains pawn-protection from it's neighbor.
I usually only move this pawn when I see 'him' trying to pin my King with no exit. While it does give your King an exit, beware of the bishop or queen trying to eliminate that possiblity. It may require another pawn move.
Just resist moving your King's guards as long as possible and know that when he sees you castle, he knows these techniques to get in and make you destroy your protective pawn shield.
Chess is a fascinating game!
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2009 - 07:05am PT
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Actually Bluering, the Chess on the Mac has preferences for the computer playing 'Faster' on one end of the scale or 'Stronger' on the other end. When I set it to the 'end' of Faster or near the end, I usually win the game, but the Stronger I set it, I lose. Still, I am remembering the game as I go on. Someday I will set it to the Stonger end and I will win, then I will be invincible and rule the earth, galaxy and, dear I say, the universe.
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Indiana (the other Mideast)
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Hmmm...I see potential for some online chess tournaments here on ST??? You in fellas?
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Brian
climber
Cali
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Chessmaster is well worth the money, and you can pick up an old version (like 9 or 10, they are now on 11 I think) for just a few bucks. It is an excellent chess program and an excellent investment in entertainment--hundreds and hundreds of hours of fun for just a few dollars.
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couchmaster
climber
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The computer has yet to defeat me....however, I quit before that happens...it's so depressing to get whomped on. Makes me not want to play it.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Oh good, something I know a bit about.
Considering that PC programs are now GMstrenght, yes you are a a dead duck. that is to say,m even a grand master will have a very hard time beting todays's or even 5 years ago's decent chess porgrams. Fritz is one that you have absolutely NO shot against, ever, unless you tell it to play like an idiot.
* moves is a bit fast though. YOu could get better and hold out for 40 moves or so adn feel like you'd done something.
Now in the 80's it was different, chess machines had big holes in thyer prograns, manly the horizon effect, where a hiuman could asily see then or more moves ahead while the computer could only see 5. it sees teh 5 perfectly, adn most pleople will lose to tactices in that number ov moves ahead, so ofteh the horizon effect did not matter, but when a huan can see that a pawwn will queen by force in ten moves, the old Computesd woudl not know that, and ifyou found a flaw in the program you could play the same moves evert time ad nwin, but not in a satisfying way, LOL.
Now it's not that easy, asn "rules" havebeen added to the raw move computoing power and the machines play well, like grand masters, and the ySTILL don;t miss any tactic but hte horizon s more hta a mere 5 moves so, again, you sas an amateru player with not study or training or reading are just dogmeat, pal.
Sorry. the humans have lost.
Except you CAN tell the machine to play badly, then you cna win a few, LOL, but that's like playing tennis agasint federe but making him wear a blind fold. so what if you win?
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