Is it possible to get decent at chess without really studying it?

[Fifty]

Dear chess forumgoers,

I mean obviously I can never be even a good amateur without serious study (given that I'm certainly no prodigy!) but can I get reasonably proficient at chess just playing against a computer and not formally learning strategy or tactics or opening or anything?


Lovingly yours,


your best friend,


Fifty Q Fiftyson

 

[Yared]

Decent as in above average? Yes.


Seriously good? No. Unless, of course, you're some kind of genius who can plan for more than 20+ turns.

 

[Narz]

Depends on your definition of proficient. If you play for five or ten hours a week against your computer & online opponents (if you want to be good at playing humans you have to play humans IMO because a computer's style of play is very different, including the different "human personalities" included in chess programs) you will quickly become better than 90% of people who play causally. However beyond that you either have to A : play way more, B : study (tactical puzzles mostly & it helps to look over your own games & look at annotated master games) or C : be younger than you are (I know an eleven year old kid who progressed from beginner to class A player - just below expert mostly thru playing speed games online a few hours everyday for three years however most adults who do the same remain stagnant for years, even decades. chess is kind of like language, much easier to absorb early on) which isn't a real option. That said, I didn't start until 19 and I consider myself proficient so it's no reason to not start, you just have to work a bit harder than a lil' nine year old would.

Also (re : study) at the beginner level a little study goes a long way. Quite a bit of study over an extended period of time & you will pretty much be proficient for life (even if you stop playing for a few years or more).

Study can be as simple as getting a little book of checkmating patterns & looking at it on the bus or while waiting for an appointment for 15 minutes here & there. Like with most other things the learning curve at the beginning is the sharpest (and most satisfying).

 

[Fifty]

Thanks Mr Narz!

I ask cuz I've been playing Vista chess quite a bit these last couple days (I've had a rare week-long stretch of free time!) and enjoying it, but I don't know if I really want to commit to serious study with all the other crap I have on my plate.

 

[Narz]

Well the cool thing about anything worth anything is that it's enjoyable at any level. I don't know whether I'll ever muster the effort to get really good (say Expert strength) but even infinitesimal improvement feels good & I just enjoy playing right now.

The only way I could see myself getting back into study (haven't seriously studied since May 2008 right before I went to that big Vegas tourney) is if I found a local chess club with tournaments every week. I enjoy playing online but it's not as motivating as OTB (over the board) play against opponents you can see. Realistically if I can reach a 1900 USCF rating I'll be pleased with myself. Be nice to get a win or two against col & Mehmed too one of these days.

 

[Mehmed100]

I mean obviously I can never be even a good amateur without serious study (given that I'm certainly no prodigy!) but can I get reasonably proficient at chess just playing against a computer and not formally learning strategy or tactics or opening or anything?

It's less about "studying" than it is learning. Yes, you can become better than average not studying tactics and openings on a regular basis but if you really want to improve, you'll want to learn more. I would also suggest to play against humans more so than computers as they will often take the time to go over the game with you and help you improve.

Also, are you opposed to the idea of learning strategy, tactics etc. or is it a time issue? It doesn't take much studying, only a few minutes a day will drastically improve your game.

And if you ever want to play a game against someone on CFC, you know where to find us on chess.com. We'll help you .

 

[Fifty]

Also, are you opposed to the idea of learning strategy, tactics etc. or is it a time issue? It doesn't take much studying, only a few minutes a day will drastically improve your game.

Just a time issue really... I enjoy reading strategy stuff on games (the one game I got really good at I did a LOT of reading strategy and watching the best players)

 

[Riffraff]

Join our group at chess.com!

Correspondance chess against people from all over the world is much more motivating than getting your ass whooped repeatedely by some programm.

 

[Narz]

One more thing I meant to mention earlier but had already shut down my computer is that instead of "studying" one thing you (or anyone who wants to improve) could do to get better, if you like playing mainly against your computer, is play it in various positions other than the starting one. I have XP so I don't know if Vista-chess will let you customize the position but if it does try setting up a position where you're a piece ahead against the hardest level (if it doesn't you can d/l one that does). If the computer still manages to beat you find out how & where you went wrong & how it won back the piece. You could also try playing against the easiest level a piece behind & see if you can manage to tactically win your piece back & win anyway. Also, instead of studying engames via a book you can simply set up endgame positions (just king & a pawn vs. king or perhaps king & two bishops vs. king, there are lots of possibilities) vs. your engine & fight it out against the engine. You'll still save a lot of time reading up on various K & P endgames before you play them of course but eventually you'll learn various winning & drawing endgame techniques even without book learning thru practice if that's your preferred method.

I personally don't like playing computers much but playing them in certain positions (for example practicing the mate with king & two bishops) can be useful.

 

[Harvin87]

Chessmaster 10th GM edition... it has an incredible Database, an infinite openingbook reference, like 200 diferent lvls of play... hundreds of tactic puzzels , strategic positioning, ... it has it all I think. ... also Fritz ofcourse is pretty strong.

 

[JonathanStrange]

I hadn't studied chess before I first started playing in USCF OTB tournaments where I earned a high Class B rating. At the time, I literally knew no openings beyond move 2 or 3, the middlegame was the part of the game after my first move but before my last, and the endgame a distant irrelevancy.

A strong familiarity with tactics really helps. Frankly, at the beginner's level, enormous gains are possible by just not hanging pieces or dropping pawns. Once a player stops giving up free material, he can seriously start testing his limits.

 

[KinesongPayaso]

Decent? yes

imho, chess is one of those "activities" that you can be decent at without studying it (as in joining a club, hiring an instructor, buying "bibles")

you just need a lot of playing experience to pick up things on your own. Although you will definitely grow slower than a person studying, chances are, the few things you learn actually stay with you. Someone who learns just by reading will forget a few of what he learns, since theres just too many to take in at once

It's just like civ, regarding to the kinds of players that play a lot more than they study(read articles here, join discussions) vs players that like to discuss/read more than they actually play


The few things that could be detrimental to the growth and continuation of a potential player, are reading "bibles"
To some new people, it's just like reading the whole thickness of a yellow page just to ride a bike/ride a car
sometimes, too much information can be detrimental, when you can just take the first step yourself and learn from there

can I get reasonably proficient at chess just playing against a computer and not formally learning strategy or tactics or opening or anything?

one thing that greatly help anyone in anything, is by learning the concepts & principles by heart
By knowing the concepts & principles, you can make sound decisions no matter the situation

You will realize that openings, variations, mid game, and end are just a series of sound decisions + an open eye/mind


Although you will start having problems when you move on from Classical to hyper modern principles