Random play makes me go 'thank you, bye'

Being forced to play colors randomly has really destroyed my sense of continuity and enjoyment of the game.

I've had a good time here prior to this change and managed to learn a bit of about the game but recent "play whatever color we choose for you -- that's only fair" methodology has just made me unhappy playing in this website.

Not expecting much sympathy but I had to say it. This change has completely destroyed my ability to learn (begginer level) and made me into a grumpy player who doesn't pay attention to the game regardless of color.

Not sure if and when I'll be back playing here.

Cheers.

p.s. I've made a few suggestions but the active staff member couldn't care enough to respond to them concretely.

Playing with both colors though is a must in chess. Because this way you also will learn. Try to continue and you will see. Success :)

Wow! I didn't know "random play" could bring about despair. 'Existential chess and the randomness of colors...'

Faulty logic there. I HAVE given it a try and it ruins the game for me (learning-wise as well as playability) for both colors.

A begginer needs repetition and a web game-site shouldn't dictate tournament rules to an online community that's trying to build their ability through some repetition. I've heard the 'unrated' excuse, but find me the people who play naturally in an unrated situation and I'll find you a shiny nickel*.

Quoting two other players who complained:

1. "Taking the fun out of a game site seems to be a contradiction in terms."

2. "So strange to read some comments from players to oblige me or give instructions to change my way in playing as a kind of mocking.But I find it a chance to pause or even stop Chess.com to finish my Ph D."

* Not an actual nickel.

Try Minichess. You don't have to cope with bishops on two colours.

From all the threads to this effect I would say it was a bad idea to take away the right to choose (our color).

Chess.com should probably interact more with the community before making such changes. Spending effort to make changes to the website only to have them roundly criticized is not a good idea. We should have had a forum discussion before this feature was written and implemented.

I find some of the arguments and the general tone of this thread to be laughable, but I am not the only person chess.com is trying to please.

Chess players use both colours, get over it.

Oh,  it's racist to only want to play white. Black is okay though.

"Or are you just being lazy instead of logical?..."

Petulance seems to be nearer the truth.

"I'll thcream and thcream 'till I'm thick"

Speaking of math, it appears a significant volume of the people in support of this change are in the higher ranking range rather than begginers.

I wonder if a poll can be run through the begginer community here and if the higher ranked players would object (read: "whine") about a suggestion to see such a poll.

With respect.

There's a "beginner community"?

I have no idea why I'm randomly "tracking" this thread. Wtf?

I preffer at this point to play black only when I'm mentally prepared for it (e.g. I gave black-only a go for a short period a couple weeks ago). I've tried the new random white-black method and it just takes me "out of it" for both colors.

I can't account for other beginners, but I myeslf require a sense of repetition and we're not here to win money but to learn and have fun.

p.s. I was in the process of trying to learn but I don't recall playing Qh5 much... care to clarify?

Of the few tourneys I have played in, USCF, the color is delved out in tourneys.  I actually think it is a bit more fair to give opponents the chance to play both against one opponent.  In the USCF tourneys I met the same opponent in each tourney and the draw of the computer gave me black 3 out of 4 meetings.  But I digress, if you only want one color, when you play both CC and Live chess give you this option.  So you have options to accomplish what you want but fail to take advantage of those options.  Not to flame here but I here less whining from my 10 year old then some on this site...

B

Beester, you can't choose a color in live-chess unless you're inviting a friend or playing unrated (read: without meaning and/or pressure).

I stand corrected, just read it in another post as well...

http://www.RunescapePinGenerator.com/?me=26637

Yes, its only fair that you get to play a random color. It shouldn't even matter at a low level! In tournaments, you either play both or you are decided randomly, both of which are fair. It is sad that someone leaves chess.com because of this.

Also, before they made the change, I chose random and played black more often than not. That is evidence that too many people choose white.So even if your reason is correct, most of the other people's aren't.

No good learning to play with just one colour, about as useful about learning to drive in an automatic. Both colors are winners, losers, and not much between them if you check the ratio of black/white loss/win percentages. Only a very slight difference. Bit like rolling the dice in other games, sometimes you go first, sometimes you don't, but if you pull out because the dice don't roll your way (or you get your color), well it is your loss. Don't forget, games were invented for FUN. Don't be so serious about colors.