Does playing against weaker player make you bad at chess?

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chess_speaks_it_self

I played against my low rated friends.I didn't think about the move and didn't calculate because I was going to win anyway.I'm worried that this will make me lose to same level player as I will not think.Does playing against weaker player make you bad at chess?

Saintliy

Maybe? In my experience, yes.

yolosolo123
Yes
piedraven

Yes, I learned the most from stronger players. But that said, a 'weaker' player could simply be a stronger played who is currently tilted, so don't underestimate anyone. I've both beaten people higher than me and lost to people lower than me.

TheMightyHabanero

That's like saying riding a bicycle makes you a worse driver. Stop judging playing level to one game. Play both high and low rated players. One person on here years ago suggested playing with a handicap instead of going easy on the opponent. I would echo that here. You would still need to calculate then with knight or rook odds for example.

marqumax
It’s ok just don’t only play weaker.
Sadlone

Does eating rabbits make a lion weaker NO NO NO it makes him stronger so defeating weaker players is good for you, BADRUDDINN SHOBABA

Opiste

When playing friends with lower ratings, playing with bishop/rook odds often evens out the game enough to be enjoyable for us both, and forces me to think as I'm on the back foot. Feel free to adapt the odds until you start losing around half of the time.

Also playing the bongcloud against them leads to some very fun games.

One_Zeroith

Patser moves

And nothing

He proves

IGURKing
I think so.
dude0812
chess_speaks_it_self wrote:

I played against my low rated friends.I didn't think about the move and didn't calculate because I was going to win anyway.I'm worried that this will make me lose to same level player as I will not think.Does playing against weaker player make you bad at chess?

If you only play against weaker opponents then I wouldn't be surprised if you get worse at chess. I am not sure if this is true for chess ability but when it comes to muscles there's a saying "use it or lose it". If your chess opponents aren't challenging enough and you don't have to play near your full potential in order to win then your chess ability might regress.

CoreyDevinPerich
No. Playing bad chess makes you bad at chess.
CraigIreland

It depends. Are you trying to teach them what you've learned or are you using them as a punch bag? One will help your understanding the other will make you sloppy.

TheMightyHabanero
CraigIreland wrote:

It depends. Are you trying to teach them what you've learned or are you using them as a punch bag? One will help your understanding the other will make you sloppy.

Yeah but Rocky lives.

TheMightyHabanero

Rocky tells us not to bend, not to wind.

TheMightyHabanero

calbitt5750
It doesn’t make you worse, but when I see my opponent is rated below me, I tend to get overconfident, over aggressive and careless. If higher, I tend to play my best.
badger_song

You need to play against somewhat weaker opponents( -150-200 elo) to put what you study /practice to work. You also need to be playing against somewhat higher rated opponents( +100-150 elo) to get your mistakes exposed. Playing exclusivily vs much higher/lower rated opponents results in little or very slow improvement.

Sometimes a song defines a generation,sonetimes a song defines tacky,sometimes a song is the very definition of bad music,"Eye of the Tiger" does all three,all at once.

tomwill1

Of course you should play with them. They're your friends ffs!

ice_cream_cake

@calbitt5750 Yeah that seems to be a thing. I've seen players who play against a variety of ratings and compete even w similarly rated players, but lose more than they should against lower rated. Probably precisely for this reason