Random Numbers

[Snowreap]

if you're an expert chess player, there actually aren't all that many responses that are sound. the masters study their opponents; they know what lines their opponents prefer and where their strengths are, and each player tries to steer the game in a direction they have studied but which they hope their opponent hasn't.

I used to play chess with an expert a lot. he would play unusual moves against me, but because I didn't understand exactly why they were unsound, and I didn't know exactly how to punish them, he was able to get away with it. and if I made a mistake, he would often pause to ponder the best way to take advantage of my error -- he didn't take this time because he had to decide which of his options were good and which were bad, he instantly knew which options were good but was trying to decide which of the good options to pursue. it led to a very defensive style of play on my part -- I would build a fortress and resist the temptation to attack unless I was absolutely certain that I had the proper positioning to support it. this strategy didn't help me win more, but it did help me lose less.

arguably, it also made the game less fun because for the most part I stopped attacking. chess can be a fun game for years only if the two players are of similar skill.

-ken