practice board?

Is there a practice board on rhp so i can work out some moves?

don't worry people!! i'll use analyse board

the analysis board is the demise of true chess thinking and results in a huge raise in rating that has difficulty passing 1800. You have been forewarned.

Originally posted by kmac27
the analysis board is the demise of true chess thinking and results in a huge raise in rating that has difficulty passing 1800. You have been forewarned.

I agree. I've raised the level of my games, and cut down on errors by printing the board with the current position, and using a standard chess set to study the position and generate my next move. 😏

I agree with what you say because i've commented on it in the forum before, but surely using a standard board is the same and will you not use either to surpass 1800

Originally posted by kmac27
the analysis board is the demise of true chess thinking and results in a huge raise in rating that has difficulty passing 1800. You have been forewarned.

Agreed - I'm trying to ween myself off it on RHP so that I don't miss it OTB.

However, I blame my difficulty in passing 1800 on not actually being all that good, rather than on the analysis board 😉

The analysis board is a crutch and does very little good after a while.

Originally posted by kmac27
the analysis board is the demise of true chess thinking and results in a huge raise in rating that has difficulty passing 1800. You have been forewarned.

I disagree with the second part of your statement, although I agree that it is a danger. The analysis board removes the need to visualize the position as you calculate it. However you still need to spot all your opponents relevant possibilities, and you still need to calculate accurately. The RHP analysis board will not store variations (you have to use something like SCID, or pencil and paper for that) also it will not warn you if your variation includes illegal moves - you have to see that yourself.

If you only played correspondence chess then there would probably be a problem, but since you don´t there isn´t. Visualizing the position ahead and calculating with what you do see are related, but different skills. The advantage of having an analysis board is that you can teach yourself how to calculate, and learn about possibilities without having to hold future positions in your head. In fact I think it´s use can help develop your chess.

The problem most people have is that because they have far too many in progress games (me included 😛) this causes people - well me anyway - to spend a couple of minutes messing round on the analysis board and not calculating in a disciplined fashion. I think that if you want to play at a higher level then using the analysis board can allow that. But like most tools it is possible to misuse it, and it can hold you back if you are not self-disciplined in the way you use the thing.

Originally posted by kmac27
the analysis board is the demise of true chess thinking and results in a huge raise in rating that has difficulty passing 1800. You have been forewarned.

I'm at 1886 thanks to analyze board and I'm not a serious player by any stretch of the imagination.

I hate to say this because it sounds a little condescending (and I really don't mean it that way), but it seems to me that all you really need to do to get to the 1800 range is not commit dumb blunders and take advantage when your opponent does.


And, by the way, what's with all the people with the Antarctic "flag"? Are you all explorers or does it just look cool?

Originally posted by sh76
I'm at 1886 thanks to analyze board and I'm not a serious player by any stretch of the imagination.

I hate to say this because it sounds a little condescending (and I really don't mean it that way), but it seems to me that all you really need to do to get to the 1800 range is not commit dumb blunders and take advantage when your opponent does.


And, by t ...[text shortened]... all the people with the Antarctic "flag"? Are you all explorers or does it just look cool?

Originally posted by sh76
I hate to say this because it sounds a little condescending (and I really don't mean it that way), but it seems to me that all you really need to do to get to the 1800 range is not commit dumb blunders and take advantage when your opponent does.


I think most GMs would probably say the same thing regarding play at their level

it's just that as you move higher, the "dumb blunders" become ever more subtle and the "opportunities" become ever harder to exploit