Go back
Is the analyzer a crutch?

Is the analyzer a crutch?

Only Chess

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

I was wondering if other players that are much better than me use the analyzer a lot. I use it all the time - and use it to play out many possibilities for every move. I think I would be terrible without it - and I'm not that good with it. But I was wondering, 99% of my games are on the computer, but when playing a real live person, there won't be a seperate board I can mess around with. I'm just not sure if I can visualize moves that well without the analyzer. I would love to enter a tournament or something, but am afraid I am becoming a computer-only palyer. What have been other's experiences in going from computer to real-life games?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by UncleRobb
I was wondering if other players that are much better than me use the analyzer a lot. I use it all the time - and use it to play out many possibilities for every move. I think I would be terrible without it - and I'm not that good with it. But I was wondering, 99% of my games are on the computer, but when playing a real live person, there won't be a sep ...[text shortened]... -only palyer. What have been other's experiences in going from computer to real-life games?
I think most people go from real life to computers 🙂

The more you practice without the use of the analysis board the better your chess visualization will get the reason why its sucks right now is that you never use/train it.

Vote Up
Vote Down

I became dependant on the analyze board function and as a result my OTB play suffered, but once I started to visualize my moves before I used the analyze board function I got better again at OTB.

I think it can be helpful for OTB play if you use it properly... if you take your time and find the best move in your head then you can validate that hypothesis using the analyze board function and hopefully find what you missed.

Vote Up
Vote Down

isnt it regarded as cheating?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Depends to some extent on how much you play OTB. Play a lot and your powers of visualization will be honed. If you play almost exclusively postal/server then shifting pieces while analyzing isn’t going to help your powers of visualization when it comes to playing OTB.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Jusuh
isnt it regarded as cheating?
When he says analyzer, I guess he means the analyze board.
So, no, that is not cheating.

Vote Up
Vote Down

I guess he means the analyze board.
That is what I meant - just using it to visualize moves - not an outside engine to suggest moves.

But what about looking at books/other games/websites during games - is that cheating?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by UncleRobb
That is what I meant - just using it to visualize moves - not an outside engine to suggest moves.

But what about looking at books/other games/websites during games - is that cheating?
No. It's cheating when you ask others for advice, use a chess engine or a tablebase. Books and databases are fine.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Using books and tables and databases while playing seems like cheating to me.

And the analyzer board does seem like it will make your brain lazier. I was actually just thinking about this very point today.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dies Irae
Using books and tables and databases while playing seems like cheating to me.
learn the rules.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dies Irae
Using books and tables and databases while playing seems like cheating to me.
It is if you are playing OTB. It isn't in Correspondence Chess. Using an engine is cheating if you play Correspondence Chess here, but not if you play at the ICCF. Different types of chess and different organizations have different rules. It's the rules which count, not what may or may not seem like cheating to you.

Vote Up
Vote Down

The contestants in every World Championship match (as far as I know) brought along with them, seconds. These people would help them analyze opening lines and what not. Or, in an adjourned game, they help the Champion (or challenger) to analyze the given position. It isn't cheating. Think of it as several generals sitting in the war room discussing what movements the front line should make. They can discuss all they want, but it's the officer on the line that must put it into use. Does that make any sense? lol

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by AlphaAlekhine
The contestants in every World Championship match (as far as I know) brought along with them, seconds. These people would help them analyze opening lines and what not. Or, in an adjourned game, they help the Champion (or challenger) to analyze the given position. It isn't cheating. Think of it as several generals sitting in the war room discussing ...[text shortened]... nt, but it's the officer on the line that must put it into use. Does that make any sense? lol
And yet at RHP that would be considered cheating. It just highlights the point that, while the game we play is always chess, the conditions and rules can vary widely from format to format, website to website.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by wormwood
learn the rules.
learn opening lines (so you can drop the book)

owned.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dies Irae
learn opening lines (so you can drop the book)

owned.
Using an opening database while playing is a nice way to achieve that.

Pwned.