Chess Thread

[UberNinja]

To build on what Yaw said, memorizing openings is basically a waste of time. You want to have an idea of the opening, and the ability to analyze, but really, the opening's purpose is to get you to the middlegame as efficiently as possible. It's far better to spend time studying tactics and positioning if you want to get good. Understand what you're trying to do, how to get there, and how to stop your opponent from doing his thing. As they say, the middlegame is the soul of chess, and if you get good at it, you can generally make up for being somewhat weaker at openings and endgames.

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

"Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine." - Rudolf Spielmann

One of my favorite chess quotes.

[UberNinja]

Wow you guys are really serious about all this stuff.

[UberNinja]

youtube

A

lot

more helpful than one might think, whether it's studying openings, watching self-critiques, exploring middle game options, or whatever else.

[UberNinja]

I have become better at non-related things by thought processes I traverse while I'm playing mafia.

Chess seems just as likely to develop those cognitive skills. So I guess you could say I'm a believer.

[UberNinja]

I think I'm a little too aggressive. It works in my favor if my overall skill outweighs my opponent's, but works against me otherwise.

I'm playing my second game with Sudo a little closer to the chest; he trounced me the first time because I overextended myself.