Q+A for beginners(and everyone else)

I noticed that I win or lose a different number of points in each game. How is the point gain or loss determined? Thanks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glicko_rating_system

"I noticed that I win or lose a different number of points in each game. How is the point gain or loss determined? Thanks."

Your ELO rating vs your opponents ELO rating. If your rating is much higher then your opponents, you will get less points if you win, but you will lose more points if you lose. If your rating is much lower then your opponents, then you will get more points if you win, but you will lose less point if you lose. If your ELO is within range of yours, you should get about 8 points if you win, and 8 points if you lose. Chess.com is pretty good at finding your opponent at the same ELO as you, but sometimes, you get a stronger or weaker opponent. Just don't underestimate a weaker opponent, they can still beat you if you're not careful. Each game will tell you how much you win if you win, or lose if you lose, its on the right side, near the chat bar. 

Thanks. That's a lot clearer than the mathematical formula!

Also, is there somewhere in the daily games that shows exactly how much time the player has left to make a move before forfeit, thanks

I was hoping for something a lot more precise than "2 days" if that's what you are referring to.

It only counts days until 1 around one day, then it counts hours. It is possible to see something like 2 "hours" in the place of where you see "days" recorded now

Wonderful Keseto that will be great to have hours at the end. ( He brought down a sacrificial bishop but his queen is still caged lol I think that's why he's lost the will to play )

sorry I've had some pretty severe tooth ache this week end so been on some pretty weird pain killers completely understandable all sides ... lucky kesoto is a bit of a mate so he goes round giving me a leg up, silly noob that i am lol

xD don't feel bad - we all are at different chess levels, but we seem to enjoy the game about the same; besides, I try too help everyone.

What's the greatest possible number of successive half-moves in a drawn position such that each side alternately has only a single move to hold a draw?

Unless I am misunderstanding the question (which wouldn't be the first time), then the answer is probably "6." This is because of the three-fold repetition rule in chess (same position repeated 3 times [not always consecutively, but usually is] and since there are 2 half moves in an entire turn, then the answer is "6" [since 3x2=6]). After the position is repeated three times, a draw can be declared and then the game ends in a draw (not optional if declared). However, if a draw is not claimed, then I guess the repetition could theoretically go on ad infinitum. Therefore, I think the answer is either "6" or "infinity."

@KeSetoKaiba:  I tried to make my question clear, but didn't succeed, so I will try again. In a certain drawn position, White has only one move to hold the draw. After White makes the drawing move, Black has only one move to hold a draw. After Black makes the drawing move, White has only one move to hold a draw. After White makes the drawing move, Black has only one move to hold a draw, etc. etc. What's the longest a sequence like this can continue, for any starting drawn position?

Even if White has only one legal drawing move, and then Black has only one legal drawing move, then I think this interestingly changes nothing. A draw will still be declared by three-fold repetition; even if the repeated positions were not forced, right? Here is my sample position: but I don't know how much it will help.

@KeSetoKaiba:  In your position there is only one half-move before a player has a choice of moves to avoid losing. It shouldn't have been hard to achieve a considerably larger number.

The reason I asked this question is that I constructed a drawn position in which the first 18 half-moves (9 for White, 9 for Black) are "only" moves for both sides. I want to know if there is another position that will give a number greater than 18.

Thanks. Are you the one who answers the questions posed here?

Oh okay - that makes some more sense to me, now that I have the context. Could you post the position of 18 half-moves? It may help clarify the question for others and it may spark players to come up with a better response quicker.

Try to verify that the first 18 half-moves are "only" moves for both sides.

White to play, both sides try to draw

I like how long the forcing draw moves are kept up, but not all of the moves are forced (still miles ahead of my example position though). For example around move 10 or so, The Black King could alternatively gobble up the d7 pawn and still draw. If you wanted all moves drawing forced, then you have yet to get 18 half moves 100% forced. How many are there possible? Maybe that is a better question for a mathematician.  

I disagree. Please post the position in which you claim Black has more than one drawing move. If it comes on or after move 10, 18 half-moves will have already been played.