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Originally posted by SwissGambitThe context of the thread was a Standard OTB player having some trouble with the clock and someone suggesting he play blitz, so your first two paragraphs don't apply to him (though the first one is a good answer to my question). I'll grant the point, but think as far as improving your OTB someone's time would be better spent playing games where the entire game's conditions at least approximates those of OTB. After all, the goal is not to be a "practiced blitz player" but to be a good OTB Standard one. The games where you have to blitz at the the end of a Sudden Death are going to be fairly rare, whereas the games where you're going to be in some type of time pressure but still not at the point where you have to make a move in seconds are going to be quite common. It seems more logical to prepare for the latter (where you do have some time to think) rather than the former.
Easy. Blitz appeals to the adrenaline junkie within. The gratification of winning comes much quicker. The long waits for your opponent to move [one of the worst parts of slow chess] are gone. And even if you lose most of a series of games, at least you have not blown the whole day [or whole weekend].
In a strange way, blitz can show just how well a pl ...[text shortened]... a dubious, but complicating move, just to force the opponent to think and use precious seconds].
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Originally posted by cmsMaster4-5 seconds isn't "plenty of time to think" for a chess position.
Are you kidding me? 3/0 is without a doubt the most popular blitz time controls. There's plenty of time to think, the majority of the 3/0s that I play end in the following ways: checkmate or resignation. And, if it's a win on time the player who times out is often in a completely losing position anyway.
BTW: 10 min. and 20 min. games aren't blitz...they're rapid. For rapid I'm a big fan of 15/5.
Playchess calls my 10+5s "Blitz" and my 20+5 "Slow". The USCF, however, considers only games under G/10 to be "Blitz" and doesn't rate them. The USCF has a rating called "Quick" which includes G/60 to G/10. G/30 to G/60 are also included in the Standard rating.
Originally posted by no1marauderthere you have it, with authority and everything.
4-5 seconds isn't "plenty of time to think" for a chess position.
Playchess calls my 10+5s "Blitz" and my 20+5 "Slow". The USCF, however, considers only games under G/10 to be "Blitz" and doesn't rate them. The USCF has a rating called "Quick" which includes G/60 to G/10. G/30 to G/60 are also included in the Standard rating.
Originally posted by no1marauderAh, I see, there is a clear definition. Thanks.
4-5 seconds isn't "plenty of time to think" for a chess position.
Playchess calls my 10+5s "Blitz" and my 20+5 "Slow". The USCF, however, considers only games under G/10 to be "Blitz" and doesn't rate them. The USCF has a rating called "Quick" which includes G/60 to G/10. G/30 to G/60 are also included in the Standard rating.
Originally posted by no1marauderNothing is more annoying than losing a game on a time-induced blunder in the final minute or two after hours of hard work and decent/good play.
The context of the thread was a Standard OTB player having some trouble with the clock and someone suggesting he play blitz, so your first two paragraphs don't apply to him (though the first one is a good answer to my question). I'll grant the point, but think as far as improving your OTB someone's time would be better spent playing games where the enti ...[text shortened]... to prepare for the latter (where you do have some time to think) rather than the former.
I agree that having blitz skills is no substitute for knowing chess theory, or knowing how to thoroughly analyze and visualize when you do have lots of time, but not having any blitz experience at all is too big a chink in the armor.
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Originally posted by no1marauderI have been played in Playchess enormous amount of blitz games with time control 3/0 and can say that if you have practice then its not so impossible to play so fast. Minimal time control (without time increasment) in which I feel comfortable is 2/0. I can afford to play also some 1/0 games, but after few such games I`m getting tired as such fast games strongly affect to your nerves.
Why would anyone want to play "chess" at such time controls? There's hardly any time to think at all; you're talking 5 seconds to complete a move - that's what the USCF gives as an increment.
I've had all kinds of problems with time trouble in longer games, so I've been playing some 10 and 20 minute games (+5) on playchess. That seems t ...[text shortened]... pressure while still retaining the ability to actually do some thinking about your moves.
Originally posted by exigentskyI think OTB 5 0 is online 3 0
I don't see it helping at 1 0, you won't even reach an endgame 99% of the time. When you do, it will be overkill so technique is almost irrelevant. However, it might help at 5 0 to 10 0. These are long enough that you still have a good chance of getting into time trouble at the end but it will have the semblance of a real game. I use 5 0 to help me with ...[text shortened]... ques and premove, how much effectively shorter is OTB 5 0? I suspect it's at least a minute.