Practice

My wife is learning to play chess (YAY!), and is interested in joining... but would like to try to get a better footing before starting with competitive play. Does anyone know of a function on this site that allows you to play the CPU? She really does NOT want to play anyone (however they might go easy on her) until she gets better. Not even me. So... any help would be great. Thanks, and Merry Christmas (Still only on Fourth Day of Twelve).

Originally posted by Dan St John
My wife is learning to play chess (YAY!), and is interested in joining... but would like to try to get a better footing before starting with competitive play. Does anyone know of a function on this site that allows you to play the CPU? She really does NOT want to play anyone (however they might go easy on her) until she gets better. Not even me. So... any help would be great. Thanks, and Merry Christmas (Still only on Fourth Day of Twelve).

i dont think that there is a function on this site, but there are many little Java based programs that you can play against the cpu, like supreme chess. no downloads, you just play them in your browser. Perhaps she would feel more comfortable playing a lady?

Originally posted by Dan St John
My wife is learning to play chess (YAY!), and is interested in joining... but would like to try to get a better footing before starting with competitive play. Does anyone know of a function on this site that allows you to play the CPU? She really does NOT want to play anyone (however they might go easy on her) until she gets better. Not even me. So... any help would be great. Thanks, and Merry Christmas (Still only on Fourth Day of Twelve).

its harder to improve by playing a computer, but if she wants chess.com has an easy engine.

Originally posted by Dan St John
My wife is learning to play chess (YAY!), and is interested in joining... but would like to try to get a better footing before starting with competitive play. Does anyone know of a function on this site that allows you to play the CPU? She really does NOT want to play anyone (however they might go easy on her) until she gets better. Not even me. So... any help would be great. Thanks, and Merry Christmas (Still only on Fourth Day of Twelve).

especially the weakest engines will play very differently from humans. she'll learn much faster what kind of things to look out for by playing other low rated humans.

my suggestion for anyone just starting chess:

0) run! for the love of whale, run as fast as you can! it's too late for us, but you can still save yourself from the addiction!! ruuuunn!!!

1) that failing, google & learn "chess opening principles", and aim to obey them as much as possible. especially 'castle early' and 'develop fast, with a threat if possible'.

2) start doing tactical puzzles on http://chess.emrald.net/ for example, as often as possible. it's free, very addictive, funfunFUN, and will improve your chess the fastest in the first few years. the server will adjust the difficulty of problems by how well you do, so you'll always get suitable problems for your level, for a beginner and a master alike.

aim to understand the solution, and avoid getting caught in the 'ratings game' even though the time to solve is short. use as much time as you need, do not guess or hope your solution is right. with improving understanding the skill and rating will also improve, not the other way around.

3) play. preferably humans, as engines simply play differently. learn from your defeats. RHP is the perfect place for a beginner, as you can use days or weeks to think about one single move. and again, take your time. double check your move, triple check, sleep on it, make absolutely sure you're not missing anything. you'll be amazed how far simply being very careful can take you. all the low rated players take typically seconds to move. all the high rated take typically at least a week to move. it's not a coincidence.

4) happy trails. try to remember eating and sleeping.

She just needs to jump into it. Sure, learn opening principles, but I think the number one thing she can do to win against other beginners to to hold on to her pieces.

Ask if the square is safe. If it is a great move, except for the fact that the square is being attacked by your opponent's piece, then it isn't such a great move. If she is a true beginner, holding on to her pieces will be one of the biggest factors in the game. Eventually her opponents will give her their pieces and she can win by way of force.

A strong engine will beat you every time, which is no fun. A weak one will just start dropping pieces when you are in a good position. Neither one is an accurate representation of how humans actually play. So I agree, playing a computer is not very helpful. More importantly, It's not very fun. So I would suggest following wormwood's advice and getting on the tactics server. Or get Chess Mentor (software). Both are fun and will help with what to do in REAL games (against humans).

learn opening principles
learn checkmates
play!

Quote:

"Does anyone know of a function on this site that allows you to play the CPU?"

🙂

The function is simple, challenge none posters, no profile writers over 2100.
You will soon bump into one or two (or three or four....five or six....seven or eight..)

Get her to play the established guys under 1400. (50 or more games).
She will get a clean game and have a chance.

Also she will get an understanding how humans play and what blunders they make.
At that level it's all about avoiding and taking advantage of simple blunders.

Remember you must not help her during her games and under no circumstances
let her use chess as an excuse for getting out of the cooking and ironing. 😉