GameKnot related: GK WISH-LIST~! Summer 2009 . . .
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baronderkilt
29-Jul-09, 12:56

GK WISH-LIST~! Summer 2009 . . .
Just because I have not seen a GK Wish-list lately; and I do have a couple of "wishes" myself, at the moment. So here is where we all can voice any suggestions/improvements/wants/needs for the beloved Chess site to consider.
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Let me be the first to mention: upgrade for the blitz area~!
Even though it is primarily a Turn-Based Correspondence site ... and the Ten Minute Chess area is pretty entertaining as it is ... I always get this hankering to see just what Gameknot could do if those Super-Programmers set their sights on making the best Blitz Area we've ever seen ! I have this feeling, that it could be just amazing and innovative, and might very well have great features that I've not yet even Thought Of wanting !? It would be very interesting to see.
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What's you wishes? I'll take Three and make post for my next two. {And the great part here at GK is that I know I won't have to "save the last wish" to undo the first two ... as if dealing with a Djinn of Disaster. Because whatever they decide to do, will function like a Swiss watch.}
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}8-D
kingdawar
29-Jul-09, 13:18

Wish
Proper Blitz
baronderkilt
29-Jul-09, 13:22

My next two Wishes . . .
#2. I would really like to see the SEARCH Function return to the Forums area. It was wonderful for searching out subjects to read, for finding a thread to re-read by its name or persons who posted in it or keywords. And also the fact that it would search the entire section of the Forum you were looking in, even doing multiple pages there in a single search. You did not have to go to each page separately. And you could search for a particular poster as well ... which was also very convenient for finding all of your own Threads or Postings. I miss it very much.
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#3. It would be wonderful to see a similar SEARCH Function added to the ANNOTATED GAMES area~! For instance, I would very much like to be able to type in "Velimirovic" or "Morozevich" and have all their games that are annotated here, or mention them in the notes, presented then for me to click on my choice among them and thus goto it. It is nice that it is already possible to find all the Annotations done by a particular GK player by clicking from their PROFILE page. But so much better if there was a SEARCH so that I could type in, for example:
< IONADOWMAN + GRUNFELD + 4.cxd5 Nxd5 > and have it list all the Grunfeld Exchange Variation games annotated by Ion or having put his Comment(s) there-in.
Does that not sound Fantastic ?!!
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And finally one that is not a New Wish since I mentioned it in another Thread recently ...and so here, just for the record:
Perhaps having Public-ANNOTATED GAMES Listed in order of the date that the Annotator clicked on the option to make it go Public, rather than using the date that it was first Saved to the annotator's own queue of non-public games; aka the date he/she first Started the project of annotating that certain game. The thought being that in doing so, there would not be so many Annotated Games which fail to ever show up on the Page-1 list of new annotated games. As happens now when the annotator saves a game there but then spends days or weeks completing it.
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}8-)
algol
29-Jul-09, 15:38

Wishes
- More than 6 forced moves in the themed mini-tournament setup
- Control over the orientation of a diagram inserted in the message boards. When using fen="FEN/notation" the board is always oriented with the player who has the move at the bottom. Control over the orientation in the annotated games was a nice improvement.
untateve
29-Jul-09, 19:56

Club Wish
It'd be nice if there was a way for club moderators to be able to PM everyone in the club with one PM rather than having to PM each one individually.
algol
29-Jul-09, 20:21

...
How about Chess960?
baronderkilt
29-Jul-09, 21:52

UNTATEVE . . .
YES, it Would be fine if the club moderator had that ability. And it could be refined to where he would have a choice of a check-box sending to ALL MEMBERS, or just the ones with a check by their name. (Such as check-boxes are used to select for specific PM deletions) That would also be nice to see added to the BUDDIE LIST, imo.
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[Although if a non-premium member were to send too many messages, they might have their PM ability suspended for several days; if that anti-spamming safe-guard is still in effect here? But that should not effect clubs since they Are premium members already]
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However, untateve ... I have an idea that could help make a group-club-mailing until then ... It would just need a small bit of set-up by the moderator. You could start a Club Forum thread, perhaps named something like Moderator Thread or Announcements Thread. Then make it known, such as in your Club Description, that you would like all members to mark that THREAD to be one that will notify them when any new post appears in it. Then simply write your message to the membership within that thread, & they would get the flashing PM envelop-icon telling them & providing them a hyperlink directly to it from their PM's.
The strong point is that not only the Moderator, but anyone there could use it to send all an all inclusive message ...if you want to permit that. The weak points being the slight set-up needed, and that it would not be Private.
nyctalop
30-Jul-09, 12:08

My fantasy
Bughouse blitz chess. Guaranteed to have 100% human players.
chess_avenger
30-Jul-09, 21:57

blitz chess
i also think a little improvement to the blitz chess would be nice. doesnt have to be fancy but basic features like pgn/movelist, list of players, maybe rating, and time control (ie. 1min, 5min, 10min, or whatever is appropriate).
baronderkilt
30-Jul-09, 23:01

BUGHOUSE (!!!) ...
... would be FANTASTIC, to me. Love the game. Even feel can help Chess sight re: noticing tactical opportunities, like Checks & holes in pawn formations, etc. Might also serve GK, to promote camaraderie among members, since it requires a partner, & 2 opponents; giving more players a chance to meet & become known. Might even have Bughouse teams. I'd certainly expect a Bughouse Club to start. The best Chess variant by far, imo.
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I've tried to get into Bughouse on a couple sites, but cannot get their software or starting procedures sorted out. Thus never had a game online. (Tho it is quite popular here at the coffeehouse. I've played a long time. Since the time it was known as "Double-Speed" Chess  
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IF someone IS SEEKING A PARTNER(?!) with EXPERIENCE...(know some Bughouse Openings and how to Attack vs O-O, O-O-O?!, or uncastled). Or even if you need a body as opponent to make a foursome, I'd quite enjoy it. ...if you could help me set up for it. I may be an odd partner tho, having formed some eccentric habits:
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#1 - I never blame my partner, nor make disparaging remarks about his IQ or Lineage, if we ever happen to lose. #2 - I Also try to feed many pieces to my partner instead of Sac'ing on my board, after he has already sac'd to attack on his, or then begin demanding pieces of him/ her, knowing they are more needed on THAT board. So if you can get past these oddities, send me a PM~!  )
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}8-D ccmCACollister
aixrad
30-Jul-09, 23:15

Send a message to all members of the buddy list
Send a message to all members of the buddy list
kingdawar
30-Jul-09, 23:36

Algol
"- More than 6 forced moves in the themed mini-tournament setup"

Take a look:

gameknot.com

Now the limit is at eight White & Black moves. An interesting detail is, try to set up a tournament with initial position 1. f3 e5 2. g4 ... (which has happened quite frequently in the past)
qwkslvr
31-Jul-09, 08:39

Deleted by qwkslvr on 31-Jul-09, 08:40.
qwkslvr
31-Jul-09, 08:41

Three Wishes
1.) Fischer Chess
2.) Team play revision (see my post under "Team related")
3.) "Real time" chess with time controls from 1 minute to two-hours.
kingdawar
31-Jul-09, 18:28

gameknot.com

 
claukkonen
31-Jul-09, 21:04

One Wish
An option in the ' Set up automatic challenge decline rules' so conditional moves can not be made against a player not wishing them. Conditional move are most annoying.
untateve
01-Aug-09, 06:17

claukonen
just curious, why do you find conditional moves annoying?
tactical_abyss
01-Aug-09, 09:58

Hmmmm...I agree with you untateve.Conditional moves are not annoying.Infact they are one of the best features on any corresp.chess site.If an opponent blocked conditional moves,I would not play him even if his rating was 2700 and he sac'd his queen for me in a rated game!
Conditional moves speed up a game especially if it is beyond 3 day moves and/or the response to a capture is "obvious".Same with hiding an online status.There are a host of reasons players like to do this,just like I do,and will continue to do forever.If this bothers someone(and it shouldn't),then don't play that opponent or don't challenge me.
Sort of silly that either conditional moves or hiding an online status would really "bother"someone.Hey,maybe that a good psychological reason TO do it!
If there was no precalculated GOOD reason(s) to hide an online status,then GK would not have it in their option feature,now would they?

While i'm at the wish list thread,I hope any new blitz improvements will include a list of online blitz players waiting for a challenge that one can pick from,an option to "watch"other blitz games in progress and of course 1,2,3,4,5 min...up to atleast 30 minutes for a blitz game,with both rated and unrated options.If it remains unrated however,that is also fine with me...less pressure!
claukkonen
01-Aug-09, 12:59

One Wish
They are annoying to me, because my opponent is not really not there to make his/her next move. I use the analogy as follows. I am playing in an OTB game. I have to go to the bathroom. So I tell a friend of mine, the next move I want to make and he makes it for me while I am gone. Maybe a far fetched analogy, but to me conditional moves shows a lack of respect. In my profile I ask 'please no conditional moves'. Most of my opponents respect my wishes and do not play conditional moves, but there are always the few that do not. Maybe I am the .05% of Gameknot players who do not like conditional moves. But, I do not see a reason why Gameknot can not add an option in their 'Set up automatic challenge decline rules' page, so us few players who do not not like conditional can make sure they are never played against us.
tactical_abyss
01-Aug-09, 13:28

Deleted by tactical_abyss on 01-Aug-09, 13:58.
tactical_abyss
01-Aug-09, 14:09

Well,as patrick Swayze can be quoted in the movie Road House...."opinions vary".
As to lack of respect towards another opponent simply because they want to utilize some conditional moves,I would believe that the vast majority of players on GK would strongly disagree with you,claukonen.Infact,many players may consider that NOT using conditional moves,even though it is an option,would be to some extent discourteous....since conditional moves are there in place to extend the "courtesy"of moving a game alone in a better timely fashion.I prefer "courtesy"over non courtesy.In any case,there is no "disrespect"(too strong a word!)towards an opponent for using a conditional move.But like Swayze said..."opionions vary"...so if you need to have a decline option on conditional moves....well,more power to you!
kingdawar
01-Aug-09, 16:41

August 1, 2009: Settings
It is now possible to conceal conditional moves made by others — i.e. you will not be immediately notified when a conditional move set up by your opponent was triggered in a game — via account settings.
qwkslvr
02-Aug-09, 06:50

Conceal?
What exactly does that mean? Does the browser just take you to 'MY GAMES' rather than back to the board where the conditional move was made?
kingdawar
02-Aug-09, 07:01

Yes, I think so, or whatever setting you have used, i.e. you might be taken to the next game in which it is your turn to move with the least remaining time on the clock...
qwkslvr
02-Aug-09, 08:06

That's a good thing
I think the reason some people don't like the conditional move feature is that, we dislike being in a position where our moves are either obvious, or forced by our opponent. Perhaps having the browser act as usual after a move will take some of the sting out for people who dislike conditional moves.
markb56
02-Aug-09, 13:20

Yes, qwkslvr has it exactly right! There is one local player whenever I play him OTB he makes a move and then wanders away to watch other games, or goes out into the hall and yacks on his cell-phone, etc. as if our game has little of interest to offer (he doesn't do this with higher rated players). And dang it if he hasn't beaten me every time except for one draw!

I try to keep this lesson in mind when I play very low rated players by at least giving the impression of being interested in the game. One of my fondest memories is a local game against Utah's one and only GM Igor Ivanov who not only had the courtesy of showing interest in our game, but also showed me afterwards where I could have had a very favorable game had I made one little in-between move -- this made my day!
markb56
02-Aug-09, 14:13

Another example of how competitors can come across as being "snooty" is Lance Armstrong's "The Look" given to Jan Ulrich during the 2001 Tour de France. After a day of appearing to be struggling Armstrong explodes with a burst -- was it intimidation or was it a questioning look of "will you follow?". You decide: www.youtube.com
easy19
02-Aug-09, 23:43

1 - Improved country stats. Not only the top player and the most played games but a list from top to bottom.

2 - Tournament messages. Wen for example one of the games is annotated there can be send a MSG to all participants at once.

3 - Postponement return MSG. Wen i set a postponement MSG all boards get the note but wen i return i need to remove them all by hand.. so wen i return i would like to erase or set a other MSG for all boards at once.
easy19
02-Aug-09, 23:53

About the Conditionals
I think most of the times the anticipated move is so obvious that a conditional move is justified.

Like
a queen exchange
a knight fork
a check with only 1 way out for the king
Forced checkmate in 2 or 3
1.e4


garos
03-Aug-09, 03:03

Easy19
If you go to advanced player search, and just select a country and nothing else and hit 'search'
you have an entire list of that country's players. Is that anything like you had in mind? You are
number five in Holland, Heinzkat at number three.
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