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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist

USA
4955 Posts

Posted - 03/09/2007 :  18:11:22  Show Profile Send Cuneiformist a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Greetings SFN crowd. Does anyone here play chess? I have an idea I'd like to try based on the Kasparov vs the World event played a few years ago.

The concept is simple. After a period of determining the people interested, we divide into teams of more-or-less equal strength. We then play a game using the forums here as a venue for the two sides to discuss strategy, etc., and play a game. Of course, lots of rule-making would be in effect and an honor system would be in play (so side A doesn't read side B's thread) but it might be fun to try.

And then, there might not be enough interest to do anything worthwhile. But if you're game, post here. Be sure to include your experience (e.g. if you are a rated player, etc.) and let's see if we can make an event of it.

As a start, I'll say that I play from time to time-- more often than not against my computer and Fritz-- and that I have a provisional USCF rating of 1469.

JohnOAS
SFN Regular

Australia
800 Posts

Posted - 03/09/2007 :  22:43:28   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit JohnOAS's Homepage Send JohnOAS a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Sure, I'll give it a go.

I used to play quite regularly on gameknot, which is a free site with a nice interface. My handle is zaph. We could register the teams there (SFN1, SFN2 etc) and use it as the "official" board.

My ELO rating there is around 1800, although I've been rather slack of late, and would be lucky to complete a game every month or two over the last year or so, making me more than a little rusty. My rating is probably somewhat inflated, as I don't play all that many people around my current rated strength. I got much of my rating from lots of games amongst a group of friends who are, on average, less strong players. And while the system does seriously reduce the reward for beating weaker players, there's still something in it. For example, I just scored 0.5 for beating one of my friends who moved to the US. (Had I lost, it would've cost me 19.4 points, a draw would've cost me 9.4)

It makes for a casual chat over a game, as you can leave comments on the board, which we do, chatting forward and back with a few lines of text every day or few, when we've a game on.




John's just this guy, you know.
Edited by - JohnOAS on 03/09/2007 22:50:41
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard

USA
4907 Posts

Posted - 03/10/2007 :  18:09:53   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Ricky an AOL message Send Ricky a Private Message  Reply with Quote
How about Wednesday chat regulars vs. Sunday chat regulars? Moves can be discussed and made during chat. Of course, there is the problem as there are some of us who attend both.

Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast.
- Isaac Asimov
Edited by - Ricky on 03/10/2007 22:16:22
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Siberia
SFN Addict

Brazil
2322 Posts

Posted - 03/10/2007 :  18:40:20   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Siberia's Homepage  Send Siberia an AOL message  Send Siberia a Yahoo! Message Send Siberia a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm game, too.
But be warned, I suck at chess. Royally. Should be good practice, though.

"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa

"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist

USA
4955 Posts

Posted - 03/11/2007 :  06:23:05   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Cuneiformist a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ok, this is a good start. It would be nice if we had some more people, though. Any SFN lurkers out there who might like to play??
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Boron10
Religion Moderator

USA
1266 Posts

Posted - 03/12/2007 :  04:30:37   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Boron10 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Sorry about the delay, but I'd love to play.

Let's see: My little sister can beat me regularly, as can nearly everybody else. I also have very little time to spend on it. That being said, I'd love to play!
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Siberia
SFN Addict

Brazil
2322 Posts

Posted - 03/12/2007 :  09:07:43   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Siberia's Homepage  Send Siberia an AOL message  Send Siberia a Yahoo! Message Send Siberia a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Boron10

Sorry about the delay, but I'd love to play.

Let's see: My little sister can beat me regularly, as can nearly everybody else. I also have very little time to spend on it. That being said, I'd love to play!


Sounds a lot like me

"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa

"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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ejdalise
Skeptic Friend

USA
50 Posts

Posted - 03/24/2007 :  14:46:49   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit ejdalise's Homepage Send ejdalise a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'd give it a go. Used to play through my early 30s . . . a little rusty, but can certainly try.

Just out of curiosity, how long do we think each game would last? Weeks, months, years?

Just wondering,

ejd

--- Disperser ---
Winning enemies and aggravating friends since 1953
Edited by - ejdalise on 03/24/2007 14:47:24
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist

USA
4955 Posts

Posted - 05/07/2007 :  15:26:47   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Cuneiformist a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ejdalise

I'd give it a go. Used to play through my early 30s . . . a little rusty, but can certainly try.

Just out of curiosity, how long do we think each game would last? Weeks, months, years?

Just wondering,

ejd


I've been doing some thinking on this. Real games are given time limits, of course. And even postal chess has limits, too (10 moves in 30 days, not including transit time). This would probably not be that fast, since this isn't anyone's serious passion, but it all depends on the commitment of the players. And even then, as long as one person were a designated "captain" who ensured that a move was made within the limits, the games could go quite quickly. (And the job of "captain" could rotate depending on a person's real-life obligations, etc.)

But let's see. Suppose each team has 3-4 members, and suppose each member checks in to SFN once a week. In theory, a move could be hashed out in about 7 days, then. Particularly if the "captain" were on the ball (checking in almost daily to update analysis, ideas, etc.). So we could say that there's a 7-day limit per move. The early game would move quicker, of course, so if we post a game lasting ca. 35 moves, a game would last ca. 8 months at most. But again, I figure it would be far quicker.

Other things I've been thinking about. In postal chess, you can consult books and other published material, but not computers or other players. Here, we're on a team so other we would of course allow team-consultation. I doubt anyone has access to too many books (though I have over 30 chess books), but lots of games are published on-line. That would have to be a judgment call.

Anyhow, let's set a deadline of June 1, at which point we'll close of the roll-call and divide up teams. Ideally, play can start on the 15th, once all the rules and protocols are in place...
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pleco
SFN Addict

USA
2998 Posts

Posted - 05/07/2007 :  16:00:47   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit pleco's Homepage Send pleco a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I would like to play too - I used to be modestly rated in the long long ago.

by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart.
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