Here is a set of guidelines that we should all try to
play by. I think that if we all follow these, our
group will be greatly improved.
1. Participate:
Be involved. Look at the conversation your team
mates are having about the move before voting.
Help discuss the move. Please don’t just look at
the board, vote, and leave. Vote chess is a team
game. So let’s play it as a team, and we’ll all learn
from each other in the process!
2. Make suggestions:
Don’t feel shy to give your opinion. Everyone
has good ideas. We recently won a game with a
move suggested by a 1300 player. So if you see a move you think would be
good, or think a move someone else suggested
wouldn’t be good, please tell us. We love having
good friendly debates about moves. Also when
you suggest or refute a move, please give your
reasons or post a line that supports your move.
Doing this will make others more likely to
consider your move and will help us all think
through the move more thoroughly.
3. Make the voting situation known:
When you vote and find that others have also
voted, please let us know the vote tally. I don’t
mean you should post the tally every time
someone votes, but if there’s a significant amount
of votes already made we need to
know. Recently, we have had times where
we come to an agreement on which move is
best and then find that there are already several
votes for another move. Although surprises are
fun sometimes, this is not the kind of surprise we
like. So please let us know if something like
that is going on.
4. Be aware of the time:
Since we play fast games on this group it is
important to be aware of the time we have for a
move. If we have 1 day per move, you don't
need to vote in the first few hours. Let the move
be discussed before you vote so that we can
make sure we find the best move. If it is a 6 hour
game, make your suggestion and, if possible,
give it 30 minutes or an hour for a rebuttal before
you vote. In a 1 hour or 2 hour game, you may
need to vote and leave, but if you do, please tell
us why you voted for the move you did so that
we can also consider it. In a 10 minute game,
all moves are discussed. If a move is being
debated, please wait until only 2 or 3 minutes are
left.
5. Join the games:
Join the vote chess games! That’s what we’re
here for! We understand that you won’t be
able to vote on every move, but it is intimidating
for the other team to see we have 20-30-40
players signed up. You only need to play when
you have the time, and when you do, join the
discussion and have fun!
6. Openings:
Please don’t suggest wild opening moves
because it can cost us the game. We play book
openings fairly deep. We are serious about the
openings and follow lines in the book that favor
us. We use the Game Explorer extensively as well
as databases from other websites. We frequently
post multiple lines so that players can choose
which path we take, but we avoid the lines that
are historically bad for our side. We have played
many different openings and variations, so if you
have an opening you want to try, feel free
suggest it.
And finally…
Have fun, be passionate, and improve both your
own chess skills and your team’s
games. The debate is one of the best parts of
vote chess, but it needs input from everyone.
Don’t be afraid to stand up for your opinion in a
game. All our active members know I will fight
for a move I think is right until it is proved wrong
or I run out of time. I will also argue against a
move I think is not best. I’m not a attacking
anyone, I’m just being passionate about the
game. I credit playing a lot of vote chess
with 2000+ players as being the biggest reason I
improved from 1500 to 1700 in rating. And
remember, if there are two parties with opposing
views, only one will get its way. So if the move
you think is best is not the one that wins, be a
good sport and let it pass by. None of us get our
way all the time.
To our top players: Keep doing what you do. We
have great leaders here. You explain your moves
well and understand that it is a democracy. The
move the highest rated player suggests does not
always win the vote.
To our middle players: You are the backbone of
this group. Most players fall into this range. Think
for yourselves and don’t follow the pack blindly,
you might see something a higher rated player
doesn’t. Treat each move as if it were your
own game and suggest your ideas.
To our lower rated players: Don’t be afraid to
participate. Suggest your ideas because you
will learn whatever the outcome is. Many times a
player makes the right move for the wrong
reason. Suggest your move with your reasoning,
and you will learn a lot from the discussion.
To everyone: Let's all unite together and improve
this team and move up in the Vote Chess
Leaderboard. Keep up the good work, and fill up
the discussion every turn!! See you at the games!
Here is a set of guidelines that we should all try to
play by. I think that if we all follow these, our
group will be greatly improved.
1. Participate:
Be involved. Look at the conversation your team
mates are having about the move before voting.
Help discuss the move. Please don’t just look at
the board, vote, and leave. Vote chess is a team
game. So let’s play it as a team, and we’ll all learn
from each other in the process!
2. Make suggestions:
Don’t feel shy to give your opinion. Everyone
has good ideas. We recently won a game with a
move suggested by a 1300 player. So if you see a move you think would be
good, or think a move someone else suggested
wouldn’t be good, please tell us. We love having
good friendly debates about moves. Also when
you suggest or refute a move, please give your
reasons or post a line that supports your move.
Doing this will make others more likely to
consider your move and will help us all think
through the move more thoroughly.
3. Make the voting situation known:
When you vote and find that others have also
voted, please let us know the vote tally. I don’t
mean you should post the tally every time
someone votes, but if there’s a significant amount
of votes already made we need to
know. Recently, we have had times where
we come to an agreement on which move is
best and then find that there are already several
votes for another move. Although surprises are
fun sometimes, this is not the kind of surprise we
like. So please let us know if something like
that is going on.
4. Be aware of the time:
Since we play fast games on this group it is
important to be aware of the time we have for a
move. If we have 1 day per move, you don't
need to vote in the first few hours. Let the move
be discussed before you vote so that we can
make sure we find the best move. If it is a 6 hour
game, make your suggestion and, if possible,
give it 30 minutes or an hour for a rebuttal before
you vote. In a 1 hour or 2 hour game, you may
need to vote and leave, but if you do, please tell
us why you voted for the move you did so that
we can also consider it. In a 10 minute game,
all moves are discussed. If a move is being
debated, please wait until only 2 or 3 minutes are
left.
5. Join the games:
Join the vote chess games! That’s what we’re
here for! We understand that you won’t be
able to vote on every move, but it is intimidating
for the other team to see we have 20-30-40
players signed up. You only need to play when
you have the time, and when you do, join the
discussion and have fun!
6. Openings:
Please don’t suggest wild opening moves
because it can cost us the game. We play book
openings fairly deep. We are serious about the
openings and follow lines in the book that favor
us. We use the Game Explorer extensively as well
as databases from other websites. We frequently
post multiple lines so that players can choose
which path we take, but we avoid the lines that
are historically bad for our side. We have played
many different openings and variations, so if you
have an opening you want to try, feel free
suggest it.
And finally…
Have fun, be passionate, and improve both your
own chess skills and your team’s
games. The debate is one of the best parts of
vote chess, but it needs input from everyone.
Don’t be afraid to stand up for your opinion in a
game. All our active members know I will fight
for a move I think is right until it is proved wrong
or I run out of time. I will also argue against a
move I think is not best. I’m not a attacking
anyone, I’m just being passionate about the
game. I credit playing a lot of vote chess
with 2000+ players as being the biggest reason I
improved from 1500 to 1700 in rating. And
remember, if there are two parties with opposing
views, only one will get its way. So if the move
you think is best is not the one that wins, be a
good sport and let it pass by. None of us get our
way all the time.
To our top players: Keep doing what you do. We
have great leaders here. You explain your moves
well and understand that it is a democracy. The
move the highest rated player suggests does not
always win the vote.
To our middle players: You are the backbone of
this group. Most players fall into this range. Think
for yourselves and don’t follow the pack blindly,
you might see something a higher rated player
doesn’t. Treat each move as if it were your
own game and suggest your ideas.
To our lower rated players: Don’t be afraid to
participate. Suggest your ideas because you
will learn whatever the outcome is. Many times a
player makes the right move for the wrong
reason. Suggest your move with your reasoning,
and you will learn a lot from the discussion.
To everyone: Let's all unite together and improve
this team and move up in the Vote Chess
Leaderboard. Keep up the good work, and fill up
the discussion every turn!! See you at the games!