Bullet is not Real Chess
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OldSpooky I agree
The speed of your arm matters in bullet chess. So perhaps it should be called “chess + arm speed factored together” game.
Lol
Jul 4, 2022
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#25
The real question is, what is the definition of chess? If we know what the true definition of chess is, we can determine whether bullet is "real" chess or not.
“a board game of strategic skill for two players, played on a chequered board on which each playing piece is moved according to precise rules. The object is to put the opponent's king under a direct attack from which escape is impossible ( checkmate ).”
Jul 4, 2022
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#27
Ok, under that definition bullet would be considered "chess". Now the real question is, the definition of "real". I assume that you mean that in order for a time control of chess to be "real", it must involve a great amount of skill, rather than speed. However, is speed considered skill? Or are we just randomly making moves that feel right? I would say that bullet chess is exactly what it sounds like: bullet chess. It's a game to let loose and focus on your board and pattern recognition, while also gaining fundamental mouse skills. I know some people will disagree with me but these are my thoughts. It's all dependent on how you define things.
Interesting point. Speed can be considered a skill. What are your thoughts on sacrificial checks to slow the opponent down? Is that a skill?
Jul 4, 2022
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#29
It could be considered one. However, it is admittedly a combination of skill and luck. In a time scramble you and your opponent are premoving so it can become a guessing game. The skill here is being tricky. Whoever can check the opponent's king the most without giving away the most material while protecting their own king will win the game.
“admittedly a combination of skill and luck.”
Be careful with your words. A certain member of the community may not approve of that phrase.
Be careful with your words. A certain member of the community may not approve of that phrase.
I wouldn’t say bullet is lazy. It actually takes more effort (for me) than blitz or rapid. I have to put my mind in a serious focus to play as well as possible and as quickly as possible.
pfren has never been the happiest of people though….
pfren has never been the happiest of people though….
We should ask Alireza Firouzja, he loves to play bullet at 4,00 a.m. more than becoming world chess champion 
Jul 4, 2022
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#33
Jalex13 wrote:
Interesting point. Speed can be considered a skill. What are your thoughts on sacrificial checks to slow the opponent down? Is that a skill?
Yes.
Jul 4, 2022
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#34
tygxc wrote:
"I have played a blitz game once. It was on a train, in 1929." - Botvinnik
That made me laugh!
Jul 4, 2022
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#35
Jalex13 wrote:
A game bullet is started,after all, the adrenaline can’t help but excite us. We have memorized some opening moves that we play all the time to speed it up. We are clicking as fast as we can, moving by instinct. Pattern recognition has developed over time to a degree, and there isn’t time to think. You see a move and you play it. We then realize that a losing position has discovered us, maybe down a full piece. That doesn’t stop anyone though, because everyone knows we can always flag your opponent. There are many ways to flag. You can give ridiculous sacrificial checks in an attempt to confuse your opponent, maybe move a piece where it can be captured by a pinned piece just to get them to think, or maybe take it by instinct. Perhaps you’ve denied every piece trade, in an attempt to win the game.
After all effort, you win by a few seconds. The opponent has failed to convert his/her advantage. “Ahh, I’m just a good chess player”, you may think.
But can this really be called chess? Moving pieces every second and attempting to trick your opponents or use “tactics” that are just related to slowing your opponent down?
I admit, I’ve done everything I said in this post, and I almost feel guilty about it now. I can’t help but think bullet is no more than clicking fast and tricking the opponent.
After all effort, you win by a few seconds. The opponent has failed to convert his/her advantage. “Ahh, I’m just a good chess player”, you may think.
But can this really be called chess? Moving pieces every second and attempting to trick your opponents or use “tactics” that are just related to slowing your opponent down?
I admit, I’ve done everything I said in this post, and I almost feel guilty about it now. I can’t help but think bullet is no more than clicking fast and tricking the opponent.
I play bullet and blitz for personal reasons and that is to have fun when I am drunk. Sometimes I don’t want to overthink things like I do in classical and rapid chess.
Notable games after half a bottle of Irish Whiskey:
https://www.chess.com/game/live/19074986763
https://www.chess.com/game/live/24620535969
https://www.chess.com/game/live/44598551583
We’re you really drunk while playing though?
Jul 4, 2022
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#37
Jalex13 wrote:
We’re you really drunk while playing though?
https://www.chess.com/game/live/45798621045
https://www.chess.com/game/live/43042793909
https://www.chess.com/game/live/37687801027
https://www.chess.com/game/live/18559886811
True bullet fashion.
Jul 4, 2022
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#38
CooloutAC wrote:
Chuck639 wrote:
tygxc wrote:
"I have played a blitz game once. It was on a train, in 1929." - Botvinnik
That made me laugh!
There is a famous story about Bobby Fischer the first time he visted Russia when his 15 years old. He went straight from the airport to the top club there and started beating everyone in blitz. The club had to get on the phone and call over Petrosian and another GM to save the clubs Honor. They arrived and bested young fischer after many games in a very close match. I wish I could remember the other Russian GM's name. Not very well known but there was a story about him after he died a few years ago on chess.com. Maybe someone will recall.
He talked about how even after Fischer won the world championship, he was one of the few Russians Fischer liked and talked to. He invited him out to dinner and Fsicher talked about those blitz games. They met again later in life I think after the spassky match, even though like 45 years later, Fischer still talked about those blitz games and remember them all.
Thats awesome. Can you imagine the atmosphere? I’m sure there were cigarettes and alcohol.
Glad to hear Fischer made a friend.
#15
Bullet is blitz for the paranoid about cheating.
There are players among us who feel moving a piece or mouse quickly is as much of a part of chess as the mental part. That would make bullet very much chess even if the fundamentals are completely different from classical.
The question is completely subjective, we all know that bullet and classical dont have much in common. Chess was intended a game where you have sufficient time to think and make an accurate move in the position. This is how most would still identify "real chess" and keep blitz and bullet separate from that, but it's not really worth arguing over a subjective definition (similar to if chess is a sport or not).
Sure, bullet is close to a variant... the ratings are separate so it's not a big deal.