Originally posted by pineapple42
if a conditional move has been prepared, i think that this needs to be visible to the next player to move. Not that i really see the benefit of conditional moves...
Conditional moves are never "transparent",as on the other major correspondence site that I play on.When you make a move that has a hidden conditional move attached,and the move you make corresponds to the conditional move(I call them "if" moves),then a note by the board tells you that the conditional move has been responded to exactly(triggered) and the next opponent move automatically comes onto the board.
As to knowing what the conditional moves are,that is not how it works.
Conditional moves are a continuation of the game WITHOUT letting the opponent know the next move.You would not want to tell your opponent your whole game plan,would you?Plus with you AND your opponent not having a visible conditional move list....it evens itself out,with no advantage to either opponent.If there was any kind of advantage on either side,I doubt that it would be allowed in the rules,both online and postal chess.Basically,it speeds up the game and is highly desired by most players.Alot of players who have not used conditional moves in the past,will find that once they start using them,they will get use to them and actually like them!
I find them useful not only to speed up the game,but when playing multiple opponents,say 10 opponents and a few are in the opening,I can suggest some conditional moves to say,2 or 3 of them.this tends to "buy me" more time to concentrate on the other mid range games,since they may very well take a few extra days to complete the conditional move sequence.For every conditional move responded to correctly,this will "reset" their clock back to the original time allowance per move.So the opponent has the option to respond to all the conditional moves at one time(play until no more notices come up that a conditional move exists)...speeding up the game OR the opponent can opt to take the time alloted for each conditional move and take for example on a 3 day per move game....3 conditional moves x 3days.....or 9 days to finish the 3 moves.This only "appears"slower,since the opponent probably would have taken 9 days anyway to make 3 moves in a game like that.
This I like because it takes some immediate pressure off of my play to concentrate on more involved games.The only thing you have to be alert about is your own time,not really your opponents.For example,if you gave your opponent 3 conditional moves,he might respond to all of them in 30 minutes in a 3 day game.This will then start your clock running for a 3 day timeout.So right after you send your 3 moves,I know that I have atleast 3 days before my time runs out.But....I could have 8 or 9 days before i move again,depending upon how slow my opponent desides to handle the time on the conditional moves.Bottom line?Just keep an "eye" on your opponents moves within 3 days in a 3 day game...simple!
Trust me,if you ever end up playing 20 or more games at one time,....conditional moves will allow you more free time to enjoy other things than chess!
17 Apr '08 01:46
Any update on conditional moves
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