Play Chess Online at Yahoo FAQ

Why did you start playing chess?

I have become something of a chess addict since college. Occasionally I would go to a cafe to do homework and would get bored and get Plato to play a game with me. I slowly became more and more intrigued by chess. Chess is a strategic game that requires a very logical mind as well as tons of practice. During my senior year, I would often get bored since I only had class two days a week all year and so would play chess online sometimes in the mornings before I went to do everything else in my day. Gradually, I began to play it more often when I have a quick break in time and over the last four years have amassed quite a bit of history on Yahoo Chess.

Why play on Yahoo Chess? Is it any good? What’s the best online chess software?

I play online using Yahoo Chess just because that’s what I’ve always done. I haven’t researched other services in the last three years and just use Yahoo Chess because that is what I’ve always done. Am I happy with Yahoo Chess? Yes and no. Yahoo has improved their reliability a little bit and has an excellent ranking system that I enjoy using, but I run into problems using their software often. The windows freeze up, the pieces don’t display on the board correctly, etc. I have heard that Facebook is coming out with a chess application and I think I may check that out. I will not play on any pay chess sites, because this is just a hobby for when I have ten or fifteen minutes free and am bored. Has anyone else tried other chess services besides Yahoo that you have enjoyed?

How many chess games have you played at Yahoo?

So… I think I am out my nerdy side here now when I tell you this number… But over the entire history of my Yahoo Chess account (I’ve had a Yahoo account since I was 11 or 12 years old), I have played 1,357 games of chess.

Are you any good at chess or are you one of those sad nerds who sucks?

I think that I am a fairly solid chess player, however my biggest problem is a severe lack of patience while playing. When I’m focused and I am playing a limited time chess game, I can be excellent. When I play in person against Plato or Andy Meade, I tend to suck because I get antsy and don’t want to wait between moves. Both of those guys have discovered that factor about my chess game and take advantage of it by waiting forever between moves after which I just move instantly because I’ve gotten bored lol.

How do you compare against other players online?

Everyone who plays chess at Yahoo Games starts out with a 1200 rating. Every time you play someone else, you get points based on whether you win or lose based on their rating. So let’s say that I have a chess rating of 1000 and play someone who is also at 1000. If I win, I can get 15 points and my opponent loses 15. The next chess game, I won’t win as many points if I win again (about 10 more points) because my opponent has a lower rating than I do. If I lose, I will lose more around 20 points, because my opponent is worst than me. I personally prefer to always play players that are significantly better than I am. Thus I have a chess rating of 1357, but have lost much more often than I have won. I have 481 wins, 752 losses, and 61 draws while playing chess online.

What life lessons do you think can be learned from playing chess?

Playing chess can be a very educational experience, but you must be careful not to draw to much out of it. Bobby Fischer did that and ended up a complete nut. He also was the best in the world at chess… I guess it’s a trade-off.

The lessons that I have drawn from chess are:

-Have patience. Getting wins is more important than number of games played. Success is best achieved through calm focus and taking the time to do the job right.

-Logic works wonders for solving problems. Many people say that emotional intelligence is more important than logical intelligence and I think that both are important. My personal opinion is that you should balance both of them- use your logic and hard science to make decisions, but temper it with an understanding of other people’s positions so that you can make a better informed logical decision.

-Analyze issues from other perspectives. Getting stuck in in a rut leads to losses and missed opportunities.

-Do not move without a plan, unless time has almost expired. Thinking through your decisions thoroughly should be your standard operation procedure, but occasionally time pressure calls for quick decisions.

Would you say that playing chess online has made your life better?

Yes, it most definitely has. I enjoy playing chess and have developed a more logical approach to solving problems that has resulted in me being right constantly. Being correct all the time is almost a plague on the mighty King of America. His subjects will appreciate his talents though when he takes power.