Playing on a board vs playing online

W T F ???

Can't claim quite such an impressive competitive record, I did play in tournaments 25 years ago, at patzer level, for about 4 years. Now I have returned to tournaments, also at patzer level However, I agree with everything you say. I didn't have any problem adapting to 2D computer boards but I just can't deal with the 3D ones.

I used to have a chess computer, built into a board in the mid 80s. I loved that thing! If I could find one that I could connect up to Fritz I'd be happy!

Having recently returned to OTB play, it is different being at a real board. I see some things better and some things worse than a 2D computer board. Oddly I see tactics better on the computer (maybe because I'm used to Tactics Trainer). However, I'm better at looking at the whole board on a real board.

I have played OTB tourneys since the 80's and what gives me the most trouble online is that I can't take the games as seriously without an opponent sitting opposite me.  The games don't seem as real or important, so I often snap moves when I play online.

Playing OTB is quite different, especially when it come to "touch move", distractions, time management etc. On line you choose your opponent, and the intimidation factor is not there. 

  I've definitely noticed if you play online or against a CPU proram like Fritz or Chessmaster like I do a lot, then play on a physical board, your board vision is not strong at all. Even when I do my Opening Book studies or game analysis offline on any of my 8 sets, no matter what size I use, it takes me a while to actually adapt to the layout of the board and seeing things that I would normally see very easily. Going from 3D to 2D is easier for me, but the other way around is tough sometimes.

  -Mark

I do like OTB games, but unfortunately don't often get the chance to play as few people I know play, and the ones I do know who play don't live close.  So online is the best alternative to play other humans. 

But I would think that most 3D depictions of chess boards & pieces seem to be close enough to a real board that it shouldn't make much difference.  I find it easy enough to visualize the setup with a 2d board, and with most programs having the ability to rotate the board and view from different angles, it's virtually like having a real board in front of you.

I play chess anyway it's available, but I prefer OTB.  I also like to play with different types of chess sets, except for serious games.  For me, nothing compares to OTB.  That is true Chess, in my opinion. Playing a faceless opponent just isn't as intriguing to me as dealing with the psychology of having an opponent present across the board. I enjoy playing a total stranger in which I have no idea of his/her ability.  Of course, that is possible with online chess, but not near as challenging as OTB.  Nothing compares to playing chess face to face.  Online chess is like playing golf on Wii. It just isn't the same as confronting an opponent.

But in order to play, I play whatever is available, and that includes opponents, too.  

Nonsense,  if you don't understand that chess is an abstract game, switch to marbles. 

I am really getting tired of this patent silliness. Chess aint' sex. There is no difference on whether u r playing it on a freaking physical board or on your freaking Internet ass.

Chess is abstract, but the human experience is highly subjective. There are a few differences that aren't concrete to the formats but are usually present.

1) OTB play is usually more serious than online play. Granted, there are casual games OTB, but most OTB play involves tournaments that the players had to pay to enter and take significant time out of their weekend to play. Compare that to rolling out of bed, firing up the computer and clicking a few times.

2) Computer play offers more distractions for both us and our opponents. How many of us play without alt-tabbing out to something else?

Your asumption is incorrect. I played in "OTB" probably before you knew what chess was. (Actually you clearly don't know it even now.) You really think that where I live there are less opportunities to play "OTB" than in Adelaide, Australia ?

The thing is, you play correspondence chess on the Internet, so the difference you are perceiving is due to time controls not to the medium.

You don't think that the assumption that I never played in OTB could be a bit irritating, hm ?

Okay, I would like to read an explanation as to why the ability to actually see the unshaved face of a fat middle-aged opponent is somehow indispensable to a proper chess experience.

I am afraid that I don't really understand what you are saying.

I am still not sure that I understand, however... essentially, chess is a 2-D game. The chess pieces don't possess an ability to move up and down so the third dimension is not really relevant to the game. Of course, with a physical board, the pieces have a 3d dimension but this is trivial. I don't see that there is any further level of abstraction involved in 3d chess that is lacking in 2d chess.

I once had a magnetic-travel-set that was about the size of a check book when folded up that had small round button-type chessmen - basically 2-D. The chessmen that were printed on the buttons  looked the same as the chessmen on the computer diagram games and I switched back and forth between it and 3-D chess sets with no problem. But I am artistic and I can see prospective well, so that might have helped me.  I don't know what happened to that set, but I wish I still had it.  I used it often when learning from chess books, since that was before computers. 

But my choice by far is playing OTB with chess sets.  I like to move the chessmen. 

I knew no one that knew how to play chess, so I had to teach myself with chess books and a chess set, because that was before computers.  I still prefer to play OTB to anything else, although I play on the computer about everyday. 

I think that OTB could be better because it is more psychological. take Kasparov, he was a grandmaster of psychology as well as chess. in online matches you cannot see your opponent and the may be a disability.

Especially when I have a chess set collection of which some are rather offbeat, but I enjoy playing with all of them form time to time. Playing with different styles of chessmen challenges my brain the same way as playing different people and openings. It sort of gives it a mental workout. And it needs it!

Frankly, your beliefs are tedious, as is your online personality, and probably your off-line one as well.

Since I wrote the post above my wife said, "You didn't put your Christmas chess set out for display. I told her it was too late now, but she said to put it out anyway.  I did and we started a game.  She said, " This is going to hard knowing the pieces." Ha, she did fine. Of course, she had to think about them. But she truly surprised me, since I am teaching her to play and she is definitely a beginner in the truest sense.  She became mixed up once with a knight being it is a reindeer. The bishop is a Christmas tree, the rook a bag full of toys, the king is a Santa, Mrs. Claus is the queen and elves are pawns.  The set is made of wood and I purchased it serval years ago at 'Costco and I have never seen another one like it since. It has a green box-board trimmed in with holly the chessmen fit in.  The squares are beige and red. 

So it seems she will not have problems switching from one type of set to another. She plays both 2-D and 3-D on the computer and can switch over to OTB easily.  She is also more intelligent than I am.  Yes, I'm proud of her.