should i play fast or slow games?

should i play fast or slow games?

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A

Joined
17 Dec 06
Moves
1625
13 Jan 07

im between a 1200-1400 player on icc. i've been playing a lot of 2/10 min games, until today. i was eating a pizza and wanted more time so i played a 15min game for kicks. i won that game and then won a couple of more. i think for now i'll keep playng 15min games. whats the best way for me to improve? what min games should i play?

s

Joined
30 Nov 06
Moves
12846
13 Jan 07
2 edits

difficult question:

general view on this is that blitz or bullet ( 5 or 1 minute game) is not helping to improve your chess skills.
I tend to disagree: blitz can be very good to train tactics:
forks, sacrifices, x-ray attacks etc.
But if u want to improve your positional style and learn more bout imbalances in a position long games are better.
I think recognizing imbalances is one of the most important parts of analyzing and in makin decisions over the board.
most important imbalances are:

- King safety and placement
- Pawn structure
- Pawn distribution (how many pawn islands)
- Space
- Material

In a long game you can ask yourself the question where your position is different from your opponent in these factors.
for instance: space: If your position is cramped,its usually wise to exchange some pieces to create more room for the others
other example: when you are offered to exchange queens its usually a good thing to find out whose king is better protected, if your opponents king is all open, its usually better to keep the queens on since its a strong attacking piece.

I'm totally off topic, but moral of the story is blitz is nice to train and keep up your tactical skill but to understand the game deeper long games are required.
I hope this helps you a bit

Chessaholics!!

Sunny California

Joined
26 Nov 02
Moves
310224
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by Arrak
im between a 1200-1400 player on icc. i've been playing a lot of 2/10 min games, until today. i was eating a pizza and wanted more time so i played a 15min game for kicks. i won that game and then won a couple of more. i think for now i'll keep playng 15min games. whats the best way for me to improve? what min games should i play?
analyze games!!! and play i minute games wait don't do that I play 1 minute games bad its a bad idea if u really want to imrpove.

z

Joined
13 Apr 06
Moves
2683
13 Jan 07

Get at least 1500 here then start thinking about speedchess.

K
Chess Warrior

Riga

Joined
05 Jan 05
Moves
24932
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by sannevssr
difficult question:

general view on this is that blitz or bullet ( 5 or 1 minute game) is not helping to improve your chess skills.
I tend to disagree: blitz can be very good to train tactics:
forks, sacrifices, x-ray attacks etc.
But if u want to improve your positional style and learn more bout imbalances in a position long games are better.
I thi ...[text shortened]... l skill but to understand the game deeper long games are required.
I hope this helps you a bit
At least bullet (like 1 min time for all game) is definetly moving your pieces and nothing more. Result more depends from your internet connection 🙂

Treat Everyone Equal

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Joined
04 Oct 06
Moves
599212
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by Arrak
im between a 1200-1400 player on icc. i've been playing a lot of 2/10 min games, until today. i was eating a pizza and wanted more time so i played a 15min game for kicks. i won that game and then won a couple of more. i think for now i'll keep playng 15min games. whats the best way for me to improve? what min games should i play?
I enjoy 10 minute games, which actually work out close to a 20 minute game. I don't know if it helps or hurts my longer time games or not. They sure are fun though, and isn't that what it is all about to have some fun 😀😀😀

J

back in business

Joined
25 Aug 04
Moves
1264
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by Korch
Result more depends from your internet connection 🙂
lol. maybe if there are two 1100 players playing bullet...

A

Joined
17 Dec 06
Moves
1625
13 Jan 07

am i a really good long game player or do weaker opponents play long games? heres the scoop. i play chess on icc. until yesterday i played 2/10 min games or other blitiz games (under 10min). now yesterday i started playing 15min games (standard games) and i've been doing great. my record since is 8-2 and my rating is 1671! compare that to my blitz game rating which is 1285.

it feels like i'm playing better since i have more time to think, but to be honest it feels like my opponents are weaker too. for example on a standard 15 min game i can beat opponents rated 1600 but if i played someone with a 1600 rating in blitz i'd get slayed. so whats up? do weaker opponents play standard games more then blitz? or am i just a good standard time player?

K
Chess Warrior

Riga

Joined
05 Jan 05
Moves
24932
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by Jusuh
lol. maybe if there are two 1100 players playing bullet...
Wrong - I have lost bullet to weaker players in winning positions due to my (sometimes) slow net.

s

Joined
30 Nov 06
Moves
12846
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by Korch
Wrong - I have lost bullet to weaker players in winning positions due to my (sometimes) slow net.
Who hasn't?

K
Chess Warrior

Riga

Joined
05 Jan 05
Moves
24932
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by sannevssr
Who hasn't?
I dont know. But some ppl thinks that in bullet games internet connection doesnt matter.

s

Joined
30 Nov 06
Moves
12846
13 Jan 07
1 edit

then they deserve the bullet (jk)
Larry Christiansen has wrote an excellent article on bullet in new in chess recently

z

Joined
13 Apr 06
Moves
2683
13 Jan 07

Originally posted by Arrak
am i a really good long game player or do weaker opponents play long games? heres the scoop. i play chess on icc. until yesterday i played 2/10 min games or other blitiz games (under 10min). now yesterday i started playing 15min games (standard games) and i've been doing great. my record since is 8-2 and my rating is 1671! compare that to my blitz game r ...[text shortened]... ker opponents play standard games more then blitz? or am i just a good standard time player?
Once you finish what you are doing, don't you think its time to start making moves here? If your strength increases with time imagine what you could do f you had a whole day rather than 15 minutes?

J

back in business

Joined
25 Aug 04
Moves
1264
14 Jan 07
1 edit

Originally posted by Korch
But some ppl thinks that in bullet games internet connection doesnt matter.
what? who said that?

of course internet connection matters, but still unless you have really slow connection (lag>1sec/move), its not like you are doomed to lose. And in most online chess server little lag does not matter coz your clock is not running while you are offline