Frequency of applying studies to computer opponent versus human?

Sort:
wiseachoo

I've recently started to wonder if I might be better off playing my chess engine (Shredder 11) more and human opponents a bit less while I'm studying concepts from a few chess books.  The reason I ponder this is because the moment I make a mistake or mess up, I can simply start over and try to learn the concept again, rather than being dragged through the mud and pulled further from the academic study I was trying to learn in the first place.

What ratio do you guys play computer engines versus human opponents?

As of right now, I'd say only about 1% of my games do I play against computer engines, but that may be changing in the near future.


likesforests

About 15% chess engines, but I don't allow myself takebacks against computers either.


bobobbob
Don't play Shredder 11 otherwise you will lose without a clue what you did wrong. I hate playing against computers because they play super boring chess. But if you are training your technique, the computer is a great way to learn.
wiseachoo

Neurionb: I completely agree, I tried playing the shredder 11 engine at it's lowest elo just to see how weak it could "pretend" to be, and it was surprisingly weak, so it's good to see that the engine truly does scale down as well as it scales up. 

Bobobbob: Shredder 11 allows you to toggle on "limit strength" whereby you can drop the elo as low as 850 I believe, and I think the engine caps out around 2500 or so, cant remember the peak (not at home right now).


anonym
At this point in my chess life, I prefer to play against my chess engines, although OTB human-on-human is better and OTB at chess club is optimum for enjoyment. My software is Shredder 10 UCI on PC; and on my Mac I play against Deep Shredder 11 and Sigma Chess HIARCS 12 MP. Shredder's strength can be limited to way below 1050 and strengthed to much higher than 2250. Sigma Chess HiARCS offers six modes of play including Tournament with various time controls and eight Novice levels. Sigma Chess also plays rated games and will calculate ELO based on game results. For master games, end game tactics, opening study, and game analysis, these excellent software and their engines are instructors who never lose patience with the blunder-prone improver. And they are always willing opponents who never decline to play or review a game with their lowly-rated human.
dwaxe

Just remember to adjust them to your level.

That will be the most important part of gaining experience effectively.