1. SubscriberC J Horse
    A stable personality
    Near my hay.
    Joined
    27 Apr '06
    Moves
    63996
    12 Sep '06 15:23
    The TOS state that you cannot use chess engines, computers or software. Fair enough - we don't want people to use artificial intelligence to analyse positions and have a machine tell them what to do. What I don't understand is that use of databases is allowed. Aren't these simply huge collections of master games showing what moves were made? Can't you just feed in the moves of your game and copy what other players did in the same position? If so, you're not really playing the games yourself are you? So, what's the difference? By the way, this is a serious question.
  2. Standard memberDragon Fire
    Lord of all beasts
    searching for truth
    Joined
    06 Jun '06
    Moves
    30390
    12 Sep '06 15:32
    Originally posted by C J Horse
    The TOS state that you cannot use chess engines, computers or software. Fair enough - we don't want people to use artificial intelligence to analyse positions and have a machine tell them what to do. What I don't understand is that use of databases is allowed. Aren't these simply huge collections of master games showing what moves were made? Can't you just ...[text shortened]... games yourself are you? So, what's the difference? By the way, this is a serious question.
    Yes you can but sooner or later you reach the end of the line and if you do not understand the position and the reasons for it being "won" or "equal" you will lose.

    I find I am frequently playing opponents graded 400+ points below me and they play 20 moves of a complex opening like the Ruy Lopez move perfect but then when they reach the end of the line immediately make a silly tactical blunder.

    Once I carelessly played a move in the opening out of sequence (on the 3rd move instead of the 4th) in my rush and I should have been slaughtered as a result but, no, he did not know how to cope with it. I eventually won this clearly lost game.

    If you are up to it get them out of their "book" (database) by playing an early a3,b3,g3 or h3 (or a6,etc.) but just ensure that it is sound in the context of the game.
  3. Joined
    29 Jul '06
    Moves
    2414
    12 Sep '06 15:33
    I personally use databases all of the time!
  4. Standard memberWulebgr
    Angler
    River City
    Joined
    08 Dec '04
    Moves
    16907
    12 Sep '06 15:50
    Originally posted by YUG0slav
    I personally use databases all of the time!
    I use them in about 20% of my games, and have been bitten hard when I've used them without hard work alongside such work. The more I use them, the more time I spend on each game.
  5. Joined
    19 Sep '05
    Moves
    79705
    12 Sep '06 17:51
    Originally posted by C J Horse
    The TOS state that you cannot use chess engines, computers or software. Fair enough - we don't want people to use artificial intelligence to analyse positions and have a machine tell them what to do. What I don't understand is that use of databases is allowed. Aren't these simply huge collections of master games showing what moves were made? Can't you just ...[text shortened]... games yourself are you? So, what's the difference? By the way, this is a serious question.
    Agreed.
  6. Edmonton, Alberta
    Joined
    25 Nov '04
    Moves
    2101
    12 Sep '06 17:58
    You have to understand why that move was made instead of copying the moves with no though. Once your opponent deviates from the theory you have to know how to punish him for it.

    As people mentioned already, lot of player play perfect openings and once the book ends, they have no clue what to do and get defeated easily.

    The best way I found was to figure out what you want to play. Now check the databases, if you picked the right move play it. If not figure out why the db move is better and then play it. This way you can understand the game better and know what to do once you get out of theory.
  7. Domincan Republic
    Joined
    19 Apr '06
    Moves
    4546
    12 Sep '06 18:22
    Originally posted by RahimK
    You have to understand why that move was made instead of copying the moves with no though. Once your opponent deviates from the theory you have to know how to punish him for it.

    As people mentioned already, lot of player play perfect openings and once the book ends, they have no clue what to do and get defeated easily.

    The best way I found was to figur ...[text shortened]... it. This way you can understand the game better and know what to do once you get out of theory.
    At first I though the same as C J, but I have started using databases, and it is much more complicated than just copying a move from other game, in my case, I have found a lot of games with the same position, then I start to see wich games were lost by W or B, then I look at all the winning games, as they all dont finish the same, then pick a move that fits my style, or that I can understand as rahimk said, and it is a coincidence that your opponent has the same database, so he could pick a move that your database doesnt have, and then you have to apply the concepts of the game, usually I play the hole game in the database and try to understand what was the advantaga and idea at long term.
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