Note: This is not professional chess, but amateur chess-play experience shared by the writer.
Playing chess over the board has been the norm since its inception dating back to the 6th century. Today’s technological developments have introduced bots and engines as well. But these, even with their provisions, can never take away the benefits of playing chess over-the-board. This article discusses why.
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Pros and Cons of Bots and Engines
In chess, often there are situations where you have a better position than your opponent and you don’t know what to play. Now, one wrong move may turn the table around! Similarly, you are in a worse position but have a great counterattacking chance, and you can’t find it!
Bots and engines show you the best moves in positions, where you don’t have to think but just play what is suggested. While this is good for learning and practice, it also takes away your chance to work your brain out.
These days, you can adjust the ratings of the bots and engines as you want. This helps you better scale your play. In the process, you can judge where you stand as a player, and can use it to improve your play by practicing with the bots.
One aspect to address is playing with bots and engines means you are interacting with digital screens – the virtual world. It is fine to an extent, but it keeps you from being physically active while playing chess. This leads to passive workout of the brain.
Why Over-The-Board Wins
When you are playing over the board, you are actually touching the pieces for your moves. This gets you to work out your brain as well as physically move your hand and fingers. Basically, you are playing what you are thinking. That’s the best mental boosting experience you can present yourself while taking part in the war of minds.
When you are physically present to play the game, your mind is more awake and you can exercise focus and use imaginative power. You may want to visualize yourself in being immersed in the happenings as the game progresses. As if you are standing within the board – maybe by the edge, and instructing your pieces for attack and defense.
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It is an experience today’s technological advancements cannot replicate for us humans. Most importantly, you get to feel your opponent right in front of you!
Personally, I feel just more real over the board! You will find out that a chessboard with the set of the pieces is quite affordable and usually available in sports shops. And it doesn’t have to be only black and white – checkout what other color combinations they’ve got these days!
This opinion is shared by most chess enthusiasts in the world, ranging from amateurs to professional players to commentators and historians. Are you one of us? Let’s connect in comments!
By the way, do you use a smart chessboard? That’s AI meeting the physical chessboard, so you can play online over-the-board! If you missed it, do give a hover! There are several brands coming up with strong features. This is deemed to be the future of chess!
Special Notes while playing chess over-the-board:
1. Use only one hand to move pieces for the entire game. If you are using timers, use the same hand to move a piece and reset the timer. This was introduced as a rule across tournaments for endorsing fair-play.
2. Never touch the pieces or any other part of the board until you have taken the final decision for your move. This marks the honorary aspect of the ancient board game. First think and decide in mind, then use your hand for the move.
Make a habit of executing the above points-duo in your chess-play. Honor the game as well as endorse fair-play all-throughout and enjoy to the fullest with your on-the-board opponent.
Bots and Engines Still Have Their Place
Before the 1980s, our world didn’t have any computing engines – let alone bots and AI – to participate in chess. Today we have Stockfish as the strongest chess engine with the highest rating of 3600+. While the technologies do not give you the physical workout, we cannot deny their usability either.
The bots and the engines are used for various purposes by chess enthusiasts and professionals around the world. Players practice games and solve puzzles; researchers and scholars investigate for understanding the technological capabilities.
Watch Out for Addiction
While we can play against bots and engines for learning and practice, but one must ensure to not fall in the trap of addiction. It may seem pleasing because you would not have to do the hard work of thinking with focus, but still would you keep on seeing solutions to problems on each next move. That’s passive workout of your brain and a waste of time and energy for you.
Therefore, a cadence like weekly play with bots will be sufficient for amateur and passionate chess players. This will better your chess-play and positional understanding over the board.
Wrapping Up
While bots and engines are great for analysis and practice, playing chess over the board will give you an irreplaceable physical experience. Routinize your bot-play and don’t make it an addiction! Remember to honor and enjoy the game to the fullest!
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Writer’s Inspiration: I wanted to discuss about the best ways of playing chess.
If you haven't yet, start playing chess and use it as a mental booster. Here are the 3 steps to start: https://milyin.com/763181/
How are you playing chess these days? Over-the-board? Online? Share in comments!
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About the Writer: He is a professional writer and a passionate student of chess.
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