Playing OTB.

Yesterday I joined my local chess club, first time I have joined a club. Even though I got an ass whooping, I would like to know if the experience of OTB chess increases your ability as a player long term? Or is 2 dimensional chess and 3 dimensional chess two completely different propositions in general?

Originally posted by hintjul
Yesterday I joined my local chess club, first time I have joined a club. Even though I got an ass whooping, I would like to know if the experience of OTB chess increases your ability as a player long term? Or is 2 dimensional chess and 3 dimensional chess two completely different propositions in general?

I would also like to know for every week i think of joining my local chess club and every week I talk myself out of it.

Originally posted by hintjul
Yesterday I joined my local chess club, first time I have joined a club. Even though I got an ass whooping, I would like to know if the experience of OTB chess increases your ability as a player long term? Or is 2 dimensional chess and 3 dimensional chess two completely different propositions in general?

OTB is much faster way to get experience of chess. Experience tend to increase ability, if you have motivation to improve and you are able to draw conclusions from the games you have played.

Originally posted by hintjul
Yesterday I joined my local chess club, first time I have joined a club. Even though I got an ass whooping, I would like to know if the experience of OTB chess increases your ability as a player long term? Or is 2 dimensional chess and 3 dimensional chess two completely different propositions in general?

I have previously advocated that regular OTB is the best way to improve one's game.
The input from fellow club players is invaluable when analysing games, whether they be casual games or competitive.

Time controls play a major part in developing one's game; having to make all your moves in say, 1 hour (or less), really focuses the mind. I play OTB twice a week at my club, including club and league matches, and recently competed at the Doncaster Chess Congress. I still get an adrenalin rush sitting at the match table waiting to start my opponents clock.

I suppose the biggest fear of first-timers at a club is the supposition that the members are all much better players and that they may suffer humiliation at the board. That may happen, of course, but that experience is invaluable in the development of one's game.

So, my advice to anyone is:go to a club, have some games, some casual and some with time control, (to get familiar with using clocks), and see how it goes!

Mike

Originally posted by hintjul
Yesterday I joined my local chess club, first time I have joined a club. Even though I got an ass whooping, I would like to know if the experience of OTB chess increases your ability as a player long term? Or is 2 dimensional chess and 3 dimensional chess two completely different propositions in general?

Ages ago, when I had dreamt of becoming singing detective&traveling grandmaster, and when I joined my first chess club and got on the junior table (hung on the wall and updated every month), I used to think of OTB chess as the only one and of correspondence chess (at the time by snail-mail - I remember my grandmother, only retired coal worker in Eastern Europe used to smoke pipe with the fat postman who always got a brandy shot) only as auxiliary chess.

Time changed, as I realized I was no material for GM and I left OTB chess when I was still junior.

In the mean time internet came. S-F came. Now I play chess with Star Trek crew from all over the world.

Err, your question sounds like "Will walking and running increase my physical capabilities?"

OTB chess won´t hurt you, on the contrary.

Op- I can remember almost every OTB game I have ever played, but I would struggle to remember more than a handful of internet games.

Robbie- why are you putting it off? get down there!

Best thing you could ever do to improve is joining a club.

The big difference is at the club you will be playing one game and that
one game is not interupted by days waiting for the move.
It has your full attention, you are not playing a 10 board simul, no distractions.
Just you a board and an opponent.

Things learned OTB stick, on here one loss amongst many gets shrugged off.

You will also see other players disussing their games.
Things to be learned there alright. I picked up loads of things from just
watching and listening good players going over a game.
(remember don't butt in unless you are invited to suggest a move.)

Robbie you should go, you won't get pasted, you are at least the standard
of a good club player. After you get over that first game you will wonder
why you never joined years ago.

Not to mention meeting a whole bunch of new friends. Genuine friends.
Chess playing friends last forever. You can depend on a chess playing friend.

One last thing. Record your games, even the 'friendlies'. I did. it was one of the
best pieces of advice I ever read. (Botvinnik).

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Best thing you could ever do to improve is joining a club.

The big difference is at the club you will be playing one game and that
one game is not interupted by days waiting for the move.
It has your full attention, you are not playing a 10 board simul, no distractions.
Just you a board and an opponent.

Things learned OTB stick, on here one loss ...[text shortened]... the 'friendlies'. I did. it was one of the
best pieces of advice I ever read. (Botvinnik).

I would just add that I think it is important not to get too hung up on ratings at a club.

There is no doubt that the stronger players will show you more in their games, but often the most knowledgeable players and the best players are not the same.

Some players are very strong, but have difficulty verbalizing or articulating their thoughts.

Other players lack particular skills such as power of concentration or rapid calculating ability, but are vast reservoirs of practical chess knowledge.

Some very average players can be superb teachers or coaches, and the person who judges by rating number and not by the content of the idea will miss out on quality chess learning.

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
I would just add that I think it is important not to get too hung up on ratings at a club.

There is no doubt that the stronger players will show you more in their games, but often the most knowledgeable players and the best players are not the same.

Some players are very strong, but have difficulty verbalizing or articulating their thoughts.

...[text shortened]... ges by rating number and not by the content of the idea will miss out on quality chess learning.

This is absolutely key. Well said.

Q

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
I would just add that I think it is important not to get too hung up on ratings at a club.

There is no doubt that the stronger players will show you more in their games, but often the most knowledgeable players and the best players are not the same.

Some players are very strong, but have difficulty verbalizing or articulating their thoughts.

...[text shortened]... ges by rating number and not by the content of the idea will miss out on quality chess learning.

spot on!

I just joined a club. Play against players way higher rated than me. I like it! I also went to a tournament in town Western Class Championship played and lost to 7 to 9 yrs old! They were so good. I loved it! Need to get a clock next.
Have not won a game at the club. Got 1.5 at WCC out of 5 games! My first time participating. BTW, writing down moves will improve too! hahaha

that reminds me, don't get too worried about your first otb game, it is enough that you get used to the pressure of the clock, dealing with the any issues that require the TD and notating the moves correctly.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I would also like to know for every week i think of joining my local chess club and every week I talk myself out of it.

I'm also thinking about joining the local chess club. It's just that it would cost me extra time, which I don't want to spend right now. I have other hobbies that I consider more important for the moment. I think I'll join when I'm a bit older..

I played OTB a lot more than on the internet. I have played in chess clubs for years and I played more than 400 games in OTB tournaments.

This is a lot of experience and it sure helped me to improve. But still, practical experience is important but not enough. You also need knowledge of theory, that means reading chess books.

Quality post as always Greenpawn, appreciated.