The curious case of game 327002

[The Ancient Brit]

In game 327002, which concluded with my opponent’s resignation, something went on that I still don’t understand. My opponent, who speaks English, makes no reply to my comments. On being told he can mate in four moves and given the hint that the moves of the mating sequence must be a checking move, he proceeds with a non-checking move and finds himself looking a mate in six, still in his favour however. He reduces this to a mate in two but loses it and goes to a mate in four, still in his favour. This he reduces to a mate in three but seeing my next move is pawn takes rook with a Queen promotion resulting in checkmate for me, he resigns with his turn to move and a mate in three in his favour.

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

Cheers, Denis. The Ancient Brit.

[yassen]

I think I am able to understand it psychologically. If one is a very weak player who gets in a position where he has such enormous advantage, and he constantly receives standard comments "you have mate in 3", "mate in 4", etc. and he is unable to find the mating sequence, it is possible that he gets frustrated and resigns.

This is a sign of the lack of teaching/coaching purpose of offering such games. I mean, if you want to make someone learn something from a game against a computer, you shoudn't set the computer to play like a beginner. If the computer gives away all his pieces only to understand that the human player cannot give the simplest mate, there is no any benefit of that game for anyone, it's just a waste of time...

[The Ancient Brit]

S’mae (Hi) Yassen,

You could be right. He was so near and so often, it must have frustrating for him. My countdown commentary may not have helped although I did give him a substantial hint when I pointed out the mate in four consisted of checking moves. What a shame he did not act on the hint or ask what was meant by it.

I don’t agree with you however when from this particular game and player you generalise to say one shouldn’t set a software program to play as a beginner. Against other players, who ask questions and take advice, it can be a useful way of learning for them.

Cheers, Denis. The Ancient Brit.

[yassen]

Yes, of course, it all depends on the person. If he asks questions, he would learn more, even if he doesn't always ask the "right" questions. Some people are more susceptible to learning than others. I just think that, all other things been equal, a novice player would learn more if he played against a computer program set to play at a substantially higher level than him, than against one set at his level...

[perseus]

I think if you are teaching a child, you do not always suggest a time limit for mate? Perhaps, you may suggest they have a won game if they play it right?

Winning is better fun. Not that I win very often. 4-11-1 so far.

[hubsters]

when my daughter was three or four I said okay it's time to teach her chess.she sat down with me and I showed her how the pieces were set up .she immediately took some pieces and began using them for rockets or cars...I said ,okay , maybe later but what I didn't realize was,she was playing her brand of chess and now at eleven she is looking at my games from over my shoulder and astounding me with remarks like..Isee you have him in a pickle or more like ,"I see he has you in a pickle"! take one of many lessons from this story ! thanks ,hub (david)

[Blockhead]

Like hubsters I 'played' chess with my son when he was about 2 years old. I set up the pieces in the garden. He began handling them in a predictable way. I left for a few minutes and, on my return, found several pieces had 'disappeared'. This wasn't my best or only set so I wasn't to concerned. Over the next few weeks we began digging up various pieces, non having yet taken root! :}

Martin is now a strong player but I reckon he'd have been even better had I not tried to accelerate matters ... and no, he's not much of a gardener either :-)

More seriously: I'd suggest we can all expand our knowledge and understanding of the game if we able to play against someone who was better, slightly better. An expert cannot be less than what they are, so there is always the danger of the novice giving up, becoming exasperated and disillusioned with the game (and his tutor!) ... the mountain to high, the climb too severe.

Much better he be teased along by an understanding and sensitive mentor ... and perhaps 'allowed' to win from time to time.


Achieving and maintaining, the balance of effort and accomplishment, the real challenge for any mentor

bh

[The Ancient Brit]

S’mae (Hi) Bh,

I taught my son and daughter (aged seven and six) to play chess during their school holidays. They took to it immediately since the rules are simple; only the chess is difficult. Very quickly, they told their friends and following the purchase of some cheap travelling chess sets, chess battles were soon raging amongst them. The games played were blood and thunder games accompanied with much cheering and groaning depending on the tide of battle and the fortune of the players.

Since I operate my account exclusively with Chessmaster 10 and that program can be set to many levels of play, I can be both ‘expert’ and operate far below that level, even down to a rating level of 23 (yes, twenty-three). I wholeheartedly agree with you about the difficulty of achieving and maintaining the balance of effort and accomplishment required of a mentor. Selecting a virtual opponent for my real opponents to play against can be tricky, but I do offer next move advice for those who need it. Having operated as a self appointed mentor for nearly a year now I can claim modest success since many of my opponents come back for more and tell me their chess has improved because of watching Chessmaster in action and discussing the moves with me.

One does encounter a wide range of abilities from the expert who wants to discuss an obscure opening variation he has just read about (in addition to discussing the game in hand, all within the dialogue box limitation) to the novice to whom castling and en passant are new concepts. It must also be said I have made some good friends from amongst my opponents.

Denis. The Ancient Brit.

"Ignorance is a delicate condition since once touched with knowledge, it is lost forever". Oscar Wilde.

[tizzy]

Hi

I have played Denis myself, or rather Chessmaster, and I found his help invaluable. Its nice to have someone around to help coach you (I need it! ;D) and although I analyze my games after playing them its very useful to have someone who can actually show you the error of your ways, after all a book can only teach me so much as soon as the game moves away from the standard variants I am often lost. Kepp up the good work!

[The Ancient Brit]

S’mae (Hi) Tizzy,

Thanks for your appreciation. I remember our games and enjoyed them. I hope my theory about the chess board not being a flat surface remains with you. Once the idea of the four central squares forming a hill is grasped, then much of opening and middle game strategy starts to make sense.

Denis. The Ancient Brit.