I play as random.

When I leave my online games set to "I play as random". Nine out of ten times i play as black. Why do you think this is? Is it because so many people think they will win more with the the white pieces. Does white really give you that much of an advantage? Do they think they have more control? Are they easier to play? Please let me know what you think.

Perhaps it's because people have been told that "White has the advantage". At below master level, however, I am of the belief it makes 0 difference. Maybe with comfortability, but a good chess player can work with a number of openings

On the random setting I think I ended up with more white games, at least for a while. So you don't know what happens unless you check a fairly large sample of games.  

WoW Estrogen I mean Estragon Sorry i should have said when i leave my online games set to random. you have way to much time on your hands. if you have no opinion on white vs black keep your mouth shut or put some D in it to pump your brain full of some testosterone cuz your a B. have a nice day.

Too much time on his hands? It probably took him 10 seconds...

Well, if it's set to I play as random, then whether or not the other person would perfer white doesn't really factor into whether or not you are black (because it's random, so they don't have a say, just as you didn't have a say).   Thought I would agree that there are many who do prefer white, and some even won't play as black. Personally, I think it's mostly mental, meaning if they're white, they think they have an advantage, and play better, wheras if they're black, then they thing they are at a disadvantage, and thus don't preform as well. Self-fulfilling proficy. 

That's why I try to play as many games as black as I do white.  I don't want to get too comfortable playing either side. 

A bland question and a winning personality, what a combination.  Great topic.

Here you go Estrogen I'll even change my post just for you. Now your special.

Is it a great topic or a bland question?

If I am set to random and another play is set to white the software won't automatically make me black?

I play as random and don't really care about my color.  Among friends I usually defer color and then we switch.  If I get black then I have an opportunity to play either the Dutch, Sicilian, or occasionally fight against a flank opening (usually with Queen's Indian setup or 1...e5 against Nimzo, English, or unorthodox).  Since black goes second he has information that can be used to create imbalances and establish different plans from white.  If white goes for a g3 then you can play e6 (unless you played ...e5 already, in which case you already have an open diagonal for the bishop).

This might sound noobish but a lightsquare control strategy for white is almost similar to a darksquare strategy by black, since they could lead to symmetrical pawn structures and piece distributions, which are boring.  So a lightsquare strategy for black and lightsquare strategy for white (like a King's Indian vs. Queen's Indian setup)  is more interesting than the aforementioned sentence. 

I don't think you can specify white for rated games. I play random and have had more white's than black, wouldn't be the case if it was possible to specify white I imagine because more people would do it.

Well for one it proves that you're not racist.

I was under the understanding that when you challenge someone, you make the specifics up (ie, the time allowed, how the sides are chosen). If the other player accepts, then however you set up the game is how it is played. Likewise, if you accept another player's challenge, then however he/she setup the game is how it is played. So for example, if a player only wants to play as white, he sees an open challenge set to random, he either has to take the chance that he might not be white, or issue his own challenge specifying that he will be white (or find a challenge where the other person picked black). At least that's been my experience.

Scottrf-You can specify a particular color for rated games. I have done so many times when I want to play one game as each color against a particular opponent (or if I'm playing against a friend, so that we can alternate).

^ Yeah I was thinking of live chess, I've just done one as each vs someone myself.

^Ah, ok, that clears things up. Perhaps some of us here are talking about different modes of play. I don't play much live chess, and so don't know much about the selection of colors there.