good thing about CM is that after the game you can walk through the post-game analysis. in people games, you hardly ever catch the blunders you made that the opponent didn't capitalize on.
Learning against a computer
Honestly I couldn't tell you about playing different personalities of it but I know when I play the computer I play one personality and start memorizing lines and thats about it. I love playing people, I believe computers are great for experience but I would never limit myself to practice with one.
My biggest problem playing the computer would have to be playing as fast as it. I get so mad when I make a move and it makes the exact move I didn't want to in seconds, I wind up boxing with the computer just throwing peices around instead of actually playing chess.
There are different ways of coming at this question, but my response would be that, if one doesn't invest some time in post-mortem analysis of the games played (and this is where chess software really pays off in my opinion), then one is going to learn relatively little either way.
Aside from that, the relative teaching value of computerized opponents vs. carbon units is an interesting question... I have been using HIARCS on a Palm device to keep my eye for OTB sharp, and I've found those games quite instructive, for the most part. Some games are more instructive than others, and one advantage of a computerized opponent is that they can be set up to provide a consistently strong level of play that won't give you anything for free. :-)
My biggest problem playing the computer would have to be playing as fast as it. I get so mad when I make a move and it makes the exact move I didn't want to in seconds, I wind up boxing with the computer just throwing peices around instead of actually playing chess.
I could not agree with you more, it's one thing to be beaten at chess but being destroyed in under a minute only adds insult to injury.
I use CM and some others to practice the openings. I stopped playing against it to sharpen my tactics for a myriad of reasons; especially those listed above. I use it more for a research tool than anything.
Humans are unpredictable.Well... i kinda tend 2 play diffrent openings against a computer... I just dont wanna end up wasting time playing against a computer and then find out im not learning much for reason X and Y... Its just convienant because my computer sucks and 2 play a decent live game i have to grab my mom's or dad's laptop...
I'm not gonna limit myself to computers only of course. I still enjoy winning against a real person, its sorta much more satisfing then beating a machine...
I have recently obtained a copy of Chassmaster 10th Edition and have been playing vs many of the personalities you have avaliable when playing ranked play. I am wondering if I am learning as much vs a computer as I am vs a person on lets say live chess. All opinions are welcome.