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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 08:45 |
 Gripes against legal chess behavior/otherThis string is also about listing any small or large "gripes"about where some improvement on GK options or the way the site is set up that you might have a suggestion for improvement? I mean this beyond the "obvious"...such as the blitz room.The blitz improvements have been great,although i'm aware that it will never satisfy everyone,since it will never have all the options that a full time blitz site has,and this is mainly a CC site.I myself,am about 75% happy with the blitz,even though I know there should be a few more bells and whistles. I'll start a few things off,then anyone can add to the list! 1.While it is absolutely legal to do so,don't you just get annoyed at players who wait until the last HOUR after 2 or 3 days to make almost ALL their moves in CC,even in totally obvious exchange moves? Sometimes I get the feeling that its NOT that they "need" all this time to think,(especially in openings or simple obvious moves),but that they "MUST" wait to move because 3 days was "given"to them and they will NOT be shortchanged!Reminds me of the guy at the quick mart who holds everyone up in line because an item costs 99 cents and he gave one dollar.The clerk then says...."I don't have your penny change,i'm out right now,but i'll have to go in the back and open the safe to get another roll of pennies!".Instead of the customer saying...."thats ok,forget the penny",he says...."I want that penny,I have it coming!I'll wait!" All this,while the other customers are frowning behind him!This is my chess analogy,if you get my point!(I truly believe this to be the real case with some players!).Ha,ha! 2. Players that challenge you in CC or accept your posted game and immediately cancel the game on you because it was not 1.e4 and thats what they wanted you to play or if they play 1.e4 and I go 1.....c5,they wanted me to move 1....e5,so no good...they cancel! Same in blitz!Many times I open with a flank move like 1.b4.No good they think,and cancel! Yes,all this is legal to do,but can be annoying for wasting my time.Then I scan for another blitz game,get the same player and he does the same thing(cancel) after my 2nd or 3rd move because it was not the "variation"he wanted to play!!Yes,he is legally cancelling but it can become annoying!Also,alot of players cancel on me when I sacrifice a piece in an opening blitz game,and because they feel this is not correct,normal or the "way"that I should play,they cancel!Instead of trying to beat me with a major piece advantage(which is not incorrect behavior on my part,since some of the rating differences are as much as 1000 points or more between my opponent and me)...they cancel writing......your behavior is not acceptable!Ha,ha...funny!(But wrong). 3.Those who know they have a lost game in blitz or are about to be mated in a move or two and do not make that last move or two,but purposely "stall"and refuse to move!So there is,for example,5 minutes left in a 10 minute blitz game with a mate in one coming up for your opponent.Your opponent "knows"its a mate in one and he was moving like lightning the entire game,even faster than you,but blundered and is now in a quick mate or mating net. So your opponent lets you sit there for 5 minutes,HOPING that you will leave the blitz game out of bordom or frustration,and he will win the game!A psychological plus for him! (I always wait,never giving him the satisfaction!).I've even had blitz opponents swear at me for "waiting"and not leaving the game,or after 5 minutes of stalling they write..."are you still there?"Ha,ha!Another legal clock move on their part,but it can be a gripe for many opponents! 4.Those players who absolutely refuse to move on the weekends!Yes,with the added time,they never have to move,but come on now,to speed up the game while most players are not working,it would be nice once in a while for them to make atleast one move on sat or sun! Its certainly within their "right"not to move,but I strongly feel that some players simply refuse to move under all circumstances because it is their given right!I personally prefer to make a large amt of moves whenever possible on the weekends.I can think a little more clearly,because i'm NOT too tired from coming home from work to think too deeply about a move.Again,all legal for your opponent not to move on the weekend,but their exists what I deem as a "subtle" microscopic degree of indifference to "NEVER"ever atleast attempting a weekend move!Just one weekend move...pretty please?Ha,ha! 5.And finally,those in the forums who want to always disagree on someones ideas or thoughts just to be indifferent,not to truly give a real productive and positive constructive argument! There are some players who have a "take it or leave it attitude"and desire all kinds of change,but if "THEY"are not the ones suggesting the idea,they "MUST"find ways to disagree! Its their "duty"to do so! I find this quite humorous behavior!(but frusturing to others!) 1B.(GK options/improvements): 1.mouse hovering over all available posted white games to see what opening are shown,thereby not needing to click on the individual game to see what first move was made,then cancelling.Saving time is always a plus. 2.Although I don't positively know if it can be done or not,I would prefer to have my own custom selection list."My games"at the top,followed by join games,start games with perhaps settings,ladder,messages and other options near the bottom of my list that I do not use at all or seldom use.It would be nice to just press a hold down click on the mouse and move the selections around a bit,if possible,or do it some other way. So,any other thoughts here,ideas?Please list! |
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Agreed People who play briskly, then turn into frozen molasses when they realize they are lost. People who take excessive vacations. I am sure some of them need it, but I am referring also to people who seem to take vacations when they are losing. Then you have to wait a month for them to return and finish a lost position. You were wise to point out that they have the right to do these things. There is usually someone who will jump in and say, "But he has a RIGHT to do that!," even though you never said they didn't. As far as people who always want to defend GK, you get that on a lot of blogs. If it is the blog of or about an organization, there is often somebody whose function is to respond promptly to anything that might be seen as negative about the outfit, in this case GK. What's worse here is that a lot of the comments are constructive rather than critical, but they still draw a quick rebuke. |
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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 10:11 |
Again,frustration to some,and humorous to me! |
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baronderkilt 01-Aug-10, 10:29 |
I used to have Chess issues . . . |
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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 10:44 |
I mentioned above that....."even though there is nothing one can do about it"Unquote. What this thread is about(my motive) is to bring forth what is going on in the minds of players like you(princevlad)and me(TA)to send a subtle message to some of the other players to perhaps make a stronger "effort"to change their ways that they constantly(but legally)bend the rules and perhaps UNKNOWINGLY frusturate other players?Perhaps,this is a "way" that can produce some results,in a psychological way.So even if one player out of a 1000 gets the subliminal messages here and changes,then I have succeeded!So perhaps ther IS something one can do about it,on a microscopic "persuasive" way? Of course,the flip side of the coin players will say..."I want my opponent to take the full length of time,down to the last legal second",or I will and must take all 2-3 months of time during a losing game,ect ect,its my right!Thats not the point here,however. |
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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 10:47 |
I prefer Roulette in the casinos,even over chess!Just won $180.00 last night at the Sands Casino in Pa.Started with 20 dollars! |
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rookie879 01-Aug-10, 13:16 |
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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 14:56 |
I have been known to cancel a game once in a while on a player that I personally challenged.Hard to believe right?Not really.I just did it a few days ago.Heres's what happened: I challenged the player to a 3 day per move game.The player in question just let the game ride down to like 1 hour before it was going to time-out as a newly unanswered game....over a 3 day period(during the week).So it was apparent to me he wasen't interested,but yet he didn't cancel the game....and left no messages.So I cancelled for him.This seems logical to me, right? Now this is just the opposite of how I would "behave".I would NOT simply let the game time itself out and say nothing to my challenging opponent.I would courteously mention to the player that I am not accepting any additional games right now or give some other excuse and then cancel.The reason is simple:Many players actually do have a maximum game load and I would NOT want to keep a player waiting for that 10th game,when he could challenge someone else during the time I would be "uncourteously" be just letting the challengers game slowly time-out on my board. So this is another rule that is permitted by law,but one that falls under...gripes! |
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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 15:01 |
rookie879..... |
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rookie879 01-Aug-10, 15:21 |
also... |
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tactical_abyss 01-Aug-10, 16:00 |
#10 or so in my gripe list out of another 300!Legality pushed to the limit!Hmmmmmm! Unending...its amazing!Wish I could send a jolt of lightning to his mouse!Ha,ha! |
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rich_sposato 01-Aug-10, 22:38 |
Like you, I don't like it when somebody offers a draw from an obviously losing game. If an opponent is stuck in a weaker position, has fewer pieces, and less time on the clock than me, I don't think it is sporting of them to offer a draw. When I see a draw offer in that situation, I politely point out to them that there is little incentive to me to accept a draw when I have a better position on the board. Or how about players who abandon a game they are about to lose? Abandoning a game takes the fun away from the victor. Abandoning a game is not as bad as waiting out the remaining minutes on the clock when they are about to lose, but I wish they would resign. As far as I'm concerned, resigning from a losing position is an honorable way to end a game. Another peeve of mine is when somebody wants to play white, and cancels every blitz game they start as black. I went through 4 canceled games with one player. Each time, he canceled within the first 5 seconds and each time GK randomly(?) selected him as my next opponent. Rather frustrating! In the 5th game, I asked him why he canceled the 4 previous games, and his reply was simply that he always plays white. And yet another peeve of mine is when somebody signed up for a blitz game (5 minutes + 10 seconds per move) and then took a long time between each move. After his clock got down to less than a minute (after less than 8 moves), I asked him why he took so long. He said he liked to think a lot about before each move. I suggested that blitz was not the best option and recommended he try a CC game instead where he could take 3 or 5 days per move. He thanked me for the advice, but I saw him playing blitz the next day. Once again, he was taking a lot of time between moves. |
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baronderkilt 08-Dec-10, 07:43 |
I like to use all my time ... *** T/A if you or anyone gets to western Iowa Casino's, I'd enjoy playing some Black-Jack; just to put 2 good players on the table, or to play by agreement as sac/decision-hand to a larger wagering partner. I once played semi-pro for a few years. Know how to avoid or identify many Casino tricks they use to win. (houseman @ table, bad or "Magician" shuffles, deep cuts, lighting, emotion gambits by dealer, shuffle machines, spiked food/beverages, shutting down tables reaching "player advantage" or to change player numbers at tables; crowd them or thin them, player-profiles & VIP Cards, even carpet colors to hide chips! lol, etc. Many more ways. Avoid food poisoning, never eat the hotdogs~! ) }8-D |
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easy19 08-Dec-10, 08:35 |
gripes no idea what it means :) the thing i find most annoying are opponents that are not saying anything. No hello no good by no good luck just nothing... - for me that is equal as refusing to shake hands with me. As second i do not like opponents who have a move-time under 4 hours wen they are winning but wen they are loosing the change that for that particular game to max move time.. ( i can understand why but not wen there is only one move possible..) and usually that are the same opponents who are refusing to say anything... Gladly i am not encountering those people often. |
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baronderkilt 08-Dec-10, 09:00 |
Easy ... Of course the only proper response then is to Kaaaarrrruush (to paraphrase a favorite Polgar sister ) them into oblivion using the Second Best line of my "Trick" Semi-Danish/Scotch/Goring Gambit (formerly used by Steinitz, Marshall, Alekhine, et al ). lol . * * * * * * * I much prefer opponents who will greet me, And send me a really funny video of a Scotsman & his skirt ... lol }8-D . . . BTW, thanks for the Video Freddie |
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tactical_abyss 10-Dec-10, 07:25 |
more to add.... More comments on my old string!I thought my string lost interest or went dead! Lets see what can I add today?Hmmmm....this thing about not replying in either corres.or blitz games with "conversation".See,that dosen't bother me.I simply acknowledge that some opponents do not want to chat,even to say hello!Thats no big deal.Maybe they don't speak english,maybe they are antisocial,maybe they want to use every possible microsecond to make moves in a blitz game,without answering or without typing anything,that can,yes,add up to a loss by 1 or 2 seconds because they took 1 or 2 seconds to say hello and they might be a slightly slower player than their opponent.This I understand.So its nice to do the "handshake"thing,but I don't think that it is anywhere near the other things mentioned on this string or should be "expected"!Alot of players in the blitz room for example,become "justifiably"intimidated when they are rated at,say,1300 and SUDDENLY I APPEAR at a 2473 rating.They are not sure they want to even play,let alone shake hands!This I understand!And that is another reason,why one should be able to have a "clickable"choice at a rating parameter with what opponents you wish to play.When opponents become scared or intimidated by vast rating differences,especially in blitz,I don't simply expect my opponent to always say hello back! But the players who do the other things mentioned above,the stall to see if you will leave the game after 8 minutes of an intentional no response by them,the cancel due to not being white,ect ect....all add up to more justifiable "gripes". I have several opponents that I keep on my ignore list.Many of those stem from the blitz room and my opponent(not me)typing in insults or other comments I do not think are in good taste. I know that I can block the chat.But I generally do not do this out of personal etiquette and the desire to chat once in a while myself! But what happens is that some of them AFTER the blitz game is over,follow me into my personal messaging center and continue the ridiculous behavior.Sometimes I put them on the ignore list immediately after the blitz game,so they cannot do the "expected"follow me game into the message center!I recently REMOVED an opponent from my ignore list after a few months,and guess what?Within days,comments returned!So what does this mean?It means that this opponent must have KEPT trying to break through to me for months.Then they ask...why did you put me on the ignore list?Well...back on the ignore list for another 5 years! There is always a good reason if I place someone on the ignore list.But its NOT always "bad"behavior by my opponent!Sometimes its due to my open game challenges!I have had on occassion,the SAME opponent that wants to grab my posted game every time,even after I have cancelled against him 4 or 5 times!Now why do I cancel?Maybe because I want to play a new opponent for a change rather than the "same"opponent again,or maybe because I feel his win vs loss record looks alittle "too"perfect or maybe he has a bit too much time-out's that I see on his profile even with the "less than 3%"optional click choice!I usually "remove"them again from the ignore list after my game is selected by someone I prefer to play. This brings me to another "gripe"!Playing 2 corresp. games with opposing colors is fine,excellent,wonderful,nice,superb...but it is wrong to think that it is a "must"or improper etiquette to NOT accept 2 games with the same opponent!Especially someone that you have never played before!Sometimes CAUTION is a better approach to playing a new opponent,rather than immediately playing 2 games.Its BETTER to see how the first game went and THEN decide on a second game,rather than immediately agree to 2 games....and then end up LOSING 2 games!!!!See?So,while there is nothing wrong with immediately playing 2 games,an opponent should not get all bent out of shape if I only want to play 1 game initially. I have from time to time(not often)..opponents cancel MY posted game(one game not 2 posted games)after they ACCEPTED my game post and THEN sent me back another game challenge and I declined the second game!So again this wastes my time,because I have to repost again!They clearly did see ONE game posted,not two games,so they should NOT EXPECT for me to immmediately accept 2 games!So,the messages start coming in...."you are not playing chess correctly,you are being unfair",ect ect ect!No,i'm not being unfair at all!Ask first BEFORE challenging me in the first game if you have to play 2 games!!!!!!!!! Maybe I have reached my game limit and do not want to play or expect "one more"game...see?Ask first,but do not expect it! Anyone else have similar situations? P.S. Baron,I only play roulette in the casino's!Yes,the house vigor is higher than blackjack,but I am a true roulette pro,having learned several systems from professional gambler John Patrick and with payoffs of up to 35:1,streets and more,I generally come ahead more than if I played blackjack.So,no,you won't find me at a card table.The only other game I play is craps.I am a pro at that too having studied systems for months before I even laid my first chip down! Regards, TA |
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I have to admit As for casinos, the only game I'll play is Texas Hold'em. |
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tactical_abyss 17-Dec-10, 05:40 |
Yes,it is most common for almost all players to slow down in mid game.This is usually where the most complex part of the game exists,so take all the time you want!The above posts,including mine were of a different nature.Obvious strung out delays in obvious lost positions,perpetual draw offers from a player that is an obvious lost position or is down tons of material for example.Most of what I was talking about was with blitz play and that is a different scenario completely.Like I mentioned,a player that will let you sit there for 8 minutes out of a 10 minute game after he lost his Queen and a Rook,just to see if you will leave the game so he can claim a win of sorts....an obvious stall,but "legal" to do. Another blitz tactic to keep typing in nonsence to a player and draw his attention away from the game,asking all kinds of questions in a 3 or 5 minute game with no incremental time.Then if you do not respond or answer his questions,he plays a head "game" of being so called..."infuriated" that you were being "antisocial".Yes,you can push up the window screen to block,or place the game on a no chat feature(afterwords I believe)but this all takes time and can cause a loss,especially if you are down by quite a bit of time in the game and need every second to think without moving your mouse off the game board! So,its the so called things players do that follow legal guidelines,but in reality,are not proper chess etiquette or are unethical to some degree in the chess arena. I could write you a book on all the OTB(over the board) twisted,sleezy tactics that I have encountered over the years.Showing up constantly late for a game which can be a mild intimidation factor to throw a players calm off of balance,"accidently"getting some of your opponents chess pieces "sticky" with catsup or some other kind of "legal food item" that one can eat while playing a game!So then the opponent may very well subconsciously not want to touch that Rook you just made sticky with contamination...especially if he is a clean freak! Funny right?But true,and it happens!Nothing "illegal" here,can't prove it!Yes,you can call time,ect,ect,but the intimidation is ALREADY working in HIS favor!Ha,ha! |
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tactical_abyss 17-Dec-10, 06:01 |
So what he would do is place all kinds of magnetic spider paper weights on the wall notice board behind himself so that it would be facing his opponent!Or during the Halloween time,dangle a couple of them right behind himself again so that the view could NOT be avoided by the phobia opponent!My friend WON every game!The guy with the phobia was too scared to say anything because he thought he would be laughed at or ridiculed for being a baby!So my friend racked up some decent tourney points that way!!!! Nothing "illegal"no place a few plastic spiders around,right!? So,again,there are "gripes against LEGAL chess behavior"! |
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black_cat_hamlet 18-Dec-10, 03:40 |
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I like to munch on a clove or two of raw garlic while playing chess. The health properties power my mind. |
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tactical_abyss 18-Dec-10, 08:07 |
I remember those spiders quite well....they were plastic,but had hair all over them,especially the big dangling ones!Yes,quite realistic! One of my opponents in NYC at the past Manhattan Chess Club,was nearly choked to death in a bar brawl,how sad!Maybe I should have dangled a couple of rubber hands behind me when I played him at the club!(Chuckle!)....because he always beat me OTB. Myrydin, Bobby Fischer ate pickled herring during the Spassky match,if I rember correctly.But that was "not"for nutritional or health properties!He used it as a psychological ploy,however. I'm with Fischer.I'd probably gnaw away very loudly at some sugar rock candy,if I see my opponent beginning to see through my defense! |
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ganstaman 18-Dec-10, 14:06 |
I don't have a true insect/spider/etc phobia, but enough fake spiders nearby would certainly be distracting. And I really really hate the smell (and taste, too, of course) of peanut butter. If my opponent were eating some during a game, I would likely not spend much time at the board! |
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caro-kann 30-Dec-10, 04:01 |
Despite knowing you're not meant to generally chat during a tournament game, I was very tempted to ask my opponent to chase the wasp away, for my sake. The wasp then landed on the a-file Rook of the person on the board to my right! The four of us (on the two boards the wasp was flying around), were now looking at each other, wondering how best to get the wasp off the Rook, since the guy on my right wanted to move it, without getting stung. Eventually, unable to take it any more, I asked my opponent, "What should I do?". He kindly replied, "Leave it alone, and it will leave you alone". Eventually, the wasp flew off, and I was able to win the game. Also, I admit if you dangled some plastic spiders behind your head, I would be quite unnerved as well - though I'd probably politely try to inform you of the proximity of said spiders to yourself! |
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black_cat_hamlet 30-Dec-10, 15:17 |
LOL! That's an interesting question - would YOU risk being stung to win a casual game? |
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tactical_abyss 30-Dec-10, 16:02 |
I love this 114 pg book!Its "A Hilarious Handbook of Devious Diversions and Stratagems for winning at Chess".It even has neat cartoon like pictures in it.A whole chapter alone covers the psychological ploys of Bobby Fischer during the Spassy match in 1972.But the bulk of the book covers fun things you can do to distract your opponent during a game at home,college or your chess club.He won't know what hit him! I bought 3 copies from online used book stores,like Amazon and others for under 5 dollars each.Being that the books are used sometimes the bindings come apart(and its a soft cover)....so its best to buy atleast two of them.You can give one away for a present to some other chess player if you want. An absolutely hilarious book to read and covers similar fun things like mentioned above in this forum string! Boy,I hate giving some of my "secrets" away!Ha,ha! But since this is an online chess site and its not OTB,the book won't do you any good on GK anyway!But its a "must" have book for any chess enthusiast book collector. TA |
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tactical_abyss 30-Dec-10, 16:44 |
That I admit I have used some extrapolations from that book in real life at my chess club! Back in the 1980's I was always getting whipped on the chess board by this one wise cracker of a player.He always had some wise "a" comment about my play or speed.I also noticed he was an impeccably dressed player,well manicured,ect.He was basically what you would call a "clean freak"but to the extreme,even to a phobia level. I began to notice his perpetual complaints about the last player who may have had a drop of coffee left on the table or a candy morsel on the floor 2 feet way,ect ect. I also noticed that in his play,his edge on me was usually that he had more efficient usage of the Bishops with diagonal x-ray attacks. So,I put it all together after reading my underhanded "chess bible" and came up with a small devious solution!I placed just alittle Coca-Cola about a half hour before he showed up on one of his Bishops and let it dry.We always used the clubs neutral chess set.After the Coke dried,it became slightly "sticky and tacky",but just ever so slightly. So the formula? Clean freak+ sticky Bishop=phobia energizer!And some avoidance using that Bishop.Even after he complained and got some dry or wet towels,he still could not get the sugar syrup completely off of every nook and cranny of the chess piece and was "self conscious"of that "horribly unclean thing" that HE HAD TO TOUCH!And he did avoid that Bishop,instead opting for more Knight play.But then...I had the "edge"with MY Knight play! Of course,I began to win and win and WIN! This is a true story!And he deserved it! TA |
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baronderkilt 30-Dec-10, 21:33 |
Or, there is always this article/thread www.chess.com www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-to-quotcheatquot-at-chess |
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tactical_abyss 31-Dec-10, 05:42 |
Just some more true stories.... But those are just a few sketchy good comments.The book I suggested is MUCH better and alot of fun to read,even if you never do those things.Sometimes the simplest things when playing OTB will sometimes give a player the edge.For example,I have a Renaissance chess set with 4" King,Queen and beautiful 3" standing Knights on the hind legs and the Rooks are elephants with a castle mound on the elephants back.The Pawns are holding shields.Its wonderful to look at.So good infact,it is distracting somewhat during a game when I "insist"on using it! The problem with that set(for the opponent,not me)is that the King and Queen are of exactly the same height and look very close to the same.So,what I have done on occassion,just at the right moment when Kings and Queens are moving about....is when I move either my King or Queen,I place the front of the King or Queen on a slight angle to the line of sight of my opponent!From time to time,my opponent will then mistakenly think my Queen was the King or vice versa and go on to lose the game though blunder.This is even more probable when my opponents flag is going to reach zero!My opponent says he wants to use another set.But I say those club sets make ME feel uncomfortable and are not weighted very well,so I won't play on them.Plus they are all mysteriously not available for a long while,all in use by my "friends". On a more higher tech note:I do know of one player at a college tournament who used a home made communicator that only transmitted an inaudible vibration to the players leg.He had it strapped down near his ankle.A cell phone makes an audible vibration sound,so that would have been no good.Since the tourney was held on the stage of the auditorium,his "assistant"was on the catwalk way,way above with fixed tripod mounted binoculars behind a plastic screen with two holes in it and a battery operated tabletop chess computer machine rated at 2300-2400 approx. The games were long,not blitz,so moves were slow.Only on certain moves when the cheating player needed assistance he would either rub his thumb or raise his little finger a bit,signaling the player way above the tourney to compute the next best complex move or mate in 10 for example!The signal vibration codes were simple for example.....Knight on e4 to c3 = 4 quick vibrations for e4 then a small delay,then 3 transmitted vibrations for file "c" and another 3 vibrations for rank "3"!!!!!There were other signals for en passant ect. Just a college prank.Infact the cheater felt so bad a few days later,that he gave the first place trophy away to the second place winner,insisting that he keep it,without saying why! But all this did work.Players will go to any length sometimes to win! This is not some fairy tale story.I was there and climbed that catwalk after the tourney was over and everyone left the hall!I was NOT a player that evening,just a spectator.But I had to see for myself what my friend had set up!I laughed sooooo hard,I turned blue!But I did suggest he give that trophy away,after the laughter stopped. TA |
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