How to beat old and young people?

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
-- ditto --

Once I get into the game I always walk around and relax after most moves, have a non alcoholic drink and go to the toilet as you never know what assistance you can get there. 😉

I prefer a game that is 2 hours each for so 40 moves and 20 moves per hour thereafter. The longer time limits improves my play significantly and I focus for the ...[text shortened]... r. I go home get to bed early and get a good nights sleep ready to thrash my hung over opponent.

I try to walk around some, but I probably don't do it as much as I should. You're probably right that walking around would mitigate the concentration problem, although I still think that old guys have this concentration problem late in the day, based on my conversations with the "seasoned citizens" in my club. (I'm not ancient, but I'm getting up there. I'm definitely closer to old than to young.)

I'm sure it's easier to do this walking around if the game is classical time controls. The shorter G/1 hr and faster controls make it a little harder to be jumping out of your chair all of the time. I'll try to do a little more walking around during the games with longer time controls. Maybe it will help me a little.

Some of the one-day tournaments I've played in will have up to four rounds and last a total of 10 to 12 hours. By the time that 4th round comes around, I'm sometimes a zombie, even though I've had breaks between the rounds.

And a final comment - If the younger players are hitting the bar too heavily at the end of the day (and they have a game the next day), then they've already decided that their priorities are fun over winning, right? 🙂

The way I beat them is I threaten them.
They usually get scared and hang a piece on purpose.

my impression is that younger chess players are brought up studying with computers and frtiz. so i generalize that they are very good with tactics and try to play more closed, less tactical and more strategic type positions.

against young kids play a boring opening and trade queens..

Originally posted by exigentsky
At my chess club, there are a handful of people that look over 65 and I'm not sure what type of game to adopt against them. I played my usual openings so far and I've done well. However, would starting high tactical complications very early be an easier bet to win? Has anyone had experience with this?

There also several people under 18 and I've done w ...[text shortened]... ll, positional chess tends to be harder to master quickly.

I'd appreciate any feedback,

I played Sammy Reshevshky in a simultaneous when he was over
sixty five. Try wearing a guy like him out and see what happens!
He was a great guy, a gentleman, and one heck of a chess player.

Originally posted by davidgrayson
I played Sammy Reshevshky in a simultaneous when he was over
sixty five. Try wearing a guy like him out and see what happens!
He was a great guy, a gentleman, and one heck of a chess player.

It's quite possible that Reshevsky was the best player in the world during the World War II era, or perhaps a bit before then.

Why not just play good, solid chess, regardless of the age of your opponent? To play to a person's lack of mental alertness or concentration in order to gain an advantage or to win -- eg. by stalling or waiting to play later in the day, etc.,etc. -- to me, would be tantamount to hollow wins and empty advantages. Wouldn't a good chess player want to win by acquired chess skill and ability only?

Why not just play good, solid chess, regardless of the age of your opponent? To play to a person's lack of mental alertness or concentration in order to gain an advantage or to win -- eg. by stalling or waiting to play later in the day, etc.,etc. -- to me, would be tantamount to hollow wins and empty advantages. Wouldn't a good chess player want to win by acquired chess skill and ability only?

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
You would probably classify me as "old" and I would not recommend you going for tactical complications unless you wish to be beaten.

Play all opponents the same regardless of age. There are many "young" and "inexperienced" players who have upset me over the years because I played differently against them expecting a quick kill.

I concur. I'm only 27, but at worst I'd expect someone of that age to have been round the block a few times and in chess terms, they would have seen most of what I could dream up to throw at them

Over 70, it might be a different story, as their brain will be starting to decline

Overall, I'd recommend just giving your opponent the utmost respect, irrsepeective of who they are and expect them to play the best move every time. You'll improve otb that way too

With a stick!

(Sorry -- couldn't resist.)

Originally posted by Mark Adkins
With a stick!

(Sorry -- couldn't resist.)

Thats how we used to say it in my old chess club

he might win the fight on the board...but not the one in the parking lot.

Dave

Originally posted by exigentsky
At my chess club, there are a handful of people that look over 65 and I'm not sure what type of game to adopt against them. I played my usual openings so far and I've done well. However, would starting high tactical complications very early be an easier bet to win? Has anyone had experience with this?

There also several people under 18 and I've done w ...[text shortened]... ll, positional chess tends to be harder to master quickly.

I'd appreciate any feedback,

play the board,
not the player.

Originally posted by Mad Mac MacMad
I concur. I'm only 27, but at worst I'd expect someone of that age to have been round the block a few times and in chess terms, they would have seen most of what I could dream up to throw at them

Over 70, it might be a different story, as their brain will be starting to decline...

I turned the "big 5-0" today, and brain rot is well under way. 🙄