Only a 40 year break...

So... I use to play a ton of chess as a teenager back in the early 1970s including USCF tournaments.  For whatever reason, when I took off for college I stopped - not sure why - and haven't played nary a game since. (And, no, I wasn't one of the crowd who started and stopped due to Bobby Fischer  - I played long before I ever heard of him.)

Anyhow, lately, I've started dabbling with playing again; online using Chess.com and have enjoyed it.  But I have to say, I'm a bit lost with some of the newer terminology - most notably the "algebraic" notation. With the old notation, I use to be able to read through a game and mentally visualize it without a board because the notation was literally descriptive of the moves. Perhaps it's just age, but now with algebraic notation there's no hope, and I definitely need a board in front of me to play through a notated game.

Nevertheless, perhaps someone could be kind enough to explain to me some newer(?) terms - for example, what do the following mean:

Blitz Chess, Bullet Chess, Standard Chess

In Chess.com 'Live' play, we are offered game times like this:

"30 min", "15 min+10 sec", etc...

What is the significance of the "+ 10 sec"?

Thanks for any explanations,

-Mark R.

Bullet chess: stupidly short time controls (e.g. 1 to 2 minutes per side)

Blitz chess: very very short time controls (e.g. 3 to 10 minutes per side)

Standard chess: very short time controls (e.g. 15 minutes per side)

+10 means 10 seconds is added to your clock after every move.

Oh!

And here I was thinking the rules were different, or something like that.

What's the idea of adding 10 sec (or whatever) after each move?  You get more time for more moves?

Thanks samky01.

-Mark R.

Yeah, more time.

The strategy to games with and without increment (adding of seconds) is noticeably different though. With no increment the clock is a very big factor and playing, for example, ultra-sharp or ultra-solid can pay off regardless of the objective board evaluation... e.g. you sacrifice for an unsound but annoying attack or give yourself a terrible endgame that will take your opponent 50 moves to win.

Adding increment allows it to be more about the position because as long as you understand your advantage well enough to keep making moves quickly (maybe it's as simple as having an extra queen) you'll be sure to never run out of time and go on to win the game.

haters gonna hate.

Maybe I should add, stupidly fun / addicting too

i play bullet chess left handed, with a chihuahua on my lap for an extra challenge.

There are some some major changes in the last 40 years.

The queen is no longer the most powerful piece on the board. Now, she can only move forward and backwards. The pawns on even numbered columns now have the same powers as the queen. And, you are given 4 kings instead of just the one.

this is a lie. don't believe this post.

It is not my habit to lie to senior citizens.

My advice to this poor fella is to just stay away. There is nothing but heartache here for him. The internets are no place for a geriatric to hang out. It gets rough at night around here

I've got just one word for you...................

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Cripes, the guys probably only in his fifties.  No need to insult by calling him geriatric.  There are plenty of genuinely old farts like me around if you want to insult someone. 

Oh, you seem awfully upity today. Did you have your Geritol this morning?

Oh, could you hear me OK. Let me say it a little louder for you.....

You..... seem.... awfully.... upity.... today..... Did... you.... have.... your.... Geritol... this ..morning?

feeling insulted yet?

Nah, surely you can do better than that...

That's much better!  Of course you get old enough and you're either in such bad shape physically that you welcome the reaper or too senile to recognize him. 

Hei, good to see another chess lover. You will get used to the new algebraic notation. The squares now are like letterboxes - unique naming. For example the move e4 could be written P-K4 or P-K5 in descriptive notation depending on who was making the move. With time you will make the transition. I have many students who find old chess books and cannot read the descriptive notation. Back to the good ol days .

I'd just drop a geriatric fart in his general direction 

if you want to try chess 'different" chess, try 960.  it's pretty cool.

no "Live" games though, just correspondence