Using computer chess to improve your play

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Mark Ryan
Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:07 am

Using computer chess to improve your play

Post by Mark Ryan »

For almost 30 years, I have felt that playing computer chess did nothing to improve my playing ability, but that belief has now changed.

In the last two months, I have played almost 200 games against Hiarcs 9 in Friend Mode. This mode is found in what I think is called the Chessbase Fritz GUI. I had previously avoided Friend Mode because I thought it was silly, but I was wrong.

Precisely because Friend Mode plays at a level close to the user's level, I feel powerfully motivated to beat it. My mentality seems to be, "Okay, Friend, you are not that much better than me. If I just work a little harder during the game, I can defeat you." And I do win, often enough that I have reduced my handicap by 100 points in two months.

I cannot say that Friend Mode has increased my chess knowledge, but it has certainly made me more determined and competitive. It seems that we are more likely to make a good grab for the prize if we really believe that it is within reach.

Other modes never worked for me: they were too strong or too weak.

Also, when I played club go, I discovered (like many go players) that I learned most from my games against players who were just slightly better than me, and not so much from the masters who crushed me quickly.

Well, now it's time for me to go back and play some more games in Friend Mode. In my latest game, I had a winning position, but I foolishly stalemated my opponent. I won't let that happen again!!!
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