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FICGS - Search results for site
There are 585 results for site in the forum.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-04 03:54:36)
FICGS forum is open !
The forum is open to all discussions. Feel free to suggest and debate all kinds of improvements for the website. Please speak english only.
Have good games... :-)
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-08 13:10:47)
Things to be implemented...
Hello to all... and thank you for your confidence in this very new server (when no game started yet ! maybe today...)
I expected a high average rating, but not so much :)
The last update provoked the first bug -> in this forum. Sorry to all who tried to post here. It should work now.
Here are things to be implemented in the future :
- Vacations (until, time limit by move is 2 months)
- Conditional moves
- A better interface for the forum...
Don't hesitate if you have ideas to improve the website !
Best wishes.
Sebastien Marez (2006-04-10 08:26:01)
BUG
No the problem, It is necessary to make it possible the site to improve together.
Sebastien MAREZ
Henri Muller (2006-04-10 10:56:31)
success
Bravo et félicitations à Thibault !
Un TRES grand et mérité succès pour ce nouveau site. Bien pensé, bien ordonné, et....facile ( quand on s'y est fait !! )
Il y a qqs jours quand je me suis inscrit, j'étais le 39ème. Il y a déjà plus de 120 membres....et cela continue !
J'espère que Thibault sera en mesure d'assumer ce ghrand succès, car le travail ne manquera pas !
COURAGE - BONNE CHANCE ert....FELICITATIONS !!
hm
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-10 12:53:29)
FICGS and internet
Hello to all & thanks again for support.
I announced FICGS starting into main chess forums (FIDE, TCCMB, Talkchess, France-Echecs...), now working on search engines.
Feel free to talk about it in other forums (in your country or chessclub) and to your chessfriends... Website success is here, and the more players, the more players :)
Thank you in advance. Have good games !
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-11 05:18:57)
FICGS council / staff
About job specification, as I said, I would like FICGS to be a place that fits to the most, and not under a dictatorship (even mine :)), so the idea to create a council with all members who want to be part of it, voting all decisions relating server rules, tournaments, wch cycles, titles... (or simply opinion poll on the website ? or both...)
The FICGS staff should be able to manage the server (registering new members, moderating the forum, referees...) Nothing difficult, just needs motivation. Most important is that it could completely work without me. Of course, if developers want to help, making a drag & drop interface ie. or improving whatelse..) About "go", we'll see later, Hannes :) (it's a fine game, you should learn !)
Anyway I'll send an email to all players responding in this thread soon. We will discuss about that.
Best wishes & thank you !
Patrice Verdier (2006-04-11 14:06:50)
French Interface in preferences
In Preferences when I choice the French langage, only list in left of the page (Mes messages, mes parties,...) are writed in French
Why not all the site ?
Jose Carrillo (2006-04-11 23:26:39)
Fischer Random Chess / Chess960
Hello all!
I'm the moderator of the Fischer Random Chess email Club (FRCEC) and I'm always looking for sites in the net that support Chess960, to promote them in my club, and to use to coordinate Chess960 events.
To visit FRCEC got to:
http://frcec.chess960.info/
Jose Carrillo
Jose Carrillo (2006-04-11 23:28:13)
Chess960 Challenge
I'm new to the site, and learning how to use it. Anyone interested can challenge me to a Chess960 game. Thanks.
Marc Lacrosse (2006-04-12 09:57:10)
Tournament formulas : not too many .
Personally I do prefer playing a small number of games simultaneously at a relatively rapid pace instead of a larger number at slower pace.
But I can understand that some prefer the opposite. So why not.
One caveat : I think you should wait a little bit before multiplying categories.
As long as we are not a larger number of active players there is a risk that there will be a small number of players waiting for long before a sufficient number of players will join for starting a tournament in a given category.
Marc
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-14 17:08:26)
Answers...
Hello Håkon. Some answers :
1. Maybe try : Preferences -> Notification checkbox
2. Right, other players already asked for this. Now you have 2 months to play a single move, so few chances to be late. The council will discuss about vacation option before to be implemented.
3. Some players asked these informations not to appear in the list to reduce it in size, so you can check this just by clicking on the games. ("when last move was done" : right !)
4. For website design reasons, I can't display many informations on the same page. I don't think flags are essential, but it will probably be implemented anyway !
Glen D. Shields (2006-04-16 12:33:44)
Comparisons
Hello Thibault - first thanks for creating this server. I'm happy to see so many members joined up so quickly.
I just started on Ortwin's server (IECG) yesterday. Too early to compare, though one initial item I like better on Ortwin's server is that I can
easily change board colors and chess pieces there. Would like the board a little larger (or maybe be adjustable) on both sites. Easier for old eyes!
Two items I like much better here than at ICCF are the time rules (ICCF's are much too long) and the tournament sign-up procedure. I can not sign up for an ICCF tournament on-line. I have to do so by printing a form and mailing a check to my NF. A old process for a modern method of play!
Glen D. Shields (2006-04-16 18:57:19)
60/10 Too Slow for Me
I'm in the group that thinks 60/10 is too slow. Like Mr. LaCrosse, I like fewer games at a faster pace. Only way 60/10 might work is to set a REASONABLE limit on days per move. ICCF's 40 days is too long and some TD's are much too lenient about extending it.
I hope this doesn't hijack your thread Thibault, but The opposite question I'd like to ask is how many server players find the opening game too fast and like a blur? I make a move and there's a reply waiting 5 minutes later. It won't be long before someone writes a script and connects it to ChessBase to cut the time down to seconds :)
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-17 19:25:06)
New features...
Coordinates & last move have been implemented... Now the "live games" concept of the site extends to the home page :)
Also, player informations are 5 successive pages (informations, elo history, title norms, tournaments, games), reachable just by clicking on "ELO" (to improve yet) after clicking the magnifying glass.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-20 11:59:21)
Cheating / Forfeiting
Hello to all.
The website detected 2 'probable' cheaters registered (one playing), with a 1400 rating.
Of course, FICGS will face problems encountered by all correspondence chess sites but I think it will be minimal here, as I'm enforcing detection rules so that aliases couldn't register anymore.
Important : Games forfeited without a valid explanation won't be rated, and the account for the player closed. A player who may forfeit should send an email with explanation to : ficgs (at) ficgs.com
Thanks.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-23 06:01:44)
explanation
Hello Elmer.
It's possible the player entered an ambiguous move in plain text format. The program may have interpreted this move as the first one possible. Anyway he probably did not verify his move before confirmed (inquiring), I can't correct that. I'll fix that as soon as the next update of the site is done. Thank you.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-23 13:43:17)
Websites / Links
A thread where I'll post many various links.
Everyone can post URLs here, of course. Please don't forget to use the html < br > tag to jump a line. < a href=" " ..> is not recognized (yet) :/
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-23 13:48:27)
French websites
Quelques liens de sites français tout d'abord :
http://www.france-echecs.com
(le forum français bien connu)
http://echecsmag.over-blog.com
(un nouveau magazine sans lange de bois)
http://www.asso-ecam.com
(les échecs par correspondance sans assistance informatique)
Michael Aigner (2006-04-24 20:20:09)
Spanish / Deutsch (help....)
Hello Thibault!
I had a look for the german parts of the website and I have unfortunately to say the babelfish german is horrible.
You can (if you like) send me all the english text you like to have in german and I will translate it for you.
michael10013@lycos.com
Give me please an mail adress where I schould send the translation to.
Have a nice day Michael
Graham Wyborn (2006-04-25 13:13:52)
Condition Moves?
I have played on another site which uses conditional moves.
The Conditional Move is only operated after you opponent moves, therefore you are unaware of your opponents offer.
Also players can turn the feature on or off. So if one player has it turned off, the opponent cannot use it.
Conditional moves are good time savers. especially when making a capture and the opponent has only one good reply. It saves time.
Hope Conditional Moves are coming to this site too!
Trent Parker (2006-04-25 14:05:50)
Australian site
Hey Thibault!
Thanks for this excellent chess server!
Below is an Australian site which welcomes all. And is where Thibault advertised this chess server that caused me to be interested in FICGS.
It is a Forum/ Bulletin Board
www.chesschat.org
BTW I am a moderator at chesschat.org I am username "TCN"
Graham Wyborn (2006-04-25 17:42:52)
Please join:-
I joined this site recently and still have not started a game!
Forgive the advert 4 the following games.
We need one more player!
FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_C__000002
(type : rated round-robin, time : 40 days, increment : 40 days / 10 moves)
7 players, 6 game (1 game against each opponent)
elo : 1600-2000
Cridland, Graham (USA) 1700
Grady, Richard (USA) 1654
Höppenstein, Michael (DEU) 1700
Fillion, Nicolas (CAN) 1640
Wyborn, Graham (GBR) 1700
Muller, Henri-Louis (BEL) 1923
Thibault de Vassal (2006-04-26 01:33:22)
Finally...
Less than 2 hours later, the second Class C tournament started :)
I hope the first CHESS 960 tournament will begin soon. (Special tournaments category) See the Help section to see the start position. More about Chess 960 / Fischer Random on Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer_random_chess
Quad tournaments and other categories will appear later, but feel free if you have any idea for special events (teams from countries, other clubs or websites etc...)
David Angeli (2006-05-01 18:42:19)
Tournament class
Hi thibault
About the "tounaments" topic (je sais pas comment on dit rubrique en anglois ! ;o) )
One thing not very clear for a newcomer like me is the difference between the different classes of tournaments : A, M, etc...it is certainly explained somewhere but i'm a bit lazy and it would be easier if it was explained on the same page .
Thanks to your site i'm back to correspondence chess :)
Amir Bagheri (2006-06-13 11:22:45)
FICGS
this site looks like a great site just cant wait to get started...Nice to see that Suat Atalik is there as i am of to turkey next month and hope to meet him in his club in taksim (istanbul)
Nicolas Fillion (2006-05-02 20:06:09)
Printable game list
Hi,
I'd like to know if there's an option to have a printable list of the moves of the games we're playing. I don't see any option...
If not, I'd like to suggest to add such an option to the webmaster! The site is undoubtly great, but this kind of option would surely make it even greater!
Thanks
Graham Wyborn (2006-05-06 10:37:16)
Computer Aided Sites
Do you know of any other sites that allow computer aided chess?
I am aware of www.playchess.de and www.cowplay.com. Any others?
Thibault de Vassal (2006-05-06 11:49:01)
Advanced chess
About correspondence chess : IECG & ICCF (see links page) but probably all others too. GameKnot, Its your turn, Scheming mind, Chessmaniac etc... Real time play : Chessanytime, Chesshere.
Actually probably 98% are computer aided sites, so you can play advanced chess everywhere.
Glen D. Shields (2006-05-06 11:51:16)
Two Others
Two other sites are ICCF (http://www.iccf-webchess.com/) and IECG (http://lss.chess-server.net/). They're similar to FICGS in that both require one to play with their real name. Neither site promotes computer use, yet neither site discourages it.
ICCF is a fee-based. IECG is free.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-05-06 18:32:03)
All is possible...
Maybe players shouldn't be able to vote for their own games... But in most cases, interesting games are first known by the players themselves. We could miss something.
Anyway, I think only really interesting or spectacular games will obtain many votes. We'll see... I also think about mini-sites / kind of blog, or shared wiki-like pages for players who want to discuss & analyze games in depth together.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-05-14 07:43:13)
An alternative to Cup Championship
In my opinion, instead of a Cup Championship, perhaps a Knock Out Rapid Championship maybe more interesting!? This is simply an idea. (Otherwise, FICGS might begin to look too similar to other correspondence chess sites, don't you think?!)
Wayne Lowrance (2006-05-17 08:41:06)
overall evaluation of this new site
This mate problem on this site is a big problem. Only chess site I play on where you have won and it is not won until the player resigns. Secondly I am in a game where mate is in 2. but my opponent has stopped playing. Many others are reporting the same thing. The idea is nice, it assumes that all players are good sports. Over all I would say many players here are not considerate of their opponents, and it is a reflection of their charachter. I dont think to much of the moderaters or those who are responsible and have taken a no action stance despite many complaints.
Moderator or responsible authority take care of this ridiculous policy
Regards
Wayne
Per Lea (2006-05-17 13:27:46)
FICGS is not alone....
I have encountered a similar problem on another website: when accepting an offer of a draw, the system wouldn't accept the result unless you played a move as well!
Wayne Lowrance (2006-05-19 00:50:31)
It is not nonsense
He resigned i believe cause of opinion of those here.
It is not nonsence. The fact that this site is correspondence has nothing to do with it. absolutley nothing !
You go to any club tournament and you will not be welcome back with such over the board conduct. It is rude, spitefull and counter productive to good chess and fair play. You will change this rule my friend. There is NO justification for a player to drag out a forced mate loss if he sees it. and believe me in the case of my game 205 you must admit it is obvious. In fact he should have resigned many moves earlier, I would
have 4 sure. do not like your weak argument justifying the mate implementation....
Here is to a nice cite for corresponse chess.
Respexctfully
Wayne
Glen D. Shields (2006-05-19 03:43:15)
Oops ... sorry!
Oops .. this belongs in the discussion on "the overall evaluation of this site." My apology. Perhaps Thibault could kindly move the above post to the proper place and delete this apology? I'd be very appreciative. Thanks!
Trent Parker (2006-05-19 08:04:48)
My Overall evaluation of this new site
I really like this site. I like the format of the tournaments, I like the fact that the number of games one can play are not limited.
I like the idea of the best game function, however i do not think it is properly utilised (I have aired my ideas on this elsewhere....)
I personally think the resign for checkmate rule is ok, although none of my games have gotten that far yet. After all a) this does not limit the amount of games that you can play on this site and b) your opponent will run out of time anyhow. So what is the difference? You are going to get the point anyhow.
I have the following criticisms:
I am on Dial up. This site is very slow to play on, very time consuming with the amount of games that i am up to. would it be possible to... I dunno... make it like a javascript or something, just to speed it up a bit. Or perhaps even make the submit button further up the page a bit? Often i have gone out of a game thinking that i have made the move when i have forgotten to click the submit button. (By the way this site would be excellent if i had broadband but i don't.)
I may have some more comments later on but at the moment i've said enough.
Thanks for this site Thibault!
Trent Parker
Dave Grobler (2006-05-20 21:09:49)
team championship
Hello
This is my first post....so I apologise for any mistakes.
A team tournament should be organised as soon as possible . It is an excellant way of building up friendships.I think at the moment we have too few members to start . But this site grows quickly ! Teams should start to form now !
Thibault de Vassal (2006-05-23 10:26:09)
Time reflexion
Ce n'est pas aussi simple. Les sites employant des règles de temps aussi dures (10 jours par coup ou moins) s'exposent à d'autres problèmes, et à de nombreuses parties gâchées... Le temps d'attente est inévitable par correspondance. La limitation du cumul du temps limitera les abus, mais les joueurs ont de toutes façons le choix de jouer des tournois rapides uniquement !
Je pense que le site est bien équilibré sur la question du temps désormais. J'ai une certaine expérience du jeu par correspondance et des problèmes posés par les cadences, et je suis convaincu que la formule actuelle conviendra au plus grand nombre. N'oublions pas que nombre de joueurs ne peuvent pas jouer aussi rapidement !
Trent Parker (2006-05-29 03:03:51)
Sorting your own games
Hello Thibault!
I know that you are working hard on this site already. But could i suggest that a sort function be implemented so that a player could sort their games according to how much time they have on the clock?
Most of my games are long standard games, however i am playing in one rapid play game which, when sorted by game number are quite a long way down the page. On days where i dont have much time to make moves i would prefer to make moves on my rapid games rather than my long games. This is where that sort function would become handy
Once again thanking you for this great chess server.
Trent Parker
Thibault de Vassal (2006-05-29 23:03:44)
Team Championship
Hello to all.
I'm now promoting the site in this way, a team championship will start as soon as possible. (waiting for more players)
David Grosdemange (2006-05-30 00:28:03)
particularities of big chess ^^
we must take care about the possible endings ^^
for instance , knight+bishop can't win in big chess ^^ whereas 2 bishops (opposite coloured) still can win ^^
about a value , i think something like :
pawn : 1
knight : 2,5
bishop : 4
rook : 6
queen : 11
Wayne Lowrance (2006-06-01 02:52:44)
Other chess websites
Url u asked 4, http://pacific-mall.com/chess/ sign in as guest or create a user name. very simple. I am globalpac. my e-mail address is yagi90250@yahoo.com future responses concerning that site should be addressed via e-mail. I dont wish to sound promoting here, that is not the case..thanks Wayne
Thibault de Vassal (2006-06-01 03:06:05)
Website url
Hello Wayne.
No problem, but take care with your website url while posting, you just sent a wrong link to both forums here & on http://www.talkchess.com ;)
I corrected the Url in your post.
Wayne Lowrance (2006-06-01 07:32:45)
other chess websites
okey dokey. Thank you. dunno what I did wrong but I check. by the way, it is not my chess site, I only play there for over 10 years.Thanks Wayne
Lionel Vidal (2006-06-01 15:08:53)
A missing link to the rules
Hello,
Would it be possible to have a direct link to the rules on the menu list of your home page in FICGS?
I would find useful to be able to access the rules at the same level of waiting lists, tournaments, forum and so on.
Or maybe there is an easy way I did not see?
(This is nitpicking, the site is already great :-))
Best wishes.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-06-01 15:37:17)
FICGS rules
No problem, the website may be quite unclear in some places. Anyway I have to improve many parts of it.
(FICGS, Lionel... FICGS :))
Kuzma Pecotic (2006-06-03 07:28:29)
Incorrect move
This is my game:
[Event "FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_A__000003"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2006.04.22"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Pecotic,Kuzma"]
[Black "Sobrecases,Guy"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "2179"]
[BlackElo "2105"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Ne4 Qc7 9.f4 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qb6 11.Bd3 Qxb2 12.O-O Qd4+ 13.Kh1 Ba6 14.Bxa6 Qxe4 15.Rb1 Qa4 16.Bd3 f5 17.*
For what reason: Incorrect move : 17.exf6
Thibault de Vassal (2006-06-06 17:39:44)
7.5 komi + Superko
Hello to all.
In accordance with Chinese rules, the last update of the FICGS rules of Go states a 7.5 komi (3.75 by chinese counting)
http://www.britgo.org/rules/compare.html#threeKK
The last ambiguity may concern the superko rule, as now FICGS graphical interface forbids any board repetition (not only previous move). See this page on BRITGO site, at the very bottom : Positional superko (PSK) means a play may not recreate a previous board position from the game, referring to the position just after the play and consequent removals.
However, forbidding any board repetition is the only way to prevent draw games.
Tommie Derz (2006-06-07 00:05:48)
Go applet, ranking list
I am interested how this chess site could develop into a valid site for playing Go. It obviously started by as a server for Chess enthousiasts, which is ok.
I suggest a better separation between Go and Chess on this server, resp. a rating list for Go to. It does not make sense to me to have my 'non'-chess-rating of ELO 1400 entered into a list and being silent of the Go rating of e.g. Florescu, Ion (2600?).
The chess applet works well,
the Go game replayer not.
Marc Lacrosse (2006-06-09 09:21:54)
I cannot understand ...
To Trent Parker :
you say :
"I think the teams should be geographical at least"
This is really something that I cannot even understand.
In which way is my way of playing correspondence chess related to the place where I live or where I am born???
Is my kind of play "belgian" ?
Or is it "brown-haired", or "butter-cooked", or ...
Why shouldn't I be allowed to find a few friends from all over the world that play the same kind of unusual openings than myself to build a team ?
IMHO this kind of team could well have a better signification than a one made of chess players of the same country or of the same geographical region.
Anyway the idea itself of "correspondence chess teams" is completely strange for me. Does it mean that collaboration between members for the choice of the moves is allowed ?
This is at the exact opposite of what I feel to be the minimum requirement for a meaningful correspondence chess competition to survive : anything allowed (books, computers, databases) except human advice, and at least one single human name alone identified as the single "author" of the moves ...
So, why teams at all...
Marc
Julien Baudement (2006-06-09 10:03:24)
Nouvelles fonctionnalités
Avant tout, Bravo pour le site sur lequel je prend beaucoup de plaisir.
J'aimerais soumettre des modifications à apporter qui pourraient encore améliorer:
1) possibilité de contacter directement le webmestre...
2) possibilité de proposer une partie à un joueur quelconque sans passer par le mode tournoi. En effet, on est tenu de jouer toutes les parties dans ce système, mais peut etre que certains préfèreraient pouvoir n'en jouer qu'une à la fois !
En tout cas, encore bravo pour tout ce travail !
Ikki
Thibault de Vassal (2006-06-10 10:52:11)
Team championship
Très exactement 3... (en me comptant :)) C'était prématuré de toutes manières, et il faudrait que je réfléchisse à une autre approche. Cela dit, je ne suis effectivement pas certain de la nécessité d'une telle compétition, les échecs par correspondance s'y prêtant sans doute moins. A suivre...
Thibault de Vassal (2006-06-14 13:15:33)
FICGS 1st chess world championship
Hello Heinz-Georg !
It's only a logical extension to the rule that divide the championship in a round-robin and a knockout (for the 8 best rated players) tournament. Of course, there's no rule that fit to everyone, only choices... I hope to make the most balanced ones for the whole site.
By this rule, high rated players have a stage less to play (that they would probably win) and it limits the rating gaps (otherwise it would be more like a cup). In most wch competitions, winners and high rated players/teams are qualified for an advanced stage in the tournament.. A quite common and logical system, used everywhere from football world cup [winner qualified for quarter final] to Roland-Garros [qualifications stage], FIDE world championship etc... 2300 rule is a statistical choice, used in IECG too with more parameters. (nevertheless at IECG high rated players can choose to play the first stage too, but IMO it's quite complicate)
I hope to make it as simple and attractive as possible, believe me ;) Of course (and it is mentioned in the rules- preliminaries) rules could still evolve if improvements are decided by the [future] council.
The only negative point is, indeed, only 2300+ players can play the 1st wch, that is in a way not a "complete" championship. But compared to all other positive points (first, everyone can play now), and as 2nd wch starts at the same time, I think this choice is best.
What I think to do is to send all tournament tables to players who registered on 2006 june 16. If finally there are players who don't want to play it, they'll just have to tell me within days, responding by email. It should avoid any forfeit.
Daniel De Noose (2006-06-15 15:17:03)
Not very satisfy too...
Like Heinz-Georg Lehnhoff, when I registered the tournament it was announced as 1st championship and open to everyone. I don't like when rules change after the registration.
Secundo, if you only reserve this 1st tournament to players with rating over 2300, you can change my rating : on the "correspondence" chess site chess-mail I'm over 2370. But as I said to you when I began here I want to improve my real rating beginning like an unrated. But if now the rating is so important to play the 1st championship, I prefer to be correctly rated.
Hoping you'll change all this and play really the 1st championship with everybody.
My actual rating in "correspondence chess" :
- chess-mail : kasapov (2370)
- echecsemail : danideno (2280)
- echecsnet : danideno (2271; but it is the highest rating of this site)
Daniel
Daniel De Noose (2006-06-15 17:23:38)
It is not the same !
Playing 1st or 2nd Championship is not the same because if you play only the second you can't be the first FICGS champion !
;-)
Secundo, as you explained it at the start of the site, everybody can use databases, computers, ... In that case a 1600 can beat a 2300 if he enters correctly parameters in his chess engine.
Because the tournament is not again started you can correct this. After the beginning it will be harder.
And what's my rating now ? ;-)
Amir Bagheri (2006-06-16 13:19:00)
the GM class tournament...
I was interested to see that a tourney dedicated to the GMs of this site was available. So I tried to enrol, but my rating is too low :-) but yet I am a GM :-) I think it would be a great thing if we could enrol in it.
Merci d'avance thibault
Wayne Lowrance (2006-06-17 07:36:58)
rating calc
Welp, I am another innocent victim of starting off at 1400. When I signed on I wanted to start at the beginning, much like daniel. what I really did not pay attention to is the difficulty in climbing the ladder. My chess rating on other sites including CC cite is well over 2200. I started there at the bottom and figured I would do the same here. Not so fast. I have won one tourney here weith 6/6 score tourney allready and am have a perfect scored in a second one with 3 games to go. and yet my expected rating is listed at 1805, cleary I am not a 1800 player. It is not my fault that I was forced to play in a tourney dominated by 1400 players. What you think. Not trying to cause trouble, just venting I guess. and the cite is nice, will continue playing, my best toya Wayne
p.s. do you think my playing in a 1400 tourney is fair to those players, hummm?
Thibault de Vassal (2006-06-20 16:05:08)
Sicilian opening & Kasparov
I quote from Amir analysis : "But if you want to win, the Sicilian is really the best choice."
I fully agree, I'll just add: but Sveshnikov sicilian :)
Actually, (not a surprise) you just have to see how Black pieces are conducted by Garry Kasparov in sicilian opening to understand what lines to follow, why it is the best choice... and why he became the best player of all times.
He simply always wanted to win, never draw... It is an illustration of a quote in this interesting (but failed) movie by Guy Ritchie, "Revolver" : "To win against a weaker opponent, you have to extend the game field."
Finally, it's the exact opposite of what Bobby Fischer said : "I don't believe in psychology, I believe in good moves". That's not enough IMO, chess openings are a psychologic battle that reflect the state of mind and will. It often decides in a way the result of the game, not by moves, but by the intention.
Paul-Iosif Guralivu (2006-06-30 10:50:31)
Forfeit problem
Game 934 (chess)
White clock - 30 days 23:29:09
Black clock - Out of time.
[Event "FICGS__CHESS__RAPID_C__000002"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2006.05.31"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Guralivu,Paul-Iosif"]
[Black "Alessandrini,Alfredo"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1293"]
[BlackElo "1400"]
1.e4 *
Should this game be forfeit ?
Should all the games of Mr. Alessandrini be forfeit ?
Gino Figlio (2006-07-04 01:07:56)
Symmetrical games
The format used(8-game match with simultaneous games, 4 white and 4 black) brings up the issue of avoiding symmetrical games. I don't see a perfect way of doing this other than being conscious of the problem, and trying to deviate early on. If I see an opening chosen by my opponent that I am also planning to use, I have waited to respond in one(or more) of the games, until the position reached a point where I would normal deviate, and choose an alternate move with the opposite colour.
Anyone else with better ideas about how to avoid this problem?
Gino Figlio (2006-07-04 19:08:38)
8-game matches
Just to clarify my position about this format, I think it's just fine if the players are alert and avoid playing symmetrical lines/games. I actually think it's a good idea to play a simultaneous 8-game match to see who's better. It's just a bit different than your normal round-robin tournament, perhaps that makes your site unique!
Thibault de Vassal (2006-07-04 21:03:47)
Symmetrical games
Understand me, referee has to validate the evidence, nothing more. There can't be any ambiguity in this case (all moves are copied ad tempo, or not). Rules are written in this way : No human factor.
However I can't let the program close an account because of cheating :) .. There are a few players trying to use several accounts, they are automatically detected, but we can discuss (and finally close the facticious one). This site is friendly, we are not in Matrix :>
Glen D. Shields (2006-07-06 03:54:49)
Congratulations - 500 members now !
Not sure how many noticed that FICGS reached 500 members this past week. That's a fantastic milestone considering FICGS is only three months old.
Congratulations Thibault and thank you for making this site available for all of us to enjoy!
Paul-Iosif Guralivu (2006-07-06 20:35:49)
Some interesting!
I think this site has more succes then other(which haven't reach 500 after a few years), because:
-it's offer an online way to move
-it's allow players from other sites to keep their titles
-and offers other title
Josh Knapp (2006-07-09 06:54:48)
Private notes
I'm new to the site, so far I like it. But I am curious, are there any plans to make a private notes feature? I have played on several other sites and make notes all the time. I know I could make them on my computer, but the problem with that is that I often switch back and forth between two different machines.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-07-20 06:06:51)
Re: page rank.......
Thibault,
Is Google the most well known search engine on the internet?!
Is the page ranking of a website on it decided purely on the number of visitors clicking on any particular website?!
Thibault de Vassal (2006-07-20 14:39:21)
Google pagerank
Hi Dinesh.
Ironic ? ;)
Google is definitely the best search engine for several years. Maybe his statistical concept will be outdated soon (or already), but it's the most powerful one (speed, capacity, accuracy...) and most : it still represents 85 % of visitors from search engines (for all websites). Yahoo represents 9% .. the others nothing. About 30 % (only) of FICGS visitors come from search engines, but it will undoublty increase and over 90 % as time passes.
Pagerank is decided on the value (Pagerank) of the links towards a website.. Actually this is a complex formula based on many parameters, but first of all the Pagerank of the websites referrers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagerank
Thibault de Vassal (2006-07-28 02:31:50)
Blogs !
Everyday a new feature, I keep in the rhythm ;)
You may have noticed this link ('see the players blog') at the top of the forum page. A new interface that simply looks like the forum, but built like a blogs website.
You may want to relate your Chess life or Go philosophy, your games or whatever.. you can do it there.
Like in the forum, links are automatically parsed. The html < br > tag to begin a new line. Comments by everyone are also available.
Charlie Neil (2006-07-30 11:40:10)
Country Flag
(here goes) is the Scottish flag available? I did discover this site via the Scottish Correspondence Chess Association website.The dam may burst as the UK divides into its constituent parts.
Graham Wyborn (2006-08-01 00:31:08)
On another site!
On another site they had all the flags for each state in the USA! Not sure you will want to go that far, as then we UK people will be asking for the flags of each county. Where does it all end? Country flags only!
Marc Lacrosse (2006-08-02 22:14:10)
Request for adjudication & rules
In game *** my opponent has a completely lost position for more than 2 months by now and refuses to resign.
How long will he require that I play child-level uninteresting moves?
I announce mate in 8 moves and request adjudication against this completely disgraceful way of playing.
I am evidently able to prove the win.
I already said how I felt this kind of proceeding to be completely disgusting.
If my requirement is not fulfilled I will leave this site being the first master-class tournament winner.
Nice...
Marc
Graham Wyborn (2006-08-02 23:14:20)
Be patient!
Your opponent is not breaking any rules! I have an opponent who has not moved for about 6 weeks. Now with less than 24 hours left on his clock, he goes on holiday! Our opponents can use the time how they like. In the UK you can be arrested for wasting police time, but you cannot be arrested on any chess site for wasting opponents time! If you leave this site, which I hope you will not do, you will come across the same problem on other chess sites.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-08-07 22:23:56)
Suggestion (sponsors)
Thibault,
Are you looking at the possibility of getting some sponsors for this FICGS website in the near future?!
If it materialises, it'll be a win-win situation for all.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-08-08 12:09:40)
Suggestion (sponsors)
Hi Dinesh.
I'm looking at everything of course, it would be great to get sponsors and prizes for free tournaments ie. WCH... The more success, the more chances, so still working. It will take time anyway...
In a near future : Tournaments with entry fees & money prizes should start in October, I have many new ideas to make it attractive for the most, titled players as beginners, and it should bring something to the whole site.
Graham Wyborn (2006-08-09 09:24:23)
Missed the point
When I click the game number the screen appears with the game etc. but no (download) button at the bottom of the screen. I need to click the game number button again, then on the second attempt, the (download) button appears. It seems to me that the (download)button should appear on the screen when I first see the game page. Also have problems entering a move after using the (download) button! Anyone else having the same problem, or is it me and my PC! ........................ Great site, keep up the good work!
Dinesh De Silva (2006-08-24 14:01:52)
Re: Premove (conditional moves).....
I think such issues as CONDITIONAL MOVES & VACATION TIME ALLOWED are sure to be debated in the future too. Some sites allow conditional moves , some don't. Some sites allow vacation time of 30 or 30+ days per year per tournament (and sometimes even special leave), some sites don't. These issues are sure to be hotly debated for a long time.
Don Burden (2006-08-26 18:51:54)
Opening Idea
I'd say it is a fairly big advantage to black. He's a solid pawn up and threatens to win another. Found two games in my database with higher rated players:
[Event "ICCF MN/12 corr"]
[Site "ICCF corr"]
[Date "1995.06.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Majewski, Jan"]
[Black "Chorvat, Marian"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "2335"]
[BlackElo "2305"]
[PlyCount "122"]
[EventDate "1995.??.??"]
[Source "www.chesslib.no"]
[SourceDate "2006.04.01"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8.
O-O O-O 9. d5 Bxc3 10. bxc3 Ne7 11. Re1 Nf6 12. d6 Nf5 13. Ba3 Nxd6 14. Bxd6
cxd6 15. Qxd6 Ne8 16. Qd5 Nf6 17. Qd6 Ne8 18. Qd2 d6 19. Ng5 Nf6 20. Rad1 d5
21. Bb3 h6 22. Ne4 Bg4 23. Nxf6+ Qxf6 24. f3 Qb6+ 25. Qd4 Be6 26. Bxd5 Bxd5 27.
Qxb6 axb6 28. Rxd5 Rxa2 29. f4 Rc8 30. Rd3 Rc2 31. Ree3 Ra8 32. h4 Raa2 33. Rg3
Rd2 34. Rde3 Kf8 35. Re4 b5 36. Re5 Rab2 37. Rc5 b4 38. Rc8+ Ke7 39. cxb4 Rxb4
40. Rxg7 Rxf4 41. Rh7 Rf6 42. Kh2 Ke6 43. h5 Rd5 44. g4 Rd4 45. Kg3 Rd3+ 46.
Kg2 Rd6 47. Re8+ Kd7 48. Rf8 Ke7 49. Rhh8 Ke6 50. Re8+ Kd5 51. Re7 b6 52. Rf8
Rf4 53. Kg3 Rdf6 54. Rc8 Rf3+ 55. Kg2 Rf2+ 56. Kg1 R2f4 57. Rg8 b5 58. Re3 b4
59. Kg2 Kd4 60. Rb3 Rb6 61. Kg3 Rf1 0-1
[Event "ICCF MN/12 corr"]
[Site "ICCF corr"]
[Date "1995.06.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mathias, Manfred"]
[Black "Chorvat, Marian"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C54"]
[WhiteElo "2370"]
[BlackElo "2305"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[EventDate "1995.??.??"]
[Source "www.chesslib.no"]
[SourceDate "2006.04.01"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8.
O-O O-O 9. d5 Bxc3 10. bxc3 Ne7 11. Re1 Nf6 12. d6 Nf5 13. dxc7 Qxc7 14. Qb3 d5
15. Bd3 Be6 16. Rb1 b6 17. Qc2 g6 18. Bb2 Ne8 19. Re2 Neg7 20. Rbe1 Rfe8 21.
Qd2 Nd6 22. c4 dxc4 23. Qc3 f6 24. Bxg6 hxg6 25. Qxf6 Qf7 26. Rxe6 Qxf6 27.
Rxf6 Rxe1+ 28. Nxe1 Re8 29. Nf3 Re2 30. Be5 Nf7 31. Bd4 Re6 32. Kf1 Rxf6 33.
Bxf6 b5 34. Bc3 Ne6 35. h4 Nf4 36. a3 Nd5 37. Bb4 a6 38. g3 Kg7 39. Ke2 Kf6 40.
Ba5 Nd6 41. g4 Nb7 42. Bd2 a5 43. Bg5+ Kg7 44. Ne5 c3 45. Kd3 b4 46. Kc4 Nb6+
47. Kd4 Nc5 48. axb4 axb4 49. f3 Nd5 50. Nc4 Ne6+ 51. Kd3 Nxg5 52. hxg5 b3 53.
Na3 Kf7 54. f4 c2 55. Nxc2 Nxf4+ 0-1
Julien Baudement (2006-08-28 17:21:40)
Go rules : no pass option
A little problem with the go games : It's possible to move, to resign, but not to pass. I remember that it was extisting before because one of my opponents did it!
Thibaut: je t'aurai... dans quelques années mr Kobayashi m'a suggéré un site pour se perfectionner !
Thibault de Vassal (2006-09-01 17:11:46)
Go / Weiqi tournaments : New categories
Hello to all.
New Go tournament categories have been created.
PRO category, for players ranked 1 dan and above (Go elo > 2099)
DAN category, for players ranked 10 kyu and above (Go elo > 1099).
KYU category, for all Go players, whatever their rating...
Rules have been updated for the rating calculation and Go championship (a win in a KYU tournament = 1 point, a win in a DAN tournament = 2 points, a win in a PRO tournament = 3 points).
Feel free to post here any suggestion to improve this site for Go game...
(& don't forget this is not a chess variant ;))
Kind regards.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-09-01 17:37:52)
FICGS titles update
This site will work by itself soon... :)
Thanks Benjamin. I'll post soon again about the council/staff, moderators etc.. Feel free to tell me if you're interested ;)
About titles, I'll add that players who will get a FICGS title could probably have one at ICCF, so they're invited to try...
The first norms calculation just occured. Here are the result(s) :
FICGS__CHESS__RAPID_M__000001 : Zubac, Marius EM=1,IM=1
Marc Lacrosse (2006-09-04 10:51:45)
To Charlie on cheaters ...
Hi Charlie
I completely agree with the first sentences of your post, but I cannot accept the second part of it.
I use computers, and books, and databases and lots of prepared personal analyses for my games here.
I do not accept to be called a cheater : this is explicitly allowed by the rules here, and it is even one of the main reasons for which I joined this association.
There are lots of other sites where computer use is forbidden : you can for sure play there and complain when you will guess that your opponent is making use of electronic assistance, but not here.
Moreover for me it is pure shortness of sight if you are not able to imagine that playing with computer help can be both creative and even fascinating.
Take any of your games and do a quick analysis with several chess programs : you will see that for a large majority of positions they completely disagree on which is the best move to play. The human touch is critically decisive when playing with computer help.
And resulting games are far more complicated and interesting in my eyes.
Another point is that for myself I prefer that my opponents do not spoil an interesting game for which I have spent hours and hours of analysis along weeks of play through a stupid human blunder that ends it all suddenly.
I do pretty well understand that you prefer to play on your own. But what is the problem if you have a computer-assisted opponent? Either you will loose and will maybe learn something either you will win and it will be a pretty good achievement. And surely it will be a better game. The only problem I can see is the possible frustration not to be able to win many games.
Then I repeat : go on another site where computer assistance is forbidden. But I have to say that having played on such sites for years you will find _many_ cheaters... Pure human play cannot be enforced ...
But please stop saying that players like myself are cheaters and poor ignorants.
It is sure we play a different game but why should you be entitled to say that mine is worse than yours?
Regards
Marc
David Da Silva (2006-09-04 16:30:13)
Clock running while on holliday
Hello,
I may have missed something but in one of my games, maybe more but this one I'm sure because I had few days left, my clock runned enventhought the hollidays I declared. When I came back, I had 6 hours to play 9 moves wich I couldn't do(damn sleep ;))...
Is this a bug or a rule subtility ?
Thanks for the answer and congrats for this great site !
David
Charlie Neil (2006-09-05 09:50:08)
why play corr-chess
Marc, excuse me I didn't make the difference between chess engines/databases and someone playing straight moves straight off their own computer. Yes, use books and databases that's what they are there for. But I feel sorry for the individual who relies solely on their computer to play their games for them. It is a bit like taking a fork lift to a weight lifting competition. The use of computers and servers is still relatively new to me. There are sites that ban the use of computers. but who is to know who is using their computer in an illegal way? There can be no profit for them or enjoyment in the game.
It is good that FICGS has this forum for free discussion. I enjoyed reading "The future for Corr-chess" thread. There has always been points in time when it has been discussed that chess has "burnt-out" and the game will die off. I don't think that will ever happen in light of the passion for this terrible game expressed in all these forums. So, forgive an ignorant "free-range" "organic" chessfriend for not being clear about the differences about databases and computer-slaves who rely on their machines. The game is the thing. ( and maybe just maybe I wasn't drinking just coffee the time I posted the cheats slur...:-/)
Dinesh De Silva (2006-09-06 18:24:47)
Re:
I think if there's enough positive feedback about inclusion of such games, you could go ahead and expand the website in the near future.
Graham Wyborn (2006-09-07 20:28:48)
Site Design
Would it be possible to have a bigger selection of "Site Design" colours.
I would prefer a simple all one colour pastel shade, or even a plain white. I am not too keen on diferent shades of colour on opposite sides of the screen. I am currently using the "grey" and some of the text almost fades into the darker colour.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-09-07 21:26:42)
Site Design
I just added plain grey, red, blue and green... Plain white is really awful :-)
I'll try to add other designs with pictures soon.
Graham Wyborn (2006-09-07 22:15:35)
Site Design
Thank you for making the changes so quickly. Now using "grey plain". So much better.
Lionel Vidal (2006-09-09 10:40:13)
arimaa ?!
Arimaa may be a good choice too: it may be played on a chessboard, it is deep, fun and invented precisely to make any computer ridiculous :-) (Just like with Go and ChuShogi it is a very satisfying ego-boost-experience to feel vastly superior once in a while to even the best silicon brains :-))
And another point is that I don't know any site where you could play correpondence arimaa with a server. (whereas you can play Go or Chusogi at pbem server for instance... with even a graphical interface but not as comfortable as FICGS!)
Oh but wait... if you add a game, you'll have to change the name FICGS ? :-)
Thomas Gilbreath (2006-09-14 05:19:28)
Greetings from GameKnot :)
Hello friends, my name is Thomas, and I am the representative from GameKnot. We look forward to playing a match against you! GameKnot has played two matches vs. other sites in the past, and we have enjoyed the competition very much. It is my sincere hope that we can pull this thing off! As FICGS is a newer site with a smaller community than ours, we hope that you guys can field a team of approximately 12-20 players of ALL ratings ranges. We intend to put up at least 2 players in each of 7 ratings classes (U2400, U2200, U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400, and U1200). The rules of the match are currently being negotiated between Thibault and myself, and we would like to commence as soon as possible. I highly encourage the members of FICGS to participate, as these matches are a lot of fun! You guys will get a chance to visit our site, and we yours. Please contact Thibault and sign on! We look forward to seeing you OTB :)
Miguel Pires (2006-09-15 02:50:58)
well
you are the boss, if say soo, for me is ok. But for shure some not going to do that. And now we have a big problem, the OTB Vs CC rating. Cairo from GK have an elo in OTB +2300, mor or less the same at GK an ICCF, but others, the thing's are different. Like me, i'm a +1700 in otb, and + 2000 in this site, and in GK i'm a +1900 (a lot of timeouts put my rating in 1756 now). soo playng in CC without any help (databases like i play in GK) is hard to play at + 2000. And we need players with good OTB rating's to.
Like i say, you are the boss.
what time controls we going to use?
Thomas Gilbreath (2006-09-16 23:46:58)
Udate from GameKnot:
I just wanted to give you guys a heads up as to the players from my site that are being CONSIDERED for playing in the match. As ratings fluctuate, I have simply rounded and given approximate strength:
mateintwo - 2400+
cyrano - 2400+
cairo - 2300+
fmgaigin - 2300+
drdesoto - 2300+
papani - 2300+
harlekin - 2300+
nestorix - 2300+
drunken_rabbit - 2200+
kumpan - 2200+
grandpatzer - 2200+
os5213 - 2200+
carlosmart - 2200+
chrisp - 2100+
nottop - 2100+
gloomy_den - 1900+
thumper - 1700+
gwalchmai - 1600+
tugger - 1600+
yanm - 1500+
mattw - 1500+
patagusto - 1500+
tag1153 - 1400+
cjjpeterson - 1400+
simian9 - 1400+
eqj2 - 1400+
hollcanna - 1300+
dewillget8 - 1200+
mozz - 1200+
These GameKnot players have expressed an interest in playing. More will sign on I'm sure, as I have set Oct 1, 2006 as the sign up deadline. I will put together our team during the first week of October, and will be ready to commence play by the second week of October. During the interim, Thibault and I will finalize the details of the match. I realize that this short list is very master and expert heavy, but have no worries - I will be contacting more of our A, B, C, and D class players and asking them to participate. We look forward to the match:)
Thomas
Marc Lacrosse (2006-09-18 11:22:31)
Computer use
I completely agree with H Muller.
In most web-based sites where computer use is forbidden most high-rated players do actually use them.
The most intriguing example is the very well organised www.playchess.de (not related to Chessbase server) where there are two different sections with respectively computer use allowed and forbidden : there are much more players in the "computer forbidden" section but almost all high-rated players in this section are cheaters (I was one of them and I left because I began to fell disgusted with this necessity to cheat for not being crushed).
That's why I came here and that's also why I will not in any case join the team for the match against GameKnot (or others) if the rules are not modified.
Marc
Thomas Gilbreath (2006-09-18 12:55:35)
My friends at FICGS:
I am a little concerned, yet understanding, of your feelings about the possibility of cheating in our proposed match. Please understand that there are two sides to the suspicion coin. For those of you who are not familiar with the GameKnot website, let me assure you that I will only be putting up players who I am familiar with, and who have proven themselves to play honorably. I am a three year veteran of GameKnot, and play on the site daily. I will be selecting my team from players whom I feel confident will conduct themselves within the rules we agree on. The intent of arranging this match is NOT to simply put up all of our master level players and attempt to whitewash you guys 100-0. The intent is to provide as MANY matches of ALL ratings ranges for a fun, competetive match. If we lose every match we will have no hard feelings towards you. As the game results in our proposed match will have no bearing on ratings changes, we view the match as a simple, friendly exercise. So, having said all of that, we hope that FICGS will offer up as many people as possible, and Thibault and myself will pair them with my guys in such a way that is FAIR and equitable to both sides. Should anyone here at FICGS have any questions, please feel free to post them here or in the GameKnot forum (in the GameKnot Related threads). Thanks:) - Thomas
James Stripes (2006-09-18 13:46:35)
excessive fears
Of course cheating is always a danger, but I doubt more than a small minority of players do it. Chess appeals to those who enjoy solving problems more than to those who need to maintain a artificial number (rating) alongside a fictitious name. Cheaters likely lose interest fairly quickly.
I've played at GameKnot and many similar sites. If any more than a half-dozen of my 300 or so opponents were cheating, they were doing so badly.
Thomas Gilbreath (2006-09-18 13:52:13)
Dinesh
FYI it was not I who brought up GameKnot players being expelled from our site, but I can comment on it. Players have been expelled from GameKnot for numerous reasons. Some include 1) ratings manipulation, 2) using computers to recommend moves (our webmaster investigates all complaints re: games where, say, a 1300 player defeats a master, etc...), 3) foul language and/or intimidating behavior, and 4) general behavior that is unsportsmanlike. We pride ourselves at GameKnot on playing honorably, and do not tolerate otherwise.
:) Thomas
James Stripes (2006-09-18 15:56:13)
27 years ago
When I first played correspondence chess, books were encouraged and the few chess engines in existence were garbage. Good quality engines and comprehensive databases have changed the nature of correspondence play.
Nearly everyone permits databases (electronic books), although endgame tablebases are less clear. Engines are permitted some places, while banned others. This site is my first foray into CC where engine use is permitted, but I've played at dozens of sites where I can use databases. (I don't believe I've ever reached a position in which tablebases would be useful, except a few elementary positions that any average player could win against Kramnik.)
These inter-site matches, it seems to me, nurture connections across the broad community of correspondence players--a rapidly expanding coterie of chess aficionados thanks to the likes of GameKnot and similar sites.
Jaimie Wilson (2006-09-19 14:28:46)
match GameKnot-FICGS
Here at FICGS, real names have to be supplied. This gives FICGS a human element that encourages honour and sportsmanship and in my opinion gives this site a clear edge over its rivals.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-09-29 13:03:02)
Psycho(logical) games by Topalov's team?
[moderator : please don't copy exact content (news, articles..) from other websites]
Common toilet for both players.
29.09.2006 The Appeals Committee of FIDE has taken a decision on protest by the Bulgarian delegation who, after viewing the video tapes, stated that Kramnik would visit the toilet too often. A common toilet will be opened for both players.
The Appeals Committee : FIDE Deputy President IM Georgios Makropoulos, Continental President for Americas FM Jorge Vega, FIDE Vice President Zurab Azmaiparashvili.
More - http://www.chessbase.com
Roger Weber (2006-09-29 23:27:19)
Another one
Hi Thibault,
I don't know if it's included somewhere on the site, but I didn't find it. Perhaps a little notice of the Go rules that you use on your site (i.e. chinese japanese).
A little explanation for those who don't know would be good, as with the prisoners and the endscore counting.
Regards,
Roger.
Nigel Davies (2006-09-30 09:07:48)
Legitimacy
This is (or should have been) the real point of these championships from FIDE's point of view. Rather than being seen as a banana republic with a paper champion their aim should have been to establish legitimacy for their cycle and organisation. FIDE established itself by taking over the World Chess Championships with the death of Alekhine. If it can no longer do that, a large part of its raison d'etre disappears, in my view.
I'm not sure they realise it yet, but if Topalov 'wins' from his 1-3 position with some trumped up accusation of cheating, their legitimacy is not enhanced. Quite the opposite in fact.
Kramnik goes home with a very strong claim to being the REAL World Champion (he beat Kasparov in a match) and having allowed FIDE to demonstrate its true colours. I think that the odds of him establishing his own cycle will have improved dramatically, he just needs a sponsor.
Nigel
Anthony Bingham (2006-10-03 15:47:07)
Introduction
Hello all, my name is Tony, aka (DEwillget8 @ Gameknot).
I am looking forward to our upcoming tournament and would like to give a big thank you to all involved.
I do have one question. How do I challenge a player here to a match so I can get used to the layout of your site?
Thanks, Tony
James Stripes (2006-10-03 16:06:53)
Engines appeal
I've played on several other correspondence sites, and this is the only one that permits engine use. For me, that was a critical part of its appeal. I started playing here to see how adding engine analysis to my other research methods will affect the play.
I still think that positional understanding will be the critical difference in most games, as it is where engines are not permitted.
Wayne Lowrance (2006-10-04 18:48:59)
Delay/Slow down games
Thibault, I see no reason to slow down play, I would be dead set against any such change.
The current format is sufficient. I am playing in six tournaments,just signed up for a seventh, which I expect will open up soon. I have had no trouble keeping up and my site clock is in no danger.
That is the way I feel.
Wayne
Thibault de Vassal (2006-10-09 11:19:53)
UCI / Winboard engine
Hello Yannick.
Maybe you could try a free chess engine like Crafty (quite strong already, also running on Chessbase / Fritz interface), GNUchess, Arasan, Ghost or any engine running on Winboard / Arena free interfaces...
See a list of chess engines here :
http://www.ficgs.com/wiki_en-chess_engines.html
A well-known french speaking website about computer chess :
http://perso.orange.fr/lefouduroi/computerchess.htm
Actually it's probably very hard not to be influenced by chess engines suggestions, but the point is to understand, then find better moves...
All depends on the level you want the engine to play. There are hundred of engines to download...
Thibault de Vassal (2006-10-10 18:49:31)
Re: g11
With bishops on opposite colors, it's advised to keep a rook on each side to avoid a draw... Anyway, it seems to be a clear draw in all cases here.
If Kramnik doesn't win game 12, another battle will begin...
Thibault de Vassal (2006-10-10 19:49:12)
Opposite color bishops
These endgames are much easier than same color bishops or rooks endings.. The bishop & king can block the opponent's pawns (1, 2, 3 or more) in most cases, and the bishop can be exchanged against one or two pawns... In most cases the bishop has only to make aleatory moves and it's a draw.
There's a famous position with 8 pawns up... It's a draw too.
With rooks, it all depends... Sometimes it's harder to get a draw with opposite color bishops than same color ones.
See the 'endgames' Wikipedia article...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endgame#Bishops_on_opposite_colors
Wayne Lowrance (2006-10-14 18:37:24)
Best game
While kicking around the site I got the message advising my posting of a game of mine in "Best game" I don"t know how that happened, but it rembarrases me. I would not have made the post voluntarily (2168). Remove it for consideration please.....Wayne
Graham Wyborn (2006-10-17 12:24:05)
Top of Rating List
How can Atalik, Suat be top of the rating list, when this player has never played a game on this site? Or have I got these facts wrong!
Scott Prestwood (2006-10-21 02:42:17)
Moderation in everything
I find it easy to take on too many correspondence games my self. I prefer to have time to analyze as this is the tradition of coorespondence chess. I often feel busy (zeitnot as you call it) with just 15 games with long time controls.
Some principals I use in moderating my challenge rate are;
1) I dont start new games if I have a game under 15 moves in progress, opening require less analysis, and the mid game is where most of the work is done.
2) whatever the estimated days per moves is I limit myself to 1/4th of that as my limit of games. i.e. if the average days per moves is 12 days I will try to keep around 3 games going if possible.
These limits work well and I'm on several coorespondence sites.
Wolfgang Utesch (2006-10-21 12:09:00)
Best game
The "Best Game" should be a figurehead of the FICS-Site - but is it? I don't think so. That so an exotic opening experiment (particularly with black) will run in a real loosing position, is not very suprising. And also the praised last move is found by several engines in a very short time! What we (this site) need is a very high classed game with surprising twists - which engines never can find. And it must be with very good comments on most moves. Looking for this - that is the real challenge for all of us! Wolfgang
Pekka I. Turakainen (2006-10-26 18:04:25)
Reveal your software
Engines against engines....please, at least tell what chess engine you're using, so that your opponent knows which engine defeated his engine....like Shredder 10 vs. Shredder 10 1-0. Better advise: If you want to know which engine is strongest, please don't play here, visit some site that has ratings for chessengines.
Graham Wyborn (2006-10-30 10:04:22)
Go games "display"
First allow me to say how much I enjoy playing chess & go on this site. Keep up the very good work!
Would it be possible to mark or display on the board when playin Go the piece that was last moved?
Also on other sites the option to flip the board is present. On this site the board is already fliped when playing white. Is this needed? If you download the .sgf to a viewer it will not show the game the same way round.
We have to press "send" and then "next". Is it possible to have an option included where after pressing "send" you go automatically to the next game?
John Acre (2006-10-30 22:09:15)
lowball
I absolutely use an engine. The permitted use of engines is the only reason I'm at this site to begin with..... ........... ........... ........... ............. .............. ...........
Engine assisted games can be a great study tool, if used correctly. I analyze each position to the best of my ability, record my candidate moves. Select one, record it, and then feed the position into Fritz to see how it evaluates the position......... ........... ............ ............. ........... ............. ............... .............
If my move is in the same ballpark, I make my selected move, I feel fricking great, and I await my opponent's reply. If my move is substantially inferior to Fritz's selection, I try to figure out why, and then I play Fritz's move. This way, not only do I get to understand the positions rising out of my chosen opening in a depth I could otherwise never approach without professional guidance, but each step of the way, I learn to play the next move's position as if the strongest move had been played............. ............ ........... ............. ............ ........... ........... .......... ..........
If an opponent blunders in a big way, I mostly let Fritz finish him off, because the game is of no study value to me beyond that point. I don't care what my rating is, except that it be at a number where I can join a variety of rated tournaments (to face a variety of opposition). I don't play at this site to win, or to lose. I play here to get as close as a ~1600 OTB player like me can get to understanding the objective truth of the game............ ........... ........... ........... ........... ............. ............ ........
Sorry if that upsets anybody, but that's the whole reason I'm here. The community isn't big enough to have much independent value as a non-engine-assisted place to play correspondence matches. And why would one bother? There are a million of those places on the web. This place, however, is a one-of-a-kind goldmine. If engine play were to dry up or be outlawed here, what would be the point?....... ........... .......... ........ ........... ......... ........ ........... ............ ..........
Anyway, to answer, from my viewpoint, another question asked in this thread, I'm currently self-rated at 1500 for this site. I'm playing in tournaments at about that level, and am admittedly using Fritz 9. My record, out of 20 or so games, looks like it's going to be about 4 wins, 6 losses, and 10 draws......... ............ ........... ............ ............ ............ ........... ............. ......
Only two of those wins are going to be miniatures, and both of those against the same guy. So playing with engine-assisted strength of around 2500 on my slow-ish machine, I'm going to score around 45%, with about 17 out of 18 opponents playing at or above my machine-enhanced strength............... ........... ............. ............ ........ ............ ...........
People guessing 50% of users here use engines are lowballing, bigtime. I estimate around 95%. And I have no problem saying that I'm one of them.
Sebastian Ilie (2006-10-31 06:55:11)
Go games "display"
Thx Thibault , for displaying the last move in red , you make my day :)
Speaking about improving this site , i must say that it would be better if the opponent message will be displayed at the top - i usually missed them :(
Saksham Wal (2006-10-31 22:53:03)
Help For New Members
I tried to check all existing post, but could not find what i Needed.
Can someone Please Help me out in Few Things
1. How do i Start a Single Game Here ? Or playing Tournaments is the only way?
How do i find out which Tournaments are Open to join and which ones are already closed?
2. Are all moves played by e-mail(if yes, how?) or is there on site-java based Interface or something of the sort (eg: like features on GameKnot )
I understand that my Questions Might happen to be silly but well... i-need-to-know...
Hope this topic does not annoy anyone.
Regards
Roger Weber (2006-10-31 22:56:02)
Help
1. There is no way to play single games on this site.
2. No, there's a beautiful interface on this site. I like the site, because it is very fast loading.
I hope this helped.
Regards,
Roger.
Saksham Wal (2006-11-01 01:25:44)
A Small Suggestion
Hello Thibault de Vassal
The Names were Bit confusing.
Maybe instead of "Waiting Lists"
it would have been, "Open Tournaments" or tournament open for entry or something like that, i would have been more easy
Regards
P.S: This Site is Great!
Daniel De Noose (2006-11-02 01:45:41)
Pas du tout car voici le mail ...
que j'ai reçu de notification :
-----------------------------
[Event "FICGS__CHESS__WCH_STAGE_1_GROUP_17__000001"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2006.7.1"]
[Round "1"]
[White "De Noose,Daniel"]
[Black "Ould Ahmed,Samy"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1470"]
[BlackElo "2166"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d3 Qf6 8.Nbd2 Bd6 9.Nc4 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Ne7 12.f4 exf4 13.e5 Bc5 14.Bxf4 Ng6 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 b5 17.Na5 Nxe5 18.Rf5 f6 19.d4 Nf7 20.Nxc6 Kd7 0-1
Move sent : 2006.10.29 - 11:35:31
Move replied : 2006.10.30 - 22:27:44
Non et j\'ai essayé ici mais cela ne me plaît pas ...
-----------------------------------
[j'ai volontairement coupé la fin du message car le reste ne regarde pas les autres utilisateurs.
Comme tu peux le voir c'est son coup qui est affiché mais le message est le mien ! C'est celui que je lui ai envoyé en jouant mon coup qui n'apparait pas càd 21.Cb4 !
Elmer Valderrama (2006-11-07 19:34:10)
Motivation
It appears to me Fischer's approach to chess it's a simple case of (lack of) motivation, if you haven't got any everything seems dull and grey. On the opposite side is V Korchnoi, older than him, but with a lot a will and of course motivation.
Of course having been at the very top preclude any further motivation, perhaps that's a curse to every WC (they can't just go on playing chess for fun as other GM (wanna-be WCs) would do -and be happy at the same time-, exception could be M Tal)
Sebastien Marez (2006-11-10 09:42:22)
temps de réflexion
J'etais d'accord avec M.MULLER, quand j'ai arrete de jouer mes parties sur le site (je le suis tjrs aujourd'hui). Malgré tout je suis revenu pour reprendre mes parties, et en faire d'autres. Car j'ai reussi a trouver un équilibre avec le site de l'IECG pour toujours avoir des parties en cours.
Le système appliqué par l'IECG me parait malgré tout le mieux adapte au jeu.
Sebastien Marez (2006-11-11 07:11:18)
temps de réflexion
Je suis revenu, car j'ai trouver un equilibre en les deux serveurs et que votre site me plait aussi. Il est vrai que le temps des parties sur FICGS est bcp trop long, le fait d attendre trop devient vite enervant et lassant, amenant ainsi un desinteret complet. Le fait de perdre mon classement n 'est pas important car je le retrouverais. Je comprends Mr OLTEAN, car je risque de lui enlever toutes ses chances dans les tournois respectifs. Il faut applique la meme regle que pour l'IECG sans reponse au bout de 30jrs les parties sont perdues, mais surtout reduire la cadence des parties pour retrouver un interet plus grand.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-11 16:48:20)
temps de réflexion
Je comprends que la règle de 60 jours max. par coup puisse paraitre plus que nécessaire, mais je maintiens que cette souplesse pour les joueurs a sa raison d'être, notamment en tenant compte du fait que contrairement à l'IECG (par l'intermédiaire des directeurs de tournois) le "facteur humain" est quasi nul sur FICGS, toute partie perdue au temps l'est irrémédiablement et sans recours... Dans de nombreux cas, 30 jours peuvent passer très vite (voyage, hospitalisation, vacances en oubliant de prendre des jours sur le site)...
D'autre part, les joueurs qui veulent énerver leurs adversaires en prenant leur temps joueront 1 coup tous les 30 jours au lieu d'un coup tous les 60 après avoir accumulé du temps, la durée de la partie restera la même (dans le cas d'un forfait, il suffit d'attendre un peu plus pour le gain)
Arthur Alfred Macarsindale (2006-11-14 13:22:07)
Story Of Life and Chess
Often closer linked than people may think! Ask me anything you feel you want to please.Chess or otherwise.I can only answer or not answer!
I was taught chess by a relative who was a rather fine player when I was aged 9 in 1921. He died when I was 12 years old and so I lost a playing partner. I was married in 1932 and, seeing the ghastly goings-on in Germany in 1930s knowing that the whole show was starting again as it had in 1914 ,I vowed to ensure that a group of thugs and criminals would not be taking a foot on the shores and shires of Great Britain and bringing along some new age of butchery and lunacy . And so the RAF was my home for the next 15 years from 1938. I revisited chess principally in 1940 and that was hot summer's days outside playing cards,chess and other games waiting for the phone to ring and 'scramble'. Unfortunately two of my chaps who I played often with were shot down and killed over Kent in August 1940. I miss them both to this day.
Then I did not play for years until the advent of correspondence chess in the 1960s and 1970s through the postal mail. And since 1998 the Internet.
There you have it!
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-15 12:56:07)
1996 + this site and others
So you played email chess since 1996 ! .. in a particular organization ?
About the boards here, you're right, they are quite small according to screen resolution. That's why I just implemented (at last) the possibility to change the board size & set in Preferences. Is it too small yet ? .. Anyway I have to improve it... All feedbacks are welcome :)
@ Marc : Thanks for info ! ;)
Arthur Alfred Macarsindale (2006-11-15 11:43:50)
this site and others
may i say what a joy this site is to play on.Nice people,etc. I play also at GameKnot and the reason I chose that is because the chess board graphic is excellent and clear. No criticism of yours at all but for old eyes that one is wonderful.
Arthur Alfred Macarsindale (2006-11-15 11:45:41)
this site and others
Oh yes friends. also QueenAlice. Again because the graphics are so clear! Please do not construe my comments as criticism.They are not intended that way.
BUT a nice GameKnot or QueenAlice board on here would be nice.
Hope my comments are taken as they are intended.
Ryaad Aabid (2006-11-16 09:28:27)
Suggestion
All openings became known nowadays.
If the opponents ends the openinig step, the clock will automatically be changed from 30 or 40 days to 7 or 10 days.
If the player has no time enough to visit the website during 7 or 10 days, he/she should take vacation, otherwise to leave! instead of bothering his/her opponents.
Thank you Thibault,
Ryaad
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-16 13:27:51)
Please link to FICGS
Dear friends, you may know how it is important for a website to be linked from other places on the internet since Google created his famous ranking system Pagerank...
FICGS has got about 1,000 links so far (not too bad after 7 months) for a Pagerank 5, but the more links, the more players !
Feel free to link to FICGS from your website, blog, in forums and so on...
You may contact me - info (at) ficgs.com - if you have a chess or Go related website, so that I add it in the file that displays random links at the bottom of each game page, ie. http://www.ficgs.com/game_342.html
A link written one of these ways would be very appreciated :
<a href="http://www.ficgs.com " title="Correspondence Chess Server">FICGS</a>
<a href="http://www.ficgs.com " title="Chess Server">FICGS chess server</a>
<a href="http://www.ficgs.com " title="Go Server">FICGS Go server</a>
<a href="http://www.ficgs.com/forum.html " title="Chess forum">FICGS chess forum</a>
<a href="http://www.ficgs.com/wikichess.html " title="Wikichess">Wikichess</a>
Thanks in advance !
Dorel Oltean (2006-11-19 15:51:50)
retire, come back. What's next ?
Is allowed to retire from FICGS tournaments (loosing around 10 games on time) and then come back to resume unfinished games and start new ones?
The answer is YES , it happened and , after more then a week from my previous message, it seems it can happen again.
The soft reaction of the administrator of the site and the totally (surprising for me) lack of reaction from any FICGS member showed it’s only me who has a problem. (Maybe, by changing the subject, my message was hidden behind the discussions about ‘the 60 days rule’).
I cannot accept that ! For me chess is a serious thing. I consider chess a sport where the equality of chances and the respect for the competition must be the first rules.
So I decided to retire from all FICGS tournaments . In M02 group I didn’t finished any game so my retiring will not affect the final standing. In WCH M01 I have only one unfinished game and my opponent will finish second last anyway. So my withdraw will only permit someone else to finish first and qualify instead of me. In my last group, A02 I wish to finish my remaining game (if I am allowed) than I will leave, with real sorrow, FICGS for good.
Whishing you nice games
Dorel Oltean
Charlie Neil (2006-11-19 17:05:27)
Retire and come back.
I'm sorry to read that you feel you have to leave because of the behaviour of some other people. I think that is just one of the drawbacks of having a free site on the internet. Anyone can join our "club" and conduct themselves in an unsporting manner. I think it is just one of those things. I have been the victim of similar unsportsman like behaviour in over the board games, by post and on similar sites here on the net. I just think you get that tiny minotiry (and that is all they are) who mess around. I do like playing on ficgs and , (so far) have been paired with well-mannered opponents who play fair. I have had a number of silent withdrawals but that is to be expected. I am just sad to think if any well meaning players would leave because of someone messing around. But life's like that, that's the way it is.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-19 17:56:13)
Retire and come back.
Hello Dorel.
I'm very sorry about that, but actually Charlie just said everything.
"It is just one of the drawbacks of having a free site on the internet."
This was only an obvious example, but the problem is quite more complex... What about a player who just looses a game on time and continue his other games. Farther, why a player should draw to another one and win to a third. Any result in any round-robin tournament is partly 'aleatory' and depends on many other factors than chess, particularly rules.
It also happens in over the board tournaments to get prizes, it can happen everywhere and at ICCF too... That's why I prefer knockout system. Of course, I'd like to solve all problems, but no rules are perfect. (by the way all suggestions are welcome)
The original post was in 'temps de réflexion' thread :
http://www.ficgs.com/user_page.php?page=forum_read&id=1453
Best wishes.
Daniel Khayman (2006-11-19 18:20:37)
Messages
Hello everyone, I'm new here and have joined after recommendation from Mr. Wayne Lowrence, my good web friend and chess master (watch out for him:-). I've been trying to communicate within the site via text message but that seems to be impossible unless the receiver is your direct opponent; can anybody help me out? Is there a way of sending texts to whoever one likes? Thank you for dropping by, Daniel
Wayne Lowrance (2006-11-20 21:12:28)
Messages
Hi Dan. Welcome aboard. This is nice site. I agree, the site is a very good place to play CC, But it is not very friendly only because of the feature you mention.
When I first came aboard that is the first thing I noticed.
Consider this a second vote for a place that we all can converse and get to know each other better.
Wayne.
ps Dan I know your a tough cookie and will do well here
Daniel Khayman (2006-11-21 20:38:51)
many thanks
thank you guys, i appreciate your concern; i'll send you an e-mail immediately, Wayne. and thanks to this site too.
Barry Bell (2006-11-22 04:42:46)
Introduction - Anyone4chess.com
My name is Barry and after corresponding with Thibault on my website (www.anyone4chess.com) for the last few days, Thibault suggested I drop by and post something about our website.
Anyone 4 Chess is not a correspondence chess, we call our system an online a turn based chess system (Association – A4C). The site works on a 7 day cycle for moves and you receive no emails that a move has been made however, if you are entered into one of our free tournaments (all tournaments are free and their will never be any cost to play chess on our system) an email is sent to each player in any tournament that the next round is about to begin.
Anyone 4 Chess is an online turn based chess system however, it also hosts the Association dedicated to promoting, supporting and developing an association for webmasters / players who support this type of chess. We believe there is a place for this type of chess (different from correspondence, OTB and real time chess) and the association will work to promote this type of chess following the example of FIDE and other organization to work towards our mandate and goals.
Thanks
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-22 05:01:51)
Anyone4chess
Hello Barry and welcome :)
http://www.anyone4chess.com
Feel free to inform us about the evolutions of this promising website. I hope the association for webmasters will give all chess sites nice opportunities to work together.
All the best.
Barry Bell (2006-11-22 05:17:38)
Introduction
Thank you Thibault for your warm welcome, please feel free to create a 178 x 159 pixels jpg providing information about your site and I will post it a soon as possible.
P.S. this offer is available to any webmaster that runs an online turn based chess system.
Thanks again.
Glen D. Shields (2006-11-22 14:04:56)
Strange Setup
Dear Mr. Bell - being the curious type I followed the link to your site. I don't understand what you're offering and I'm surely not registering to your site until I know. Might I suggest some basic FAQ's accesible prior to registation?
Thank you.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-22 14:13:29)
Strange Setup
I must say I agree with Glen about the setup...
I discovered the site thanks to a referer from Anyone4chess forum (which contains lots of info) - that is not linked from the home page and not known by Google. That's a pity, I also suggest you make something in this way.
Barry Bell (2006-11-23 02:49:56)
Re:
Hi
The site works on 7 days to make a move, the clocks are reset after each move. To answer the next question: The site is a free turn based online chess system (a place to play chess free) and it also hosts an association to support webmasters that believe and or support what A4C stands for regarding online chess. As for google, as I mention to ThibaulT, we have no interest in google at this time, we are in the first phase of development and when the third phase is finshed we plan to take full advantage of these options when we are ready. Thanks
Dinesh De Silva (2006-11-23 04:14:40)
Re:
I think I figured it out: 1. A player has to log in to that site at least once every 7 days.
2. A player does not know whether his/her opponent has made a move until he/she logs in to check out.
3. A player who fails to make a move within 7 days loses the game.
What I haven't figured out is whether computer analysis is allowed or not. Is it totally banned there???
Glen D. Shields (2006-11-23 06:38:17)
No Thanks
Why in the world would I want to play on a site that sounds as disorganized as yours? There are tens of places to play like FICGS that are well organized and aren't shrouded in mystery. When you figure out what you want to be, want kind of tournaments you want to offer (turn based doesn't mean anything sorry), and you offer folks the opportunity to evaluate your site without harvesting their personal information, I'll take a look and re-consider.
Good luck.
Barry Bell (2006-11-23 07:00:45)
re:
I would suggest you never evaluate my site, as you said there are lots of sites out there more suited to your needs and taste. I wish you the best.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-11-23 07:54:47)
Re:
Mr Bell,
Thanks for the info! It's a bit different from other sites, but I now have an understanding of it's structure of play. I have registered on your site. I will start playing my first tourney there soon.
Best regards.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-28 16:53:37)
"Remove comment"
About this feature "Remove comment" : Of course I can see who removed any comment.
I make this site so that it can be auto-moderated. Please remove only abusing posts.
Thanks in advance.
Lawrence Nesko (2006-11-28 17:58:47)
Excellent feature...
Hello, Thibault. Thanks for al of the work that you are putting into the site.
Don Groves (2006-11-29 08:04:02)
Go: Komi revisited
This may have already been discussed but I wasn't around then. ;) I've read in more than one place that komi in Chinese scoring should be half the Japanese value or 3.75 instead of 7.5. Comments please.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-11-29 12:19:13)
Go: Komi revisited
Hi Don.
"should be"... maybe depends on the level of play ?!
Where did you read this ? Any links ?
Don Groves (2006-11-29 23:01:22)
Go: Komi revisited
Forget what I wrote ;) Chinese komi is only 3.75 but they both add it to white and subtract it from black!? Thus, 7.5 added to white gives the same result. In one place I read about this, they left out the second part, which led to my confusion.
Charlie Neil (2006-12-03 15:03:09)
New chessboards
Enormous is big enough! Sometimes size does matter. Thanks Thibault for another improvement to an improving site.
Thibault de Vassal (2006-12-03 22:10:26)
Google Adsense
Hello to all.
You probably noticed these ads under the search field and on the chat bar.
Google Adsense could work with such a site with more than 24,000 pages viewed per day and constantly increasing, so I try. The idea is quite clear, if Google can sponsorize the server and FICGS championships prizes, they are welcome IMO. Google Adsense is an intelligent system, and adverts are quite relevant.
However, this is a test only ! .. Let's see.
Feel free to tell me what you think, is it unbearable, is it useful ?! .. Thanks for feedback !
Elmer Valderrama (2006-12-06 14:21:49)
Deep (serious) dissappointment
..I think Kramnik website motto
"time is precious when you don't have enough of it"
couldn't be more true here: give him a CC time control and it would have been 0-1.
;)
Yannick Maret (2006-12-15 10:29:25)
Withdraw from WCH waiting list
I registered on the waiting list of FICGS__CHESS__WORLD_CHAMPIONSHIP but I would like to retire. How can I do it? The reason, is that I started too many games in another site and cannot afford to play more chess at the moment!
Thanks,
Yannick
Thibault de Vassal (2006-12-16 13:06:09)
Correspondence chess time controls
Hello Lennart.
Sorry about that, it's been discussed a lot, as in all other correspondence chess sites: correspondence chess time controls are the source of many problems, I'm afraid without a solution. I can only say that's the better solution anyway.
If 40 days + 40 days / 10 moves is too long for you, feel free to play rapid tournaments at 30 days + 1 day / move time control.
My best, Thibault.
Yannick Maret (2006-12-16 13:11:12)
Merci
Merci beaucoup! Vous vous donnez beaucoup de peine pour la gestion de ce site!
Thibault de Vassal (2006-12-17 01:38:17)
SEO forums
Hello to all.
You may have noticed new FICGS forums, linked from the Home Page (article follows) and from the bottom links...
http://www.ficgs.com/forums.html
The article : "The most famous game nowadays isn't chess or Go anymore, the game most played for several years is called SEO : Search Engines Optimization. The board is internet, rules are dicted by Google and players are the webmasters. Actually anyone who creates his homepage or a blog is interested at one time on how to get more visitors on his website. The stakes ? Glory or whatever, but first of all : Money, of course... FICGS now has his own SEO forums. Feel free to discuss anything about Google, his famous PageRank, Yahoo! search, MSN live, affiliate programs, AdSense, AdWords and so on... Have good-Google games !"
The idea is not to make this site a portal about everything or anything, of course :) .. But there are many good reasons to add such content to this site, even if it's completely separated.
SEO forums start today... first dedicated to webmasters, feel free to discuss anything about your website and search engines optimization. I'll try to give some advices :)
Best wishes.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-12-17 04:13:25)
Re:
Thibault,
What's the current top 10 correspondence chess websites according to Google?!
Thibault de Vassal (2006-12-17 04:28:02)
Google results
Oldest sites are still best placed on some keywords, but FICGS slowly improves his rank :)
- "Correspondence chess server" :
FICGS is ranked 1st ! then SchemingMind, Chessfriend, Chessworld, ICCF, ChessHere...
- "Correspondence chess" :
Correspondencechess.com, ICCF, USCF, SchemingMind, EWCCF, Chessfriend, British federation, Scottish federation, RedHotPawn, QueenAlice... FICGS now is ranked about 20th.
- "Chess forum" : FICGS is ranked 13th
- "Chess server" : FICGS is also ranked 13th
Not bad after a few months :)
Wayne Lowrance (2006-12-18 19:34:15)
Having said that
My personal Feeling is that Rybka has not proved itself in coorespondance chess and especially against top Gm's. It makes a lot of silly computer moves as do all engines That a Gm will exploit.
So I guess I agree, more or less with Thibault that chess fritz10 probobly is #1.
I have purchased all of the fritz engines except for fritz 9 and the new fritz10, which explains why I jumped on the chance to get fritz 9 for free here this site. Forget about that free stuff, but that is another subject that I wish not go into.
P.S. Maybe Santa will deliver F10 to me :)
Glen D. Shields (2006-12-26 12:59:52)
Congrats to cyrano
Score one for GK. I just resigned to cyrano on the GK site. I was given a lesson by am excellent player. Congratulations to cyrano and GK! Hope to hold on to the game here, but things are looking bleaker by the move.
Miguel Pires (2006-12-26 23:25:01)
Open challenge
Hello,
I'm making an open challenge to all players (from the top to the bottom) in this site to play against me in the Portuguese oppening. Soo if someone accept the challenge please tell me. I play always with withe.
To Thibault de Vassal
If someone accept can you please setup the games in FICGS?
Best Regard's
Miguel Pires
Graham Wyborn (2006-12-29 14:28:09)
Could this be changed?
Other sites allow you to go on vacation and cancell or return early. Could you make this possible on this site? I would not have booked such a long holiday if I had known I could not cancel it. Now I have withdrawal symtoms as I cannot play on this site until my hoildays ends.
Dinesh De Silva (2006-12-30 04:05:26)
Re:
Hi, Thibault
No, it's a message from a TS on another correspondence chess website to an opponent & me regarding a game. I need a translation in English as I don't know what the message says.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-01-01 08:43:24)
Web directory
Hello to all.
A new extension (one more) to FICGS...
If you have a website, feel free to submit the url in the web directory to get more links :
http://www.ficgs.com/directory.html
Based on FICGS forums script, you can post your website, review other sites... You just have to create a free account that gives access to SEO (Search Engines Optimization) forums and Web directory.
Note : To create a hypertext link in the directory, just type ie. [url=www.yourdomain.com/page.html]Your site[/url] without http, see help.
Graham Wyborn (2007-01-02 13:23:11)
Sledge Hammer to crack a nut!
The rules seem too hard to me. I am locked out of this until the 10th January. This is the only site that I use that does not allow you to cancel holidays. Nor am I allowed to move whilst on holiday, which other sites allow.
Graham Wyborn (2007-01-03 00:12:41)
I'll stop moaning!
It appears to me that the "hard rule" re vacation is to stop players wasting time or using time in a mischievous way. All it has done for me and my opponents is waste time that could have been used wisely.
This is the only site that I use that applies such hash rules, I wish I had seen the earlier correspondence on this matter, as I would had voiced my opinion then, but now it is too late.
Anyway, thank you for the replies. I will stop moaning and look forward to the end of my vacation which will be on January 10th about 4 am!!
Charlie Neil (2007-01-04 12:07:29)
Blitz Chess on Ficgs
Hello Thibault,
By "Real Time" I mean both players are on the site, at the board at the same time. " The rendez-vous system" as you called it.
The Swiss system of pairings by rating and then the second round having the winnners play the winners and those with no points play each other and so on into the next 4 rounds just may work I think, draws are then discouraged.
If it is possible to play 40 moves in two hours on this site that would be brilliant! But how about 2 hours each for the whole game! Games lasting 4 hours maximum would be a challenge, and maybe fun.
Along with the correspendence chess features. Ficgs would have it all! But then "you may call me a dreamer but I'm not the only one".
Kieran Child (2007-01-07 12:14:08)
Rating
Would it be possible for the sign-up page to have a feature for entering your rating as a BCF rating rather than FIDE? I'm more used to BCF ratings and had to times it by five and add 80 then subtract 22% of my birthday before entering my rating - 'twould be much easier if the website did it for you.
This is just a suggestion though. I'm aware we're a minority.
Barry Bell (2007-01-07 18:50:34)
Association Website
Well, the second phase of development has started and you can visit the Anyone 4 Chess association webpage at http://www.association.anyone4chess.com this is not a online playing site and their are no logins required. It is dedicated to providing information and tool to webmasters and people who may want to become a webmaster of a online chess system. The site is young but we that over the next several months to have enough content to be of value to the new and old webmaster. Thanks
Marc Lacrosse (2007-01-08 14:53:13)
My new little chess site ...
... is located at http://chessbazaar.mlweb.info
There will be some computer chess related stuff (opening books, collected ICC games, database processing tips, tests results ...) together with a few games, analyses, and maybe some historical data and so on.
Not that much so far, but I wish and hope that the baby will be growing fast :-)
Marc
Charlie Neil (2007-01-08 17:18:31)
My little new chess site
Loved the pictures on chessbazaar. We have a cat in this house who knows that evolved monkeys are his servants. Good luck with the site.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-01-08 18:14:32)
Chessbazaar
Good luck with this new chess site, Marc :)
What pictures are you talking about, Charlie ?? .. I may have problems to see it on this computer, I'll look at it on another one tomorrow...
Thibault de Vassal (2007-01-10 20:20:51)
Chess sites
Category for chess related websites is :
http://www.ficgs.com/directory-board-games.html
Dinesh De Silva (2007-01-17 14:49:23)
Re:
I had some interesting conversations with Nigel during some games on FICGS last year. It was great that a GM like him played on this site.
Best wishes to him.
Barry Bell (2007-01-19 03:13:05)
Chess Ring
Hello
I have already announced the new chess association located at http://www.association.anyone4chess.com however, I also wanted to mention the new chess ring located at http://www.chessring.anyone4chess.com even though the ring is only available to webmasters that run online chess systems, there is an optional link section that is available to any chess player that would like to advertise (place a link) to their chess website.
Thanks
Thibault de Vassal (2007-01-19 09:38:38)
Chess Ring
Hello Barry, thanks for your email & post about this new chess ring. If I remember well there are 2 'well known' other chess rings on the internet. As for FICGS, I prefer to link directly to chess sites. Soon, there will be a top of best referers on the home page too.
Best wishes.
Marc Lacrosse (2007-01-19 17:19:28)
Other forums that I visit daily
A few other computer-chess-related ones :
Winboard forum :
http://wbforum.vpittlik.org/
WBEC Ridderkerk forum (associated with one of the most reknowned engines evaluation site):
http://f27.parsimony.net/forum67828/index.htm
CSS-forum (german):
http://www.computerschach.de/forum/
Le Fou numérique (french):
http://f50.parsimony.net/forum200321/
And a very nice yahoo group devoted to unorthodox openings :
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/UnorthodoxChessOpenings
In another category I like the two following blogs where there are very lively daily discussions on every chess-related news :
Susan Polgar's one :
http://www.susanpolgar.blogspot.com/
Mig Greengard' daily dirt :
http://www.chessninja.com/dailydirt/
Marc
Thibault de Vassal (2007-01-20 11:48:40)
Chess games
That's right, ChessGames.com is probably the most popular chess site !
Chess Games
http://www.chessgames.com
Michael Finkelstein (2007-01-22 08:39:51)
problems with playback --
Whenever I play back a game and hit the move button, the computer screen drops down a quarter of a page and I have to move the screen up to get to the move buttons. I use firefox as my browser
I came here from playing a lot at queen alice. That site has an easier to use and more informative interface. For instance, allowing me to download my games in progress all at once instead of one at a time; also, have a light by the name of a player to indicate he is online; a buddy list, etc.
Dan Rotaru (2007-01-22 22:13:20)
WORLD_CHAMPIONSHIP Waiting list
Hello. I registered on the waiting list for FICGS__CHESS__WORLD_CHAMPIONSHIP__000002 on January 17 so I assume I am on for replacements during next month. However there are quite a few people before me on the waiting list so I am not sure what my chances to play are. Would it be possible to predict if I can play? I would like to start another tournament by I don’t want to have the surprise to have too many games at once. Or will it be wise to wait? Thank you!
BTW. I really enjoy this site :-).
Michael Finkelstein (2007-01-23 04:37:26)
problems with playback --
Dear Thibault,
Thank you for your kind attention to my issue. I appreciate your efforts here very much.
When I am at the start of a game which I wish to play back, I hit the forward button to play the next move -- when I do so the screen drops a quarter of a page. I then have to go to my screen up button to move the screen up again so I can see the move buttons. Or, when it is my turn to move, I click on the piece I want to move, and the screen again drops down a quarter of a page -- so I have to do a screen up button to get back to the board and click on the square I want to go to. I assume this is a unique problem to me since I saw no posts on it. What do you think, do I need to do a better job of explaining my situation?
In regard to the light by the names of people online, I find it helpful when I logon and go to my games to see in one view which of my opponents is online, that way I can know if I will be making several moves before I log out since my opponent is online too. It is more tedious to search on my messages to see if any of my opponents is online. It would also to nice to have a buddy list so I could see stats in one view on my friends here.
Thank you so much for allowing us to download all our games in progress at once.
I did not mean to be critical. This is a nice site and you do a nice job here. Thank you again for your response to my question.
Mike
Charlie Neil (2007-01-23 10:54:15)
playback
Hello Thibault,
Michael is right about the board dropping quarter of a page when you are going through each move of a current or a past game. But otherwise this is still a 'simple' site to play on. I mean not too many features that detract from the game. Keep up the good work.
Michael Finkelstein (2007-01-23 21:25:52)
problems with playback --
Thibault,
When you are looking at your own game, or any game in the site, you see the chess pieces on the chess board on your computer screen. Belown the chess board are the arrows to move the pieces forward and back in the game in order to replay it. When you click on the arrows to move a piece forward or back as you replay the game, the screen drops a quarter of a page. Thus, to get back to the arrows to replay another move in the game you have to scroll the screen up.
Also, I just noticed that when viewing my game where it is my turn to move, the arrows for replaying the game are not present. This is a problem since I may not have played that game in many days and would like to replay before making my move to remind myself of how I got into the position.
This is a nice play to play, but I do think you shoud visit queenalice.com to see some of the nicer features that you can incorporate here to make the experience better.
Thank you for your kind consideration, Thibault.
Mike
PS I note that when I write here I do put in paragraph spacing but it does not show up in the preview or post. Yet your messages do have paragraph spacing -- how do you do that?
Charlie Neil (2007-02-02 11:45:33)
Without Computer
Marcus if you can please read the old forum postings, "Why do you play corr-chess." I made a similar comment about computers being used as the main player. Believe me I was wrong! As much as in correspondence chess you can use notes, books and databases for reference. Here at FICGS, (A great site!) players use their computers as a reference. It does not benefit anyone to just relay their computer moves without understanding them. Those players won't prosper nor will develop a passion we chessplayers have for the game. I believe that now to be the case.
Personally I don't have a Juinor8, Fritz 10 or Deep Joe 90 or whatever to use as a reference point. I do have a pile of books that serve to confuse me in my games. As I continue to seek understanding in this game. People should use computers as long as the computers don't use them! How boring can it be just to imput moves? The computer isn't compulsory. And I am saving a fortune on stamps playing here! It is fun after all. It is only a game. Even if it is a terrible one.
Marc Lacrosse (2007-02-03 18:09:12)
To Richard & Benjamin
There are dozens of web-server-chess sites where computer use is forbidden.
If you cannot see any interest in computer-assisted play why do you play here ?
Nothing requested you to play here ...
I won't argue on the interest of computer-assisted chess. It's a question of taste and I do completely understand that you do not like it.
Every month there is a new thread in the forum complaining against computer-assisted cheaters or defending the gimmick of the poor computer-assisted idiot unable to play on its own.
This I cannot accept : go away to these numerous sites where computer is forbidden (and real cheaters abound) and let us play according to the rules of this site !
By the way if you wish do choose any engine of your liking and do let it play alone without human intervention a pair of games against any of the 100 best rated players here.
I am ready to bet that the computer alone is probably going to lose both games or at most to get one draw.
Then you will maybe understand why the human touch is decisive in these games.
And as I already said on numerous occasions, when I am going to spend dozens of hours analysing a foregoing game all along months of play I prefer that my opponent won't spoil it due to a pure magnificent and so-human blunder.
Winning against blundering self-comfident purely human opponents has no taste at all IMHO
I prefer fighting hard against one who has all kind of book and computer help assisting him.
Marc
Thibault de Vassal (2007-02-08 11:33:25)
Why I play here
I don't know if playing here is similar to being at an OTB club (well I forgot what it is :)), but I do appreciate to have time to discuss with my opponents.
About complaining, it looks like things are going really better for a few months, the site may be not very clear everywhere yet and I'm still late with new features to come, but that's encouraging :) .. Also I'd like to thank all people responding to newcomers in the forum & chat before I can see it. And last but not least, thanks everyone for the friendly peace that reigns here :)
Marc Lacrosse (2007-02-14 19:09:12)
To Nicola
But there are already _many_ other web-chess organisations with forbidden computer use:
- our friends at itsyourturn.com
- the letsplaychess server
- http://www.playchess.de/
...
The last one has a very good interface and is also free.
Servers with computer use allowed are at the opposite very few.
So why should Thibault change a feature which is specific here for something which is already available everywhere else ?
Moreover, having played for long at playchess.de where both kinds of play exist (with or without computer help) I can tell you that there was there a surprinsingly large number of players cheating in the non-computer section instead of playing with their computers in the computer-allowed one, and this was at the origin pf permanent discussions and flame wars on their forum.
For what regards myself I do not wish that FICGS would go the same way.
Marc
Marc Lacrosse (2007-02-15 22:55:30)
Why such a shouting ?
@Benjamin Aldag
"The discussion is not about to change something. It is about to build a new feature here"
You are completely illogical.
Evidently you may play without computer as you wish here.
You may also try to find other members who prefer to play this way and register together with them in a tournament.
So what you wish to do is already possible.
But what you request is not that.
You request to play here against opponents for whom computer use will be forbidden.
This is simply not the rule here. It's even one of the fundamental originalities of this site.
The rules of the site are that everything is allowed
If you and friends of yours manage to play without computers this is up to you
But asking for special rules supposes that you intend to request that Thibault or someone will check that YOUR rule is enforced.
IMHO this is purely not working. You won't find any organisation that wil be able to ensure that no player cheats regarding this kind of rule.
So let me repeat (and it is MY RIGHT not to agree with your opinions) : if you find opponents with which you have an agreement for playing without comps here this is perfectly fine for everybody and it's up to you to see wether you are happy with the way your partners do or do not respect the agreement.
If you wish to change radically the rules so as to have tournaments where something like a police dept will check that no comp is used than GO AWAY and simply do register in one of the numerous sites where these rules do exist and where almost everybody cheats.
By the way : no need for shouting to tell what you wish.
Shouting will not make your opinions more valuable in any way.
Marc
Thibault de Vassal (2007-02-17 12:26:13)
Les échecs en France
Here is the agreement just signed by the ministry of education and the french chess federation - fédération française des échecs (F.F.E.)
This should help to promote chess in France.
CONVENTION-CADRE
Établie entre les soussignés :
L'État - Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche
représenté par Monsieur Gilles de Robien, ministre,
ci-dessous dénommé " le Ministère "
et
La Fédération française des échecs
représenté par Monsieur Jean-Claude Moingt, président,
ci-dessous dénommé " la Fédération "
Rappelant
Que le jeu d'échecs, activité à la fois ludique et sportive, constitue aussi et surtout une activité intellectuelle qui permet de développer des compétences diverses chez ceux qui le pratiquent, et notamment chez les jeunes auprès de qui il constitue un réel vecteur de formation ;
Que la pratique des échecs encourage notamment le développement des capacités intellectuelles telles que la mémoire, le raisonnement logique, la capacité d'abstraction, l'analyse de problème et la mise en oeuvre de stratégies de résolution ;
Que la pratique des échecs contribue également à la construction de la personnalité en encourageant l'attention, l'imagination, l'anticipation, le jugement et la confiance en soi ;
Que le jeu d'échecs, école de concentration et de maîtrise de la pensée, est enfin une école de maîtrise de soi qui favorise l'apprentissage des règles et le respect d'autrui, et à ce titre participe de l'apprentissage de la citoyenneté ;
Considérant
Que, pour toutes ces raisons, le jeu d'échecs constitue un complément légitime et pertinent des activités éducatives proposées par l'Ecole ;
Que de nombreuses expériences menées en académies ont permis de mettre en oeuvre des projets de qualité associant des établissements scolaires et des clubs d'échecs dans un cadre réfléchi et concerté entre les parties concernées ;
Que ces initiatives ont permis de développer des pratiques et des outils permettant une exploitation du jeu d'échecs dans un cadre scolaire et/ou périscolaire ;
Il a été convenu ce qui suit :
Article 1 - Objectifs
Par la présente convention le Ministère et la Fédération affirment leur volonté commune de favoriser le développement de la pratique du jeu d'échecs dans les écoles, les collèges et les lycées. Ils se donnent comme objectifs la mise en oeuvre de deux axes de travail privilégiés :
- le jeu d'échecs au service de l'égalité des chances, l'expérience montrant que la pratique des échecs peut constituer pour des élèves en difficulté scolaire une occasion privilégiée de se remotiver et de se remettre sur la voie de la réussite scolaire ;
- la dimension éducative du jeu d'échecs auprès du plus grand nombre, en favorisant la transférabilité des acquis entre les pratiques ludiques et les situations d'apprentissage.
Article 2 - Egalité des chances
Le Ministère et la Fédération conviennent de développer l'accès de la pratique des échecs auprès des publics scolaires qui en sont les plus éloignés pour des raisons sociales ou géographiques. Le partenariat portera en particulier sur des actions impliquant :
- les collèges " ambition réussite ", qui visent à offrir un cadre d'excellence à des publics scolaires confrontés aux plus grandes difficultés socio-économiques. La contribution de la Fédération consistera notamment en mise à disposition de matériel (ludique et/ou pédagogique), en actions de sensibilisation ou de formation organisées dans le cadre des établissements concernés, en appariements des collèges avec des clubs de proximité ou encore en parrainage de certains collèges par des joueurs de haut niveau recommandés par la Fédération.
- l'opération " Ecole ouverte ", qui accueille les jeunes dans les EPLE pendant les vacances scolaires pour leur proposer des activités de loisirs à visée éducative. Parce qu'il conjugue les dimensions ludique et formatrice, le jeu d'échecs correspond bien à l'esprit de ce dispositif qui contribue à modifier l'image de l'école auprès des jeunes.
- les dispositifs relais (classes et ateliers), qui accueillent temporairement des élèves en voie de décrochage ou de désocialisation. La pratique des échecs peut permettre à ces jeunes de reprendre goût à l'activité intellectuelle, tout en leur inculquant le respect des règles et de l'autre.
Article 3 - Action éducative
De façon plus générale, le Ministère et la Fédération conviennent d'encourager la connaissance et la pratique des échecs auprès du plus grand nombre. A ce titre, ils pourront notamment :
- développer la pratique des échecs dans le cadre des activités péri-scolaires au sein des internats scolaires, des clubs et des foyers socio-éducatifs, en partenariat avec les clubs locaux.
- mettre en place des actions de sensibilisation et/ou de formation dans les écoles et les établissements volontaires, en rapprochant les équipes éducatives et les clubs selon des modalités à préciser entre les partenaires concernés : enseignement et pratique dans le temps scolaire ou périscolaire, projets thématiques fédérateurs s'appuyant sur les dispositifs transversaux, opérations d'information et d'animation, tournois scolaires à l'échelle d'une ville ou d'un bassin, etc.
- développer des ressources en co-édition, en lien avec le réseau des CRDP et des CDDP (sites Internet de jeu pour les écoles, dépliants de présentation, outils pédagogiques, etc.).
Article 4 - Contribution des partenaires
La Fédération française des échecs s'engage à apporter aux écoles, collèges et lycées qui en font la demande une aide en matériel ou en ressources diverses (publications, outils pédagogiques etc.). Dans le cas d'actions spécifiques conduites au sein des établissements dans les temps scolaire ou périscolaire, les cadres qualifiés de la Fédération ou de ses organes déconcentrés devront avoir reçu un accord préalable du Ministère et/ou de ses services déconcentrés ; ils pourront apporter des aides techniques ponctuelles auprès des enseignants qui en feront la demande après avoir pris l'avis des corps d'inspection.
De son côté, le Ministère s'engage à diffuser, par le biais de son réseau de communication et de diffusion ainsi que par l'intermédiaire de ses services déconcentrés, l'information nécessaire à la mise en oeuvre de ce partenariat.
Article 5 - Communication
L'application du présent accord-cadre peut donner lieu à des déclarations et communications aux médias par chacun des partenaires, lesquels conviennent de se concerter préalablement.
Article 6 - Mise en oeuvre et suivi
Les partenaires conviennent de se réunir au moins une fois par an pour examiner les conditions de mise en œuvre de l'accord-cadre et dresser un état des lieux des actions entreprises sur la période de l'année écoulée.
Article 7 - Durée
La présente convention est signée pour une durée de trois ans à compter de la date de la signature. A l'issue de ces trois années un bilan global permettra de faire le point sur l'évolution des pratiques à l'école, au collège et au lycée et d'étudier sur cette base les termes du renouvellement de la convention. Elle peut être résiliée par l'une ou l'autre des parties, à l'expiration d'un délai de trois mois suivant l'envoi d'une lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception valant mise en demeure.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-02-17 13:45:09)
Tablebases 6 pieces
There was a russian website where tablebases 6 pieces were available. You just had to set up a position, then see the move to play and if it's a draw or mate in x moves.
I suppose there are other places with this feature now, does anyone know more websites like this one ?
Charlie Neil (2007-02-17 15:36:41)
Gameknot Match
What's the score now? And are there any challanges to others sites planned? I enjoyed the visit to gameknot. Put me down for any other inter-site challanges.
Charlie Neil (2007-02-19 13:52:00)
ICCF champions league
I have played on the ICCF webserver. So, it must be an easy webserver to play on if i can manage it! I think there must be a Ficgs team! More publicity and a chance to meet more chessfriends. Unfortunately I'm not of the standard required to be in a successful team but I can stand on the "touchline" with my Ficgs scarf and shout encouragement. C'mon! Also what about challenges to those sites such itsyourturn and chessworld.net and schemingming.com. you know the ones that aren't free to play on.....
Marcus Miranda (2007-02-21 18:01:11)
Unrelated suggestion
This probably has nothing to do with this topic, but one suggestion I would like to make is to put the tournaments won by the player in the player profile. For me it would be kind of cool since I am a bit far from titles or norms. Anyways it's just a thought. And by the way, this site is great, thanks thibault.
Kim Peters (2007-03-03 13:41:34)
Suggestion : Analysis board
forgive me if this has been mentioned before but i think the one thing this site is missing, and the one thing that would take it from being a very nice site to a GREAT one is an analysis board.
one of the advantages CC has over OTB chess is the ability to move the pieces around and see how a position will play out 5,6 10 moves down the line. yes we have the "review" board, which is nice to see where you've been but we need something to see also where we are going.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-03 13:53:36)
Analysis board
That's a fine suggestion. The problem is the whole site (also the chessboard) is implemented in HTML, not Java / Javascript. Such an analysis board would be quite slow, loading a page for each move... Anyway I'll think about it.
Samy Ould Ahmed (2007-03-08 16:19:54)
Mikhail Umansky-Samy_Ould-Ahmed
[Event "5th Freestyle Main Event"]
[Site "playchess.com #091606"]
[Date "2007.03.04"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Mikhail Umansky"]
[Black "Samy_Ould-Ahmed"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E04"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O Rb8 7. Nc3 a6 8. e4
Be7 9. Qe2 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qxd4 11. Rd1 Qc5 12. e5 Nd7 13. Ne4 Qb5 14. a4 Qb3 15.
Rd4 b5 16. Qg4 Bf8 17. axb5 Qxb5 18. Bf4 Qxb2 19. Qd1 Qb3 20. Qh5 Qc2 21. Rdd1
Be7 22. Rac1 Qa2 23. Ng5 g6 24. Qh6 Bf8 25. Qh3 Rb6 26. Bf1 Qb2 27. Rxc4 c5 28.
Ne4 h6 29. Bg2 Be7 30. Rc3 g5 31. Bc1 Qb4 32. Qh5 Bb7 33. Re3 c4 34. Nd6+ Bxd6
35. exd6 Bxg2 36. Rxe6+ Kd8 37. Qxf7 Rf8 38. Qe7+ Kc8 39. Rf6 Rd8 40. Kxg2 Qa4
41. Rf5 Qc6+ 42. Kg1 c3 43. Qe1 c2 44. Rd2 Rb1 45. h3 Kb8 46. Kh2 Qc3 47. Rf7
Ne5 48. Rf5 Nc6 49. Rfd5 h5 50. d7 a5 51. R5d3 Qc4 52. Re3 a4 53. Re8 Qc3 0-1
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-12 15:31:09)
Major update : SSL encryption forms
Hello to all.
This is the last major update before money tournaments can start...
Now you can login through SSL encryption forms, meaning the best security to prevent hacking.
You should use SSL encryption forms only to browse the whole site with HTTPS, particularly if you wish to enter money tournaments later... It is also strongly recommended to change your password regularly (at least 8 characters, numbers & letters is best).
Thus you should always see HTTPS:// before the url after you login.
Feel free to follow this link for more advices about security & phishing :
http://www.ficgs.com/membership.html#security
FICGS now uses SSL data encryption, hash functions and a bunch of other security features...
4 login forms is a lot but thus anyone can connect, even with browsers that doesn't support HTTPS and Javascript.
Also a few minor bug fixes and improvements, komi updated in .SGF files, reinforced hash functions, last connection date displayed in profile and so on...
All feedbacks are welcome :)
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-12 15:35:44)
Google ads
Notice : Ads by Google Adsense are no more displayed when you browse the site with HTTPS.
This may be a reason good enough to use the SSL encryption forms only :)
Nick Burrows (2007-03-15 00:16:26)
quotationes
I think the different quotes popping up, enhance the site immeasureably. It's good that they are not all chess related, here are some more metaphysical offerings from my favourite film - 'Waking life'
"Life is a matter of a miracle that is collected over time by moments flabbergasted to be in each others presence."
“The quest is to be liberated from the negative, which is really our own will to nothingness…To say yes to one instant is to say yes to all of existence.”
"Whatever you do, don’t be bored. This is absolutely the most exciting time we could have possibly hoped to be alive. And things are just starting.”
Has anyone seen it?
Peace, nick burrows.
Charlie Neil (2007-03-17 21:18:40)
FIDE time controls
OTB 1 hour plus 10 seconds a move. The Fischer time clock manufacturers will be happy with that.....and it makes my old turnier clock obsolete! I checked out the site and read about the candidate matches in June. Boris Spassky is on the appeals committee. I wonder how he will deal with the ridiculous acussations that no doubt will arise.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-19 17:57:06)
Timeout
Yes, sorry.. This is a security issue. Too many people do not logout (true for all websites).
Don Burden (2007-03-20 02:31:31)
Brainyquote
I see you found the brainyquote web site. I like a lot of the Greek Philosopher quotes:
All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind. Aristotle.
I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better. Plutarch.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled. Plutarch.
Marc Lacrosse (2007-03-20 11:47:28)
Nice game and nice site!
Blokus seems really interesting indeed.
And the site with good online play features is very well done.
I can even play from behind my corporate firewall :-)
It will be difficult to resist ...
:-))))
Marc
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-21 12:13:29)
Web
I don't know much about books, but here are some good internet places to start IMO :
http://www.godiscussions.com
http://www.jeudego.org (french)
Google search :
http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Awww.godiscussions.com%20books%20beginners
Lionel Vidal (2007-03-23 18:59:07)
Not too up-to-date article...
Computers are much better in chess now than in 1998 ( :-) or :-( ... hum maybe :-( for me...). I am not sure that a player, even J. Edwards (very good player and a good chess writer too!) could be sure anymore to CC-outplay an engine running 24h/day on a modern hardware platform. He might win, yes, but might only IMHO.
Nowadays, many CC players (most?) consider that using an engine is *not* cheating, and I am so sure that *most* sites, as said in the article, do prohibit such a use. At least it could be noted that the strongest players seem to play in ICCF (or maybe iecg ... and in FICGS of course :-)) where engines are allowed. (and this is good IMO, not per se but, as it is often recalled, because their ban could not be correctly enforced)
Anyway I am looking forward to reading the next article to use more effenciently chessbase :-)
Lionel Vidal (2007-03-27 15:57:30)
Chess and Xiangqi
A very interresting article in Chesscafe (www.chesscafe.com) by K.Müller on some endgame similarities in chess and xiangqi.
Xiangqi is great chess game (one of the greatest, even if I am quite weak at it; and in any cases, by far the greatest chess game by the number of players :-)): in short time limits (standard is 20 minutes per players) you can't beat that game for a exciting tactical mélée... and then if both palyers survive, the endgame is full of subtilities...
BTW *all* K.Müller articles on that site are a must-read! :-)
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-28 04:21:32)
100 games per player
With the last update, a new "limitation" appeared on the server : It is not possible anymore to enter a waiting list (but money tournament) if you have more than 100 running games...
Of course, a hundred games is enormous already, actually the aim is not to reduce the number of running games on the server but only to prevent some cases of massive forfeits. Also a few players asked to prevent them to enter too many tournaments at the same time... This site may be too addictive :)
Marc Lacrosse (2007-03-28 19:32:07)
You change the rules or I leave :-)
A few comments in french (sorry : easyer for me)
Deux situations distinctes se produisent :
1. Quelqu'un a mal évalué et s'est engagé dans trop de parties, ou bien a un problème de santé, ou un changement de ses possibilités de loisirs. Il décide d'abandonner un tournoi, abandonne toutes ses parties, donne une petite explication à ses adversaires et bien sûr ne se réinscrit à rien dans l'immédiat. Désagréable mais bien sûr tout à fait admissible. La moindre des choses est qu'on lui interdise de s'inscrire à quoi que ce soit tant que ce qui reste de parties n'est pas terminé (ou abandonné) et que la prochaine réinscription se limite au départ à un seul tournoi qui devra être complètement terminé avant de pouvoir à nouveau cumuler plusieurs inscriptions simultanées.
2. Quelqu'un s'inscrit à de multiples tournois et s'arrête de jouer dans ceux où il est mal parti. Il ne prévient rien ni personne et laisse son temps s'écouler. Entretemps il s'inscrit à d'autres tournois et procède de même. De temps en temps il termine un tournoi si celui-ci parait mieux engagé. Ce joueur(?)-ci est simplement un parasite, un gâcheur de plaisir et un fausseur de résultats pour ceux qui le rencontrent. Mon opinion est sans appel : exclusion pure et simple de celui qui laisse s'éteindre des parties sans aucun commentaire tout en s'inscrivant à de nouveaux tournois. Je ne vois aucune justification possible à une telle attitude.
Je comprends que certains ne partagent pas cette opinion radicale
Quoiqu'il en soit, j'estime que le minimum exigible en faveur de ceux qui ont déjà été confronté à des "droppers" est de leur offrir un moyen de ne pas se trouver à nouveau confrontés aux mêmes parasites dans un autre tournoi.
Je m'explique : actuellement si je m'inscris dans un nouveau tournoi je n'ai aucune assurance quant à l'identité de ceux qui viendront s'inscrire après moi, et je risque à donc à nouveau d'être confronté à quelques-uns de ces personnages que je suis fermement décidé à ne plus rencontrer.
Je n'accepte pas cette perspective
Dès lors, tant qu'il n'y aura pas une modification de règlement qui me permettra d'éviter qu'un "dropper" connu s'inscrive dans un tournoi où je prendrai part, je ne jouerai plus sur FICGS.
Marc
PS Pour ma part, m'étant déjà engagé dans ce tournoi qui a complètement avorté et dans un tournoi master class ICCF, j'ai renoncé à ma qualification dans le championnat FICGS pour éviter de me trouver dans l'obligation éventuelle de renoncer à certaines parties. Le moins qu'on puisse dire est que l'attitude de certains ne me récompense pas vraiment de ma prudence ...
Thibault de Vassal (2007-03-29 04:57:34)
:o)
Merci pour la plaidoirie détaillée :) ... Bon, je suppose que l'idée d'une pénalité restrictive sur les inscriptions est assez bonne, mais peut être insuffisante également. Une pénalité immédiate sur le classement (entrainant une chute de catégorie) pourrait être plus persuasive, j'y pense !
Voilà ce que j'ai pu observer pour ma part jusqu'ici :
Les classements de ces joueurs (notamment dans ton tournoi) baissent malgré tout suffisamment vite pour qu'ils ne puissent pas se réinscrire dans les mêmes catégories, c'est le cas pour 4 des joueurs de ce tournoi, passés sous la barre des 2200.
Certains parasites qui, en effet, volontairement ont tenté de s'inscrire dans un maximum de tournois et abandonner toutes leurs parties pour troubler les classements ont eu un effet minime, pour la simple raison que je les vois faire et mets fin à leurs parties avant les 10 coups pour la plupart, ce qui n'a que peu d'incidence au final. Certains jouent maintenant leurs parties jusqu'au bout, les autres sont partis.
La plus grande cause de forfait en proportion est la "simple visite", le joueur qui s'inscrit, joue quelques coups dans un tournoi puis disparait... La rançon de la simplicité d'inscription et de la gratuité, contre laquelle je ne peux pas grand chose. J'ai pensé à mettre en place un système de limite de nombre de parties progressif, mais je ne suis pas sûr encore que ce soit positif.
Au final, j'ai tout de même envie de croire que ce qui s'est passé dans ce tournoi (à ce niveau) restera exceptionnel... Mais je suis d'accord pour trouver une solution à ce problème, au moins de garantir de ne plus pouvoir rencontrer ces adversaires avant un bon moment.
La pénalité immédiate sur le classement me parait être la seule solution. Toute autre suggestion bienvenue...
Wayne Lowrance (2007-03-30 02:15:30)
Droppers: New Rule
I am wrestling with this new rule a little bit. Cannot make up my mind if I like it or not. I do not like to see games foreited or silent withdrawals in general. But Tribault goes on to amplify "any player who forfeits his games without giving an explanation...." The term (plural) games is one thing. But should I wish to forfeit "a" game based on my evaluation should not be challenged. I would not think I would have to explain why I am doing so.
A certain amount of trust is required here on this site as Tribault has preached over and over again...Oh well, either way, fire away.
Wayne
Marc Lacrosse (2007-03-30 07:29:57)
why isn't it correspondence ?
"This is no more correspondence chess IMO"
Why so ?
I prefer few games where moves come quickly : I can keep them all in mind and I analyse them almost everyday
That's already the way I actually play : see the state of my clock at the end of my games :-)
At the opposite for what regards myself I feel terribly uncomfortable if I have more than 10-12 games running simultaneously and slowly: when I get a move it's like being in a new game because I cannot remind my former analyses (well they are written down but this is not the same)
Thibault de Vassal (2007-04-01 00:35:38)
WCH prize fund - EUR 30,000
Hello to all.
A great news ! .. This is now confirmed just before the start of money tournaments, a german bank joined FICGS to guarantee a prize fund that just increased from EUR 2,000 to EUR 30.000 for the winner of the 2nd FICGS chess world championship !
Ads for both current sponsors will be displayed permanently in a few days on the site, thanks again to them, it will give a new dimension to this chess competition for sure ! .. Still looking for a second sponsor for the FICGS world Go championship, at the moment a japanese firm offers a prize fund of $1,500
Best wishes and have good WCH games !
Thibault de Vassal (2007-04-09 16:16:41)
GM vs. chess engines database
Someone mentioned "Marc Lacrosse´s database" in a Rybka forum's thread, I did not find it with Google, but I found this interesting Man vs. Machine database, 2837 GM vs. engine games on ICC so far, on Marc's website : Chessbazaar (link was on this forum :))
http://users.skynet.be/mlcc/chessbazaar/gmvscompsicc2006.html
Graham Wyborn (2007-04-18 06:51:36)
Skip Feature - thank U
Could the (download) button be duplicated next to the new "skip" button. This would save the constant need to scroll / wheel down the page.
Also having pressed "send", why the need to press the "next" button.
Either go straight to the next game or make it part of the prefences so the choice is ours. Some sites do the later.
I am the web master on two sites (not related to games or chess), so I imagine the above could be done.
Keep up the good work Thibault, many thanks for a great site!
Marc Lacrosse (2007-04-22 11:59:10)
win against Anand :-)
Yesterday world number one Vishy Anand played a 90-minute simul against 19 opponents on ICC to raise funds for his favorite charity in India.
I had bought a seat and intended to play an unorthodox opening if possible.
I happened to be lucky enough to get the opportunity to play my favorite Basman-Sale sicilian defence...
... and I won !
In the very next days I will publish the game with a few comments on my site at chessbazaar.mlweb.info
This is the most beautiful day of my chess life :-)
Marc
the game :
[Event "ICC 90 5 u"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2007.04.21"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Anand"]
[Black "Bluesette"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[WhiteElo "2786"]
[BlackElo "2155"]
[Opening "Sicilian defense"]
[ECO "B41"]
[NIC "SI.41"]
[Time "12:04:06"]
[TimeControl "5400+5"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. Bf4 d5 8.
exd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. Bb5+ Nc6 11. O-O O-O 12. c3 Bf5 13. Qd2 a6 14.
Bxc6 bxc6 15. Be3 Bc7 16. Bf4 Bb6 17. Rfe1 Qf6 18. Be5 Qg6 19. Qf4 Be4 20.
Qg3 Rfe8 21. Bd4 Bc7 22. Qxg6 Bxg6 23. Nc5 a5 24. b3 Bf5 25. f3 h5 26. g3 f6
27. Kf2 Kf7 28. Na4 g5 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. Bb6 Bxb6+ 31. Nxb6 Rb8 32. Na4 Rb5
33. Rd1 Be6 34. Ke3 c5 35. Kd2 c4 36. bxc4 dxc4 37. Kc1 Rf5 38. Rf1 Re5 39.
Rf2 Re3 40. f4 gxf4 41. Rxf4 Re1+ 42. Kb2 Re2+ 43. Ka3 Rxh2 44. Nc5 Bg4 45.
Ne4 f5 46. Rf2 Rxf2 47. Nxf2 Kf6 48. Ka4 Kg5 49. Kxa5 f4 50. gxf4+ Kxf4
{White resigns}
0-1
Marc Lacrosse (2007-04-23 00:51:39)
some infos
Anand won 17, drew one and lost one.
I have put the game on my website with light comments at :
http://chessbazaar.mlweb.info
Marc
Nick Burrows (2007-04-23 01:50:31)
my 64 pence worth...
I must admit that i have always disliked the Fide WC rule. It seems to be there to protect the champion rather than creating a level playing field.
The fide WC is also played over 24 games rather than 5 in the groups here.
My humble opinion is that for the WC groups of 11/13 or double round robin, would be fairer and give the skillfull players more oportunity to demonstrate that skill.
It is quite likely that in a group of 5, with just 1 or 2 critical games - the better player could finish even and be eliminated. Fine for class groups, but surely the in a 'World Championships' its worth exploring a little extra detail to find the real deserving winner.
A healthy debate! No matter what, thankyou for the provision of such a great site :)
Jason Repa (2007-04-23 10:04:00)
Cheating Accusations
My advice is to take the accusations with a grain of salt. I'm a very good blitz/bullet player and years ago before I found out about ICC and Playchess.com I used to play at the crappy free sites such as yahoo and pogo. I would often be the strongest and highest rated player in the room and would get constantly accused of being a "prog". I would say take it as a compliment but these people are too stupid to understand what a good move or good technique is. They make the accusation based on successful results only.
As for your game with Anand. I think it's ridiculous to accuse you of program assistance. For starters, the game isn't very important. It's just an unrated simul game with no prize whatsoever. It seems to me you should have received some sort of award, not necessarily cash, but something chess related and of value. I understand it's for charity, but I can't see who in their right mind would pay money to play in a simul when there is no incentive to win. You might as well just write a check to send directly to the handicapped children of India.
When Chapters bookstore hired me to do a chess simul it was a fundraiser for our chess club. I didn't lose any games, but the sole person to merely draw me (28-0-1) in the 29 games I played received a free tournament entry ($30 value) to one of our local monthly events. I thought this was a great idea and had the benefit of bringing a new player into our club.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-04-29 23:48:55)
Google searches
Statistics are always instructive, often funny :)
Recently, a few new "magic" keywords appeared to attract Googlers on FICGS website... After 'Yahoo mail problems' and a bunch of other funny ones, it seems a new chess star is born on Google :) .. "Marc Lacrosse" or "Marc Lacrosse Anand ICC" appear many times a day... Another funny one "Rybka 2.3.1 free download" or "Rybka download free" : Dear friends, Rybka is not free for download here, I'm sorry ;)
Nick Burrows (2007-04-30 16:31:33)
T vs K - Cochrane Gambit
Heres the game Thibault!?
[Event "XVI Ciudad de Linares 99"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "1999.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Veselin Topalov"]
[Black "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[ECO "C42"]
[WhiteElo "2700"]
[BlackElo "2751"]
[PlyCount "62"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7 Kxf7 5. Nc3 c5 6. Bc4+
Be6 7. Bxe6+ Kxe6 8. d4 Kf7 9. dxc5 Nc6 10. Qe2 Qd7 11. Be3
dxc5 12. f4 Re8 13. e5 Ng4 14. Rd1 Qf5 15. O-O h5 16. Bc1 Nd4
17. Qc4+ Kg6 18. h3 Nh6 19. Nb5 a6 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. Qxd4 Rc8
22. Qb6+ Kh7 23. Qxb7 Rxc2 24. Be3 Qg6 25. Rc1 Rxc1 26. Rxc1
Nf5 27. Bf2 h4 28. Rc7 Ng3 29. Kh2 Nf1+ 30. Kg1 Qb1 31. Bxh4
Bc5+ 1/2-1/2
Thibault de Vassal (2007-05-01 04:15:25)
Chinese thoughts championship :)
Always looking for new funny quotes, Don just told me this nice one : "Man with more than one clock never know what time it is" :>
Do you have your own chinese thoughts ? .. or do you know websites like this one :
http://www.chine-informations.com/mods/dossiers/index.php?lg=en&action=fiche&id=253
Wolfgang Utesch (2007-05-01 18:19:14)
Display of rules
It is displayed only under MEMBERSHIP (with a lot of scroling). It will be much better you can display it also on the personell sites under the special term RULES!
Thibault de Vassal (2007-05-07 14:22:09)
Help / Rules
Fortunately, a few players who know the site quite well are always around there ;)
Hello Ida, feel free to see help - http://www.ficgs.com/help.html
Marc Lacrosse (2007-05-12 17:02:41)
Basman-Sale defence
The Basman-Sale defence has now its site here :
http://users.skynet.be/mlcc/chessbazaar/basmansale/index.html
Comments are welcome.
Marc
PS. The BS is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 !?
Thibault de Vassal (2007-05-29 15:28:44)
Chess news RSS / XML
Hello to all,
Feel free to use the FICGS RSS feed for chess news (and Go news) to display it on your own website, like Centurion Chess Club does :
http://www.centurionchessclub.co.za
The RSS feed for chess news - http://www.ficgs.com/news_chess.rss
The RSS feed for Go news - http://www.ficgs.com/news_go.rss
Thibault de Vassal (2007-06-06 05:51:55)
E-Points + 25% , affiliate links
Hello to all, now trying to promote tournaments with entry fees & money prizes :)
You may have seen in rules that there are 2 'rakes' for money tournaments, a one-time 25% and a 'rake' per tournament which is very low... From now and until september 31, you'll be given 25% E-Points more when buying E-Points through Moneybookers or Paypal (see "My account" page), which nearly cancels the main rake !
Also it is now possible to win E-Points by becoming an affiliate & helping to promote FICGS... All details in "My account" page : For each new member refered by your link on the web, you'll be given E-Points (now 0,5 per member)... Of course urls and new members are verified, but anyway it is quite easy to reach the 10 E-Points silver ticket !
There could be E-Points prizes for free tournaments (class SM & class M) soon...
It is also possible to post your websites in FICGS directory :
http://www.ficgs.com/directory.html
Wolfgang Utesch (2007-06-16 07:52:47)
Dead Man's Defense
Nobody has to install 6-pieces-endings on his own computer today. You can just have a look at internet site:
http://www.shredderchess.com/online-chess/online-databases/endgame-database.html
Thibault de Vassal (2007-06-18 02:18:32)
Translations / UTF-8
The reason why the home page can only be traduced in the FICGS wiki-encyclopedia is that it is the only part of the site (and chat bar) that accepts UTF-8 format, so ie. russian, chinese, japanese letters.
Wayne Lowrance (2007-06-18 03:53:01)
World Computer Chess Championship (wccc)
Thibault, I dont care for your notion here. It is WCCC and should not be downgraded because ChessBase and program authors of Hiarcs, junior & fritz did not enter. Those programs have the big rep';s, but in actuality you should check out all of the rating sites. Zappa ranks Higher that those three programs for example.
There is a thing called GridChess, which is very strong, beat shreddar. Oh I dunno, I could go on. Mostly I object to chesbase direct or indirect control of the chess engine tournaments. And to make things worse you and others posts nonsense as this.
My two cents my friend.
Wayne
Thibault de Vassal (2007-06-19 08:46:02)
UTF-8
Sorry Andrey, this part of the site is not in UTF-8 format... It is possible to write in russian in the chat bar !
Thibault de Vassal (2007-06-20 22:54:33)
Internet chess
Well, the discussion with Tryfon Gavriel continues at TCCMB. As I had to explain the way I make FICGS, I copy my responses here :
http://ancients.correspondencechess.com/index.php?topic=109.15
Hello again Tryfon !
That's a very interesting discussion...
Actually I have to explain FICGS in its whole to respond :) .. To be continued for sure..
While registering a new member wrote to me a few months ago "Thanks for creating this ultimate chess challenge" or so... That's exactly what I try to do, mostly with the FICGS championship knockout & round-robin rules... Players just want challenge, that's the only assumption I start with, so I try to create interesting challenges. About the intellectual part, you're right but I'm quite sure that top level correspondence chess players still consider their game as an intellectual challenge, much more than a brute force or computer skills one. That's not the case for Advanced chess with fast time controls.
Let's take a look at the bicycle races again... The "Tour de France" is dying IMO.. because everyone understood we "don't know" if the champion is ok.. If doping was allowed (it would be a scandal for health of course), I'm sure the interest would raise again ! I think it is the same for chess & for everything else... The "Tour de France" syndrom happened in Elista with the match Kramnik vs. Topalov... It will have consequences. We need champions and we want true champions, every means are ok for this ! .. So the "engines allowed" rule is the only one possible or reasonable in my opinion.
Of course, chess & correspondence chess are changing, because these "walls" are nearer & nearer... maybe chess will die, maybe not.. The main problem is that in 1997, a super computer became World Champion... this year a "simple" computer Deep Fritz became world champion, soon Rybka on a cellular phone... :) Who is really interested to be a champion in "human category" ? FIDE world chess championship will continue to progressively lose its interest IMO...
Correspondence chess is just starting to grow in popularity and is told to be dying already. Surely correspondence chess will ask more & more time at a high level to win a few points, but it is possible to create more challenge by ie. changing the rating rules (the "design" of Elo rating system will become a problem).. Then, if it is not enough, we'll look for other challenges... It's told for years that Go (Weiqi) will replace chess in western countries... why not Big chess as the "brain only" game if there can't be doping in it.. just trying, as there's no other solution :)
A word about Poker of course, as it's probably the fastest growing game in popularity : IMO this game is at a stade like chess in year 1900, but the same problem will happen, even quicker. At a high level the game will be just more and more boring (if you wish to win real money) or chancy (in a wch tournament), or you'll have to always find weak players (well, not very challenging).
About the simultaneous exhibition against Alekhine or Capablanca, I'm not sure at all they would crush everyone at our chess servers, they are undoubtly more talented than all of us, but I feel it wouldn't be enough in all cases to win against correspondence chess style of play & knowledge accumulated for 50 years... A few players rated OTB 2000-2200 could draw against them IMO...
At last, yes I'm a fan of Sun Tzu's "The art of war" :) .. I strongly believe that correspondence chess will not die in the next few years because players will follow its principles more and more, as the only way to win ! .. Big chess follows the same principles... and Go is the most challenging game because of it too !
Tryfon, I'm not sure that we're opposite in our vision of chess ! .. Our servers have obviousy different goals, nothing more.. I do enjoy playing mad blitz games without chess engines... I just believe that the future of internet chess is "serious (engines allowed, rated) correspondence chess" on one hand and "human chess for fun (no engines, unrated)" on the other hand... The other ways look like nonsense to me.
I hope it responds.
Best wishes, Thibault
Denis Stork (2007-06-21 22:11:39)
from Russia with love
Greetings to all!
So here we are, fresh new Russian players, to participate in FICGS vs. IGAME match.
I'd like to give a short explanation of our "disguising identities". The thing is that mostly our names really won't say anything to you. iGame is just an amateurs' site and with the upcoming match we have a good chance to find out which material we really made of. :)
So show us maser-class. And let the strongest win! :)
Good night and good luck ! :)
Denis Stork (2007-06-22 10:07:59)
Donald Duck :)
I get your point.
But I'm Stork on iGame as well as some other sites. So if someone interested in my past games he/she can easily look through them.
I don't think Donald Duck has any finished games statistics. :)
BTW, as I see, FICGS team has adopted some iGame players, so it's gonna be "FICGS+iGame vs. iGame" match.
It's just a joke. lol :)
Alexander Shalamanov (2007-06-22 14:09:17)
Russian translation
As it appears, Mike has already done the Russian translation. Of course, some purely cosmetic improvements could be made to the Russian version but do they need to de done? It's not that bad and gives a good idea of the website and its content. So I think we can leave it at that.
Cheers, Alex
Garvin Gray (2007-06-22 16:00:54)
not happy
Got to admit, I am not pleased at the prospect of missing out on a game representing ficgs because some players have suddenly signed up from igame and are going to attempt to represent ficgs.
I think the ficgs regulars should be first picked and if there are any spots left over, they are filled with the other siters
Ilmars Cirulis (2007-06-23 06:51:09)
Human games..
[Event "Bundesliga 2006-7"][Site "Berlin GER"][Date "2007.??.??"] [White "Luther,T"][Black "Ftacnik,L"][Round "9"]
20.-- Nc6 21.Bxf8 Kxf8 22.O-O Qb6 23.Rxf7+ Kg8 24.Rxg7+ 1-0
[Event "II Rapid"][Site "Canada de Calatrava ESP"][Date "2007.??.??"][White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Guliyev,N"][Round "4"]
20.-- Bd6 Nc6 21.O-O f5 22.Bxf8 Nxf8 23.Nd6 b5 24.Bf3 Bd7 25.Nxf5 exf5 26.Rxd7 Nxd7 27.Bxc6 Rd8 28.Bxd7 1-0
[Event "Corus A"][Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"][Date "2007.??.??"][White "Anand,V"][Black "Van Wely,L"][Round "9"]
20.Bd6 Nc6 21.Bxf8 Nxf8 22.O-O Bd7 23.Nd6 Ne5 24.Nxb7 Qc7 25.Nd6 f6 26.c4 Bc6 27.Ra1 Nfd7 28.Qd4 a5 29.Nb5 Qb6 30.Qxb6 Nxb6 31.Rd6 Nbd7 32.Nd4 Be4 33.Nxe6 a4 34.Nc7 Ra5 35.Ra6 Rxa6 36.Nxa6 Bc6 37.c5 Bb7 38.Rc1 Nc6 39.Nc7 Nd4 40.Bc4+ Kf8 41.Rd1 1-0
[Event "Corus A"][Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"][Date "2007.??.??"][White "Motylev,A"][Black "Anand,V"][Round "2"]
20.Bd6 Rd8 21.Qg3 Qf5 22.Be5 Qg6 23.Qh4 Nc6 24.O-O f5 25.Bh5 Qh7 26.Bb2 fxe4 27.Rf7 Rf8 28.Qf2 Rxf7 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.Rf2 e5 31.Qd5 Nf6 0-1
[Event "ch-USA"][Site "Stillwater USA"][Date "2007.??.??"][White "Shabalov,A"]
[Black "Ehlvest,J"][Round "7"]
20.Bd6 Re8 21.O-O f5 22.Qg3 Nc6 23.Qg6 Qd8 24.c4 Ne7 25.Qg3 fxe4 26.Bc7 Nf5 27.Rxf5 Qe7 28.Bd6 Qd8 29.Bc7 Qe7 30.Bd6 1/2-1/2
[Event "Bundesliga 2006-7"][Site "Baden Baden GER"][Date "2007.??.??"][White "Shirov,A"][Black "Ftacnik,L"][Round "15"]
20.-- Re8 21.O-O f5 22.Qg3 Nc6 23.Qg6 Qd8 24.Bc4 Kh8 25.Ng5 Qxg5 26.Qxe8+ Kh7 27.Qxe6 Nf6 28.Qe2 Ne4 29.Rd3 Qg6 30.Ba3 Ne5 31.Rd4 Qb6 32.Rfd1 Nc6 33.Qe3 Nxd4 34.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 35.Rxd4 b5 36.Bd3 Ra7 37.Rd8 Be6 38.Re8 Bc4 39.Bxe4 fxe4 40.Rxe4 Rd7 41.Bb4 Kg6 42.Re7 Rd1+ 43.Re1 Rxe1+ 44.Bxe1 Kf5 45.Ba5 h5 46.g3 Ke4 47.Kf2 g5 48.c3 g4 49.Bb4 Kd3 50.Ba5 Bf7 51.Bb4 Bg6 52.Ba5 Kc4 53.Ke3 Kb3 54.Kd2 Ka4 55.Bc7 a5 56.Bd8 b4 57.cxb4 axb4 58.Bf6 Kb3 59.Bg7 Kc4 1/2-1/2
Nick Burrows (2007-06-23 14:47:15)
player research
I tried to check player histories on igame as suggested, however the site seems to be entirely in Russian, and so i failed.
Viktor Savinov (2007-06-23 15:09:26)
Who organizes this match?
Who organizes this match from Russian party? Sergey Pligin? There Is no such chessplayer. This nickname. If at "Sergey Pligin" of the right to represent site Igame?
Garvin Gray (2007-06-24 08:20:06)
suggestion
If I understand the current situation, igame have already decided their 25 players and so the ones who have missed out from igame are looking to play for ficgs, which Thibault has said wont be happening.
Since it looks like ficgs will be able to allocate 25 ficgs only players, perhaps a second division needs to be created?
The top 25 from both sites still play each other, but then the ones who missed out from both sites get to compete against each other in Division B.
I believe this would help to stop igame players from trying to join ficgs with the only intention of playing in the team match.
Charlie Neil (2007-06-25 14:45:39)
Ficgs vs Igame.ru
Is this the most replied to forum in Ficgs history? Regarding nicknames so what? It's a friendly match. Amici Sumus. (And psychology in chess still can win the game before the first move!) As far as I am aware you must give your real name to the administrators on the site before you can use nicknames. So there you go. Now play the board and not the man.........Look at my rating very very low but I have fun! it's only a game.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-06-26 01:35:03)
A guide to Endgames Tablebases
Endgames tablebases fully explained, a great page :
http://horizonchess.com/FAQ/Winboard/egtb.html
* [A.1] What is a endgame tablebase? How do they work? How much stronger will it make my chess program play?
* [A.2] What are the different endgame tablebases formats out there? What are the differences?
* [A.3] Where can I learn more about the endgame table formats?
* [A.4] What are the Chess programs that support endgame tables? Which format do they support?
* [A.5] Where can I get endgame tablebase?
* [A.6] Where can I buy tablebases?
* [A.7] Where can I download tablebases?
* [A.8] How do I generate tablebases on my computer?
* [A.9] How large are the tablebase files? Can I put then all into one directory? Do I have to use a complete set of 5 men tablebases?
* [A.10] Questions about 6 men endgame tablebases. Which are the most useful?
* [A.11] How do I find out which tablebase is corrupted? How do I know the endgame tablebases are working?
* [A.12] What is datacomp.exe? Where can I get it?
* [A.13] How do I get Crafty to work with Endgame tablebases?
* [A.14] How can I get Fritz to use Endgame tablebases?
* [A.15] What is the difference between tablebases download from Dr Hyatt's ftp site and those on the Chessbase endgame turbo CD? Can they be used together?
* [A.16] What are the files ending with .tbs? What about those with nbb and nbw? Do i need both?
* [A.17] Help, the endgame tablebases are not working properly!
* [A.18] Can I use tablebase files in zipped form?
* [A.19] Where can I get a useful graphical browser to view endgame tablebases? What about an online searchable database?
* [A.20] Misc questions
Garvin Gray (2007-06-26 10:03:35)
vacation
The current amount of time is fine. On this site you can't play while on vacation.
Mladen Jankovic (2007-06-26 15:08:05)
re: nicknames
Now, I might not be a high rated player here, but here's my take on the situation.
What some here don't seem to realise is that one can stand by his results or whatever with his nickname.
On this site I use my real name, but that is only becouse of the atmosphere here. However, on the rest of the Internet i tend to use nicknames, and when I say or do something under a such nickname I stand by my actions with the reputation of that nickname.
This goes to a point where my most commonly used nickname is used almost interchangebly with my real name IRL. BTW, I have friends who can say the same.
Wolfgang Utesch (2007-06-26 16:06:08)
Ratings
The discussion of ratings is very problematic. Ratings on different sites are depending on different premises. What entry level was accepted? How long did you playing there – how often? How much thinking time did you spent per move? Is the basic rating you earned over years to be caused by old tournaments with postcards (maybe without any help of engines – and your opponents did it the same way)? How much care did you spent ratings (i.e. Norm tournaments?!)? Are you a member of the exclusive cycle of an organisation, getting invitations to closed high-level rating tournaments?
Engines (also Rybka) are playing own styles and it depends on whether you can play better or worse against their special styles (knowing their potencies and weaknesses). Old fashioned players (independent from their ratings) will have much more problems to win or to hold draw against engines than players which have positioning themselves at actual situation. In my opinion today Rybka alone with one week thinking time per every move without any other help will reach a rating of about 2.400 at FICGS SM-tournament with an average rating of 2.450.
In an ICCF anniversary tournament (average rating of about 2.600) same Rybka under same conditions will reach a rating about 2.550.
I for myself wouldn’t play longer correspondence chess, if I would have the feeling that any engine is playing better without my command. How long will it still take?
My engine handling is not in this way, that I am waiting for longer times which move is offer by the engine. I have own ideas and I’m trying their possibilities, investigating positions in depth over many moves in all directions. But sometimes engines have the better ideas and I have to accept this!
Miguel Pires (2007-06-27 10:44:20)
Wolfgang Utesch and rules
Rules against "unreasonableness" is what we need. Rules against pp how atack others and try to create some sort of confrontations only because pp have different idias. That type of persones shuld see their capacity of post in the forum cancel. But that is my opinion.
About this pool everyone is free to give their opinion about this thing. For me what thibault decide or the majority of the members is ok. I don't admit is a person that i don't now and i never see more "fat" (Portuguese expression) try to have some sort of confrontation with me about the whay i see or make my decisions on this site. Best Regard's
Miguel Pires
Garvin Gray (2007-06-27 17:28:50)
another few days
This site gives 30 days per year. Those are the rules.
I can understand that some players might want a few extra days per year vacation, but where does it end.
If it was to be extended to 40 days, then I am sure some other players would just argue that a few more days above that dont that much of a difference over the 40 days.
If there was to be an increase to 40 days, maybe it should be 20 days per six months, so a player cant take over a months vacation in one straight hit.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-06-28 13:44:33)
Russian titles
Interesting, I didn't know anything about that.. Is there another organization in Russia ? .. Where is it possible to learn more about these russian titles (rules, websites or so) ? Thanks in advance :)
Samy Ould Ahmed (2007-06-29 00:13:13)
Interesting Go website
A really great go website : www.online-go.com
Svante Carl von Erichsen (2007-06-29 20:48:01)
Go sites
For fast games, a "real time" server is best, e.g. KGS (http://www.gokgs.com/).
A great resource is the Go wiki at http://senseis.xmp.net/
Charlie Neil (2007-06-30 09:26:19)
Cheering on Ficgs!
Hi, go to Tournaments, then Special Tournaments, then Ficgs Special Events and there is the Ficgs vs IGame match. There is one King's Gambit already! This is brave play in a strong match or not? Who needs sites covering matches and tournaments elsewhere when we can stay here and cheer on our own players against this strong team. "C'mon Ficgs! Check every move twice and again before sending. Take your time. Good luck!" Unfortunately we cannot pass comment of any kind on any of the games in progress. Rules forbid it...There must be somehow home advantage can count.
Mladen Jankovic (2007-07-03 13:08:47)
Small board variations
I know that on this site people tend to talk much about large board variants, but, recently I have gained an interest in small board variants.
The reason is simple. They are fun!
I'm interested in the experiences of other members.
I've so far played only Los Alamos Chess. About 30 games. They were simply fun, regardless of winning or loosing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Alamos_chess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minichess
Andrew Stephenson (2007-07-10 11:11:52)
FICGS Data base of Games
Is there a searchable database of games on FICGS? How can I search for games by a particular player? Compliments to Thibault on an excellent site.
Charlie Neil (2007-07-11 20:31:49)
Re: RE
Thanks Thibault, I'm not ungrateful. (Even if I don't have a chance in any of the games.) Thanks for the hard work, everyone. It is a free site!
Dinesh De Silva (2007-07-13 04:48:27)
A certain email chess website.....
Dear chess friends,
I want to bring to your attention that there's a certain chess website (which plays only by email) of a certain South American country where the main Arbitor who owns the website cheats and favours certain players in a world championship final. Playing there is at your own risk.
1.He protects certain players by saving them when they even have stepped the time limit twice. (He cunningly sends the game into adjudication etc., instead of dealing with the proof).
2.When requesting that an opponent should provide email proof in certain critical situations, he protects them by refusing that at all times.
3.He blames the persons who make a claim by saying "Don't Be Rude!", instead of taking action against those who clearly break rules.
4.The website keeps popping in and out on the internet, and the website says its under construction most of the time!
5.He does not send monthly reports to players.
6.He does not show finished games.
7.He stays silent for months and says he has lost files due to a virus.
8.He does not include some finished games in some reports.
9.At least 3 other players have already withdrawn from the tourney.
10.He has extended the tourney twice already! obviously trying to favour his favourite playes who are very slow players to climb up in the list.
Pathetic!
Thibault de Vassal (2007-07-13 13:53:11)
A certain email chess website
Hi Dinesh... May I not know this chess website ?!
Maybe a chance to remind to everyone all chess servers & sites which organize a "correspondence chess world championship" ? .. That could help, without naming it :)
ICCF, FICGS, IECG, ... ?
Dinesh De Silva (2007-07-13 14:31:34)
Re:
In my opinion, the best chess websites include FICGS, IECG & ICCF, all 3 which I enjoy playing in & where I've never had problems regarding tournaments. Lets hear from other players which good chess websites they enjoy playing in & can recommend.
Kevin D. Plant (2007-07-13 22:15:46)
Chess websites
I like using this site and also
www.chessworld.net
www.schemingmind.com
http://www.chess-videos.com/forum/
Jason Repa (2007-07-15 20:18:33)
Pure Stupidity!
So what you're saying is that chess alone is a perfect barometer of logic ability, and additionally, that a chess rating on a correspondence site where who knows who or what is playing the moves for you....not to mention you've only gained around 100 elo since you've been playing here compared to my 500+ elo and still gaining is proof of your "superior chess", LMAO!!
Wolfgang, are you pretending to be this stupid or is this really your mentality?
Nick Burrows (2007-07-16 14:14:00)
Sandipan v Tiviakov
[Event "Canadian Open"]
[Site "Ottawa CAN"]
[Date "2007.07.14"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Sandipan,C"]
[Black "Tiviakov,S"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2563"]
[BlackElo "2648"]
[EventDate "2007.07.07"]
[ECO "E17"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. d5 exd5 8.
Nh4 c6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nf5 Nc7 11. e4 d5 12. Nc3 Bf6 13. exd5 cxd5 14. Bf4
Nba6 15. Re1 Qd7 16. Bh3 Ne6 17. Ne4 Bxb2 18. Rb1 Bc8 19. Ng5 Bf6 20. Qh5
Bxg5 21. Bxg5 Re8 22. Bf6 gxf6 23. Qh6 Nac5 24. Rbd1 Qb7 25. Rd4 Ne4 26.
Rexe4 dxe4 27. Qxf6 Qc7 28. Nh6+ Kf8 29. Qh8+ Ke7 30. Nf5+ 1-0
François Caire (2007-07-18 07:15:01)
Voilà
[Event "WCCC 21th Final"]
[Site "Stockholm"]
[Date "2005.08.01"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Arno Nickel"]
[Black "Joop Van Oosterom"]
[ECO "B47"]
[WhiteElo "2590"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[PlyCount "89"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Ndb5
Qb8 7. Be3 a6 8. Bb6 axb5 9. Nxb5 Bb4+ 10. c3 Ba5 11. Nc7+
Qxc7 12. Bxc7 Bxc7 13. Qg4 g6 14. Qh4 Nge7 15. Bb5 f5 16. f3
O-O 17. O-O d5 18. Kh1 Bd7 19. a4 Rf7 20. Qe1 Kg7 21. Rd1 Raf8
22. Qe2 Bc8 23. Bxc6 bxc6 24. b4 e5 25. a5 Rf6 26. h3 h5
27. Ra1 Bb7 28. a6 Ba8 29. c4 d4 30. c5 g5 31. g3 Ng6 32. Rg1
Kh6 33. Raf1 h4 34. f4 exf4 35. e5 d3 36. Qg2 hxg3 37. exf6
Nh4 38. Qd2 f3 39. Rxf3 Nxf3 40. Qxd3 Nxg1 41. Qd7 Rxf6
42. Kxg1 Be5 43. Qe8 Bc3 44. Qxa8 Bxb4 45. Qh8+ 1-0
I got this from www.chessgames.com
Don Groves (2007-07-20 23:09:28)
You beat me to it
Hi Mladen -- I saw it there first too but decided to post the link to the site where the program is based. Now we have both ;-)
Nick Burrows (2007-07-27 21:47:18)
Nice game from Tiviakov.
[Event "8th It"]
[Site "Montreal CAN"]
[Date "2007.07.26"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Tiviakov,S"]
[Black "Miton,K"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2648"]
[BlackElo "2648"]
[EventDate "2007.07.19"]
[ECO "C87"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c3 Nf6 7. Re1 Be7 8.
d4 O-O 9. d5 Nb8 10. Bc2 c6 11. Nxe5 dxe5 12. d6 Bg4 13. dxe7 Qxe7 14. Qd3
Nbd7 15. Nd2 Rfd8 16. Nf1 Be6 17. Ng3 Nf8 18. Qf3 Ne8 19. Be3 Qc7 20. Nf5
f6 21. h4 Nd6 22. b3 Kh8 23. c4 c5 24. Rad1 Bg8 25. h5 Ne6 26. h6 Nxf5 27.
exf5 Nd4 28. Qe4 Rd6 29. Bb1 Ne2+ 30. Rxe2 Rxd1+ 31. Kh2 Rad8 32. Bc2 R1d7
33. Qh4 Qd6 34. Be4 b6 35. hxg7+ Rxg7 36. Bh6 Rgd7 37. Re3 b5 38. cxb5 axb5
39. Rg3 b4 40. Rg4 Rc7 41. f4 Re7 42. Rg3 Red7 43. Qg4 Qe7 44. fxe5 fxe5
45. Bc6 Qf6 46. Bg5 Qxc6 47. Bxd8 Qh6+ 48. Rh3 Qd6 49. Bg5 Rf7 50. Rh6 Qf8
51. Qh4 Kg7 52. Rg6+ 1-0
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-03 17:20:49)
Your opinion
Hello Samy, I didn't play there... The website announces 1,5 million players (wow) !? Does it look like another well-known server ?
Artur Saigakov (2007-08-08 23:13:50)
Re
Hello! Please, calm down! I am a command captain on the site
of igame.ru of which --- [moderator : name deleted] consisted before.
I'm sorry my English is terrible!
Paulina and Sex-god (SG) are one person which thus make his
own PR and shows the personal offense to --- [moderator : name deleted].
--- [moderator : name deleted] anyway is not connected with drugs, he simply
played in my command. I want to underline that my command is
AGAINST drugs! Name of command - STOP Narkotics! Motto of our
command you can read on igame.ru :
"" If you found forces, or search it to give up drugs, this
command is for you! This command exists for everybody who
gives the vote for nature, for peace, for understanding of
our existence, for light ideas, for helping each other, for
healthy children and their parents!""
--- [moderator : name deleted] never was drug addict but he just agreed with a
command idea.
He is 17 years old, he is IM, that's why he was taken in
command of igame, and SG wasn't included. SG said that he
is gay, then added to the repertoire a word is a drug addict.
certainly, he was offended and he said that he would beat
SG or he would ask somebody to do it
It is not serious, but I think that this fight wouldn't stop
even after this speech.
Dinesh De Silva (2007-08-09 06:51:22)
Real names in chess websites
I have some critical suggestions:
1. Chess websites should allow players only to play under their REAL NAMES. Using any nicknames or fake names should be prohibited, as it leads to all sorts of confusion at one point or another.
2. In chess websites, whenever a question of which player to give captaincy arrives, the highest rated player should always be given first choice, UNLESS that player declines or that player has been proven to have broken rules or rules state a specific way of choosing a captain.
3. In chess websites, accusations against any player should be rejected IF there is no clear proof.
4. Players who still continue abusing each other after some warnings should be disqualified/thrown out. There should be no favourations whatsoever.
5. When awarding titles, it should be clearly stated from where the title was earned fom. For example, if a player gets an IM title at Igame, it should be stated as Igame IM.
Jason Repa (2007-08-09 21:18:31)
real names
I like your idea, and agree. But don't you think it would be a formidable task to authenticate people? The poker sites sometimes get people to fax in a copy of their ID, but that might be a bit difficult to get chess players to do.
Charlie Neil (2007-08-10 19:06:19)
Real Names
"Play the board not the man!" Is that not an old proverb? I play on another site, (or two) under a nickname. Chess should be fun and then a serious sport/game/art/science, Morozevitch and those like him play on those sites for 'fun'. And they relish the anonymity. Every large tournament will see a corner occupied with players having 'fun' blitz games between rounds. Legends such as M Tal, Karpov even Fischer had their 'fun' games. (Sorry for calling Tolya a Legend, but he is a living legend.) We all come here for our own reasons but mostly to play chess, (and Go) We know when we sign up here it must be on our real names. What's the problem? Some Websites charge a Fee, ICC for example. Ficgs doesn't.
--- (2007-08-10 22:34:03)
to Thibault de Vassal
Hello, Thibault.
1) Thibault, I am a professional chess-player.
I do not have a necessity to put to death anybody! :-)
You can talk with a captain is Sergey Pligin – he will confirm.
You can talk with the administrator of site http://igame.ru/ – Dmitriy Matrosov – he will confirm.
You can talk with the representatives of Chess Federation of Ukraine – they will confirm also!
I only want to play a chess - on Your beautiful site!
Do not I know, who such Sergei Ivanov!???
Do not I know, who such Polina Stefanova (or Romanova)!???
It is obvious impostors which have the fictitious names.
I only want to notarize these people, that I am a chess-player, in place of killer!
--- [moderator : name deleted] gets victories in chess games, and does not kill people! :-)
2) Do not I understand also, what these people want от the site of http://www.ficgs.com/?
Did they create this theme, to slander me?
It seemed to me the page of humour at the beginning.
But I see that it tired me already.
I ask you to take measures!
thanks a lot
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-11 04:43:43)
Warning : forum rules !
Hello to all.
It is time for this thread to end, so...
Reminder : No player may post in forums or send to another member any voluntary message that contains abusive, insulting, provocating, advertising, vulgar, foul, racist, sexist or other discriminatory or politically sensitive content that may violate any applicable laws. Doing so may lead to being immediately and permanently banned. You agree that the webmaster, administrator and moderators have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic, comment or message at any time should they see fit.
In other words I'll apply the rules letter by letter from now :
ANYONE WHO WILL POST SUCH ACCUSATIONS AGAIN WILL BE BANNED FROM THE SITE.
PS : The name has been deleted in the whole discussion.
Best wishes, Thibault
Andrew Stephenson (2007-08-11 23:49:31)
Real names and databases
Do games with fictitious names ever get into databases like Mega Corre etc? I get the feeling that chess sites that use nicknames dont get onto databases so the games are less accesible maybe even lost?
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-12 16:17:18)
Contest : Your best quotes !
Once more it would be funny to add new quotes from FICGS players to the site... Feel free to create your own quotes and submit it in this thread ! .. The best ones (best play on words, most funny and so on...) will be displayed [with names] with the famous ones !
Have good quotes :)
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-13 05:40:04)
Hello Vitalii...
More accurately :
1) Posting private messages from anyone violates applicable laws.
2) Slander violates applicable laws.
These two were included in the discussion / accusations, whatever the facts about these threatens...
More accurately :
I'll apply the rules letter by letter from now...
... furthermore (not consequently) :
ANYONE WHO WILL POST SUCH ACCUSATIONS AGAIN WILL BE BANNED FROM THE SITE, cause this is definitely not the place for it.
Best wishes, Thibault
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-13 16:46:22)
:)))
Is "pig" offensive in your opinion ? :)
Reminder : "The site reserves the right to terminate any account or decline or limit your participation in any site activity for any reason, including, but not limited to, harassment of other participants, posting of offensive material, making libelous statements, or any breach of the terms of the agreement between you and the site."
http://www.ficgs.com/membership.html#membership
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-13 17:20:46)
Go Search Engine
From IGN Goama newsletter - http://gogame.info
Go Search Engine, created by Alexander Dinerchtein
There are many sites on the Internet dedicated to Go. The majority are non-profitmaking. They were created by people who enjoy playing Go strictly as amateurs. As a result, they don't invest much money or effort in making their sites popular among search engines, so it's hard to find their sites using Google, Yahoo! or other common tools.
Of course, it's not easy for them to compete with online gaming stores and gambling sites, which spend thousands of US dollars monthly on advertising and optimizing their sites for search engines. The verb "to go" makes the situation even more difficult. If we search for "go magazines" or "go news" on Google, we may find only a few Go-related resources on the first few pages. It's terrible!
The situation with Asian Go masters who have short and common names is also confusing. It's almost impossible to find their games, biographies and photos on the main search engines.
We have decided to solve this problem! We have made a special search engine, based on Google Custom Search, which searches information only on Go-related sites.
Right now there are more than 500 sites in our database (99% of all Go-related resources) and we are trying to increase this number daily. We allow people to suggest new sites to crawl. Each site passes moderation, so you can be sure that each side is relevant to the subject of your search. We exclude non-Go related sites, doorways, sites with hidden text and dishonest competitors.
Dear Go-lovers, we hope that our system will be helpful for you!
You can find it here: http://find.gogame.info
Wayne Lowrance (2007-08-13 23:40:48)
Obvious blunder
I always feel bad for a player who has done this. In my many years of playing CC I have done this on rare occasion. I remember a game in particuliar. I was playing this very excellent player (2300+) but very very arrogant. I had an easy but complicated clearly won end game. I copied the wrong move and resigned immediately. My Arrogant opponent as it turns out offered a take back, which was within the sites rules. But I declined telling him to me it is the same thing as "touch Move" in OTB chess. So my friend I know your feeling, I think we have all touched this base somewhere along the line.
Wayne
Daniel Daoust (2007-08-15 17:24:45)
Jouer!
Comment fait-on pour jouer aux échecs pour le plaisir dans ce site?
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-15 22:28:39)
Mode d'emploi
Bonjour Daniel.
Il est possible de jouer pour le plaisir (pas d'enjeu, pas de classement) en participant aux tournois "unrated", notamment dans 'Waiting lists' puis 'Chess special tournaments' : les tournois thématiques et de chess 960 ne sont pas classés !
Tous les autres tournois sont joués pour les classements 'échecs par correspondance', 'advanced chess' ou le classement du 'Go'. Parmi ceux-ci, certains ont un droit d'entrée et des prix.
Pour le fonctionnement du site une fois qu'un tournoi a commencé, voir la section 'Help'.
Bonnes parties !
Garvin Gray (2007-08-16 03:08:50)
not a bank
What, ficgs isnt a bank. I cant believe it. I thought this was a bank site and chess was offered an additional extra lol.
I have a 20, can you change it for 4 5's thanks :P
Charlie Neil (2007-08-19 16:56:18)
Draws and wins
Hello Everyone. I have just checked my chess rating and win/loss/draw ratio. I haven't 'won' that many games. The vast majority are 'time-outs' as my opponents silently withdraw. Well, that's how it is at the bottom of the table. Are there a lot of 'time-outs' elsewhere on Ficgs?. You can expect that in a free site and players do go for whatever reasons. But my number of draws, 6, I think. Very low. I don't engage in chats with my opponents very much, just because I can barely concentrate on the game. anyway the question(s) is(are) why so few draws? Are Ficgs players so good?
Charlie Neil (2007-08-29 23:18:50)
Trust
I know this is a site for the computer search engine. There are sites elsewhere on the net that don't allow/frown on such assistance. Good idea to try it here though. Good luck everybody. It will be a matter of trusting your oppoenent.
Christophe Czekaj (2007-08-30 13:16:49)
On which sites ?
Hello Charlie. Do you have some examples of sites which invit people not to use computers ? How they propose that ?
Thibault de Vassal (2007-08-31 13:22:59)
Your chess websites ?
Hello all...
What about listing here the (chess or other) websites you made ? .. Could be a way to know better each other, at least all webmasters among us :)
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2007-08-31 14:59:16)
Not a chess website ...
http://rodolfo_3.tripod.com/
Garvin Gray (2007-09-01 07:14:59)
Site unable to load, timing out
Just 'finished' a blitz silver game with Ilmars Cirulis.
Had four minutes remaining on my clock and five moves to make to the time control, when ficgs would not load on my browser and kept timing out.
I am not happy about this situation because this has resulted in costing me e-points (money) through no fault of my own.
It is not my fault that the site kept timing out.
I am not sure what remedy there is for this situation, but I really dont feel like I should be out of pocket financially through a site fault and not my own fault.
Garvin Gray (2007-09-01 16:32:50)
accessing site
Thibault,
Thought you might want to know that for a few minutes I was having problems accessing the site again just then. Only just got back on.
Philip Roe (2007-09-01 20:04:25)
engine-free chess
When I started playing here about three months ago I did not realise that engine use was allowed (or even encouraged, according to some) What did attract me were some features like being able to see ongoing games of other players, which makes the experience more like a "real" OTB event.
I have played on other sites (IECG,ICC) where engines are forbidden,
and ICC at least claims to have software that detects cheating. I play without an engine (but using books)simply because I enjoy it more. I dont care all that much what you do as long as you play interesting moves. It seems very clear from the games that lower-rated players certainly dont use engines and higher-rated players probably have to. At my kind of level (1900ish) it seems optional, but the suspicion that my opponent analyses with an engine steers me away from certain types of position (speculative sacs, or clear strategy but complex tactics) which is a shame because that may be where the position wants to go.
The previous thread got very heated, and Im not sure why. One suggestion was
to let non-computer users go away and play funny little unrated games by themselves. That is not attractive. Im not interested in playing walkover games against weak opponents. Rating is essential. Other than that, Im very interested to find out what other people think. That will determine whether or not I come to feel at home here.
Christophe Czekaj (2007-09-03 12:53:52)
no chess engines
Hello Thibault,
I play here without chess engine. Anyway, recently I tried to play "hippopotamus defence", (with no good result yet, I have to admit) so a computer is no use, it doesn't understand anything, but perhaps it's hippopotamus which is wrong, not the computer ;-D. Anyway a difficult defence in correspondence play).
I began on this site with 2000, and so my elo was too high to play against human only ?
I don't see how it's possible a sofware detect computer use ? Ok we see strange, computer-like moves sometimes, but...
Perhaps two players, at the beginning of the game can agree to not use computer.
Again about chess engine, I use a computer to record the moves (chessbase),to gain time, and replay fast the moves to get to the actual position, but my chess engines (an old fritz (5) and chess tiger (14) all that on a old PC) would certainly suffer a lot use against more recent chess engines ;-D
Like Philip, I like to play on ficgs and it would be nice to plmay against more human opponent. I play one tournament on itsyourturn since last year, and I saw a lot more human mistakes than on ficgs. So, how explain it, I sometimes feel more comfortable on itsyourturn, but still I do like the spirit of ficgs, match against RU, the tournaments, forum, nice people to meet on the board, and so on
Mladen Jankovic (2007-09-03 16:55:11)
Actually
The waiting list is active since the site first became online. That is a lot more than two months.
Philip Roe (2007-09-03 18:59:27)
CC without engines
Thibault, Christophe, All I did was to pass on that ICC CLAIMS to be able detect computer use.
They dont say how they do it. Maybe they are just bluffing, or maybe they
have an algorithm that kind of works and they dont want people to work around it by knowing how it works.
The reason I dont use engines is because I want to take full credit for any wins I get. I can imagine using an engine and telling myself that I will just use it to prevent oversights.
But I cant control what the engine will tell me. It might recommend a move that tells me that I am planning
to attack the wrong target. If I then switch plans and win, what is left for me to feel proud of?
But I can understand that others may feel differently, and there is much to be said for a site where everything is allowed because it gets around the issue of making a rule that is certainly very hard to enforce.
But just because that rule does not exist on FICGS, it seems to me that
if somebody on FICGS says that they are not using an engine, then you can probably believe them. The problem with other sites is that if a player with an umimpressive rating fires back a series of accurate moves very quickly in a difficult situation then you suspect that he is using an engine (although he promised not to)
and there is not much you can do about it. If the same thing happens on FICGS
you are pretty sure that he is using an engine, but you have already agreed that he can, so it doesnt irritate you.
For that reason, I think that a computers-barred tournament might actually make sense on FICGS because those who want to use engines can legitimately do so. But for me, it would need to be chess that means something, with at least rating points at stake. Interestingly, Christophe and I are drawn in the same tournament, so we can declare at least that one game computer-free!
Garvin Gray (2007-09-05 06:38:59)
engine use
I find this thread and interesting and surprising.
I joined this site specifically because it allows engine use and that is what I was after.
I play in otb tournaments and dont really enjoy playing 'human only' chess on the net. I guess that is just me :)
Now I feel a little uncomfortable because the two main posters in this thread are opponents in a couple of my games.
On a different note, I wish posters would learn to separate their paragraphs :P
Andrew Stephenson (2007-09-05 06:40:22)
Referee
Thanks Garvin! I should add that we are spoilt (at least I feel I am!) by Thibault's magnificent work on setting up running and maintaining this site so always want to ask for more!
Philip Roe (2007-09-05 23:13:44)
CC without engines
Well, you learn something new every day.
About paragraphing anyway!
Garvin, dont give it a second thought. Christophe and myself have both said that we accept your use of engines: we signed up for it.
Jason, I'm sure I speak for Christophe
in saying that neither of wants to change anything for you happy centaurs.
All we said was that IF enough other people felt the same way, THEN maybe Thibault might add that feature to his excellent site.
The parallel thread on tablebases is interesting. I find myself taking the opposite view. I dont see them as being very different from looking up KBNk in a textbook. They dont take fun out of the game because most of those rare positions are so impenetrable that they are not much fun anyway.
So I am not very consistent in my views. Who was it said that consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds?
Garvin Gray (2007-09-06 07:36:52)
engine use
Jason- Thibault already spelled it out for you in pretty simple terms that he doesn't believe in human-only correspondence chess. I guess if there are enough people who don't want to deal with reality whining about it he'll cave in.
Hello Jason,
I think the better response is if someone wants to play 'human only' correspondence chess, there are plenty of other sites 'out there' to satisfy.
Rather than 'cave in' I am most likely am wrong as Thibault is of course not keen to lose members, but I can see more bitching if human only chess is specifically catered for as players will 'bitch' about other players who they suspect of using engine assistance.
I enjoy the freestyle component of play is what I enjoy here and the good nature of the site. I think a main part of this is that there are no misconceptions about what the rules are regarding engine use.
Jason Repa (2007-09-06 08:15:18)
engine use
[moderator : partly deleted]
I explained quite clearly in my previous post that.... "you'll never be able to tell for certain if someone is consulting a program or not in corr. chess, so why fret about it?"
The truth is, there are no corr. sites that can satisfy a desire to play non computer-assisted chess because corr. chess doesn't work that way anymore. Anyone can simply say they aren't consulting a program but unless they are right in front of you as they are making the moves you'll never know for sure. (...) Just accept reality for what it is. Are you going to try to have a footrace with someone on a scooter? Of course not. So why complain about computer use on corr. chess? Re-read my previous post in this thread a few times until you understand.
There is something to be said for human only chess. It is my favourite form of the game. Really, the only form. All else is just study and analysis. You can call it "playing" if you want, but unless you're making the moves strictly on your own brainpower, it's not playing chess.
I play rated OTB tournaments at time controls ranging from 5 minutes to 6 hours. I also play hundreds of bullet games a week online where I am certain that there is no computer involvement. To me this makes allot more sense than whining and crying about the advent of Fritz (and other programs). It's called accepting realilty.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-07 02:08:01)
Hardware and software
Oops, sorry I forgot to answer about the hardware but anyway the site should move soon on a new server.
Linux, Sql, Php, FICGS, that's all software, only "those parts of the system that you can hit with a hammer (not advised) is called hardware"...
Christophe Czekaj (2007-09-07 17:14:17)
Thanks Thibault
In the name of all the non centaurs (;-D) past, present and future, thanks a lot Thibault for all your work on this site !
Mladen Jankovic (2007-09-08 00:46:47)
software
Are you using MySQL?
And, did you script all of the site yourself (other than some obvious external plugins)?
What distribution of Linux are you running if I might ask?
I have to commend it to you, the site certainly seems to have a good uptime, I have never encountered a problem accessing it, and only a single bug, promptly fixed.
Ulrich Imbeck (2007-09-08 02:23:05)
chessage.com,schachtrainer.de
The guy from chessage.com (schachtrainer.de) scripted also his site himself.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-08 03:57:29)
Linux / MySQL
Hello Mladen.
Yes, MySQL. About the Linux distribution, Debian.. (if I remember well :))
And yes again, I did script all the site, already more than 500 php files (!) .. I was far to imagine this server when I started it ! .. Still much work to improve it for fast games... Finally, as it became quite huge, there are still (always) minor bugs that I correct as soon as I see them.
Jason Repa (2007-09-08 12:26:56)
"No engines" Tournaments
I suspect you'll get a whole new breed of forum posts where accusations will be disguised as compliments such as: "Johnny So and So really played an excellent game! He was accurate like a machine against me", etc.
You'll also hear allot of twisted soapbox rants about how "morally superior" the allegedly non engine consulting players are.
This is what the forums on second rate sits such as RedHotPawn, ChessHere, etc are filled with, in addition to absurd claims of so-called "engine detection technology", which is obviously impossible. On RHP in particular, the site admin are software developers with extremely modest uscf ratings in the C-class range, yet somehow they deem themselves qualified to make such difficult judgment calls, which are at best a probability guess, even for a strong chess player.
I thought it was precisely this kind of nonsense you were trying to avoid when you decided to make it an up front policy of "freestyle" chess at will at FICGS.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-08 12:56:34)
No engines tournaments
Jason, of course you may be right ! .. We'll see, but I think the experience may be interesting anyway. As Philip said, FICGS main tournaments are designed for centaurs, and basically these "no engines" unrated tournaments are really just for fun... Unlike some of the other sites you mentioned, where to be ranked 1st may incite to use chess engines, I feel that these tournaments (with no rating ranges) will not attract many centaurs, simply because there's no interest at all for them...
Mladen Jankovic (2007-09-09 03:19:05)
Debian
Seems to be a common choice of distribution for small servers. Hard to configure right, but infinitely stable once done so. And also featuring the best package manager around.
I'm guessing that this site is the most for what this server is used for.
I also wonder what connection do you use. Would you mind if I scanned the server?
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-09 15:28:33)
FICGS update & wish list
Hello to all.
You probably noticed a new extension to the chat bar, it delivers some random messages and news (forum, problems, public comments, entries, login). It also automatically warns a player if he started an advanced tournament [bullet, lightning or blitz games], which is more convenient... As it refreshes every minute, you shouldn't log out automatically anymore until you close the chat bar.
Other changes :
- Serbia & Montenegro (SCG) has become Serbia (SRB) and Montenegro (MNE).
- New players will start with a 1800 chess rating.
- Lightning tournaments become Advanced tournaments (blitz, lightning, bullet)
- New quotes added from the forum :)
- Some Google optimizations...
- Waiting list for unrated no-engines tournaments is open !
- Minor bugs corrected.
I did not implement the private messages facility yet... I feel it could create some problems (not technically), I still have to think about it.
This is probably a good moment to open a wish list and discuss all changes you'd like to see on the site...
Best wishes, Thibault
Mladen Jankovic (2007-09-10 00:15:58)
Jason
Cool down a bit and don't shout, it's not a very civil thing to do. To me it seems obvious that Garvin has been joking. It might not be much of a joke, but it is still only a joke.
BTW, the only reason why I was asking questions is pure curiosity about the site, and what runs it so well! :)
Mladen Jankovic (2007-09-11 05:44:21)
A wish
Could you please make the site align well within the confines of a 1024x768 monitor. You seem to be missing the resolution by the width of the slider, plus couple of pixels.
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2007-09-10 04:05:57)
Re ...
Hi Thibault, really the whole site is very impressive, especially the board diagrams. Any chance you publish that part as a library? The reason is just curiosity, the few times I had to do web development, was just boring stuff, shopping basket and inventory, and at work I never did PHP development, only small things at home.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-10 14:43:59)
Discussing the new rule
About this rule : "Responding to a provocative message is strictly forbidden and will lead to get a limited access to the server during one month a first time, two months the second one and so on. In this case, please just warn the moderator or webmaster in private."
As a player pointed out that this rule was really hard and suggested to me to punish verbal attacks only, here's my answer (to be discussed, of course) :
I did not ban provocation, I just try to limit the "discussions" that follow... Provocation calls provocation and progressively more and more, I don't think that any argument is useful when the aim is not to convince but only to provoke... So, how to limit that with clear rules ? What's exactly a verbal attack, where is the limit ? Quite hard to say... How to avoid such discussions to burn quickly ?
If you have any idea of a better rule, feel free to suggest... What most players like in this site is the friendly atmosphere... Such discussions are boring for most of them IMO.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-11 14:28:51)
Moderators
It's a long time ago I did not re-open the subject, but even if it's a good test to manage the site alone, of course there will be several moderators in the future.
Jason Repa (2007-09-15 13:03:20)
FIDE World Championship 2007
Well there is some doubt there, most remarkably from Anand himself who considered Kramnik to be the favourite here in a pre-tournament interview, despite Anand's higher elo.
I predict Kramnik to win, not out of any personal admiration for the man. Quite the opposite is true actually. I would rather see Anand or Leko win.
At the close of Round 2, Anand and Kramnik are tied for the lead.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-19 13:45:30)
October 21
This should be the final date for the 1st FICGS freestyle tournament. As I had to finish the new interface, I'll only start to promote it today in forums and other websites...
About the time control, I agree that ie. 1h+20s would be less "Rybka mode" and more centaur, but it requires a lot of energy and time for a 6 rounds tournament. So let's give a try to 10m+20s, thus the tournament should last about 6 or 7 hours...
Until october 31, you'll be given 20% E-Points more when buying tickets :)
Andrew Stephenson (2007-09-20 13:58:05)
chessfriends
I remember that chessfriends.com used to have the opposite rule ie the player with the lower elo advanced in the knockout. I guess their reasoning was if your better rated you should be able to prove it. As Thibault mentioned he may be a victim of the FICGS rule in his match against Farit Balabaev. He has the higher TER and his opponent as taken 4 draws as white by repeating the same 15 move sequence in his 4 white games (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd 4 Nxd Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qb6 8 Qd2 Qxb2 9 Rb1 Qa3 10 f5 Nc6 11 fxe6 fxe6 12 Nxc6 bxc6 13 Be2 Be7 14 0-0 0-0 15 Rb3 Qc5+ 1/2 1/2) Not the greatest advert for cc games! It requires cooperation for this to happen although its dangerous for black to deviate after 9 Rb1. Still there are perfectly viable alternatives IMO in the Najdorf against 6 Bg5 other than this line. I suggest going to a 2 game mini match play off series at 5 days reserve and 1 day per move increment until there is a win. This would provide incentive to go for a result for the higher rated player in the main match. I would retain the lower rated player wins rule for decisive games (but overall draw) for the main match but leave it equal for the playoffs.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-20 16:06:36)
Chessfriend.com
That's right, I remember this opposite rule at Chessfriend server. By the way it may have incited players to lose games to decrease their rating, which is somewhat easier than to increase it.
About my quarter final against Farit, it seems we both had really too many games at this moment, that explains (from me at least) these 4 short draws.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-09-21 14:52:53)
60 minutes + 15 seconds
Ok Garvin, you convinced me :) .. Finally it will be play on 2 consecutive days (october 20 & 21 - 14 pm, 17 pm, 20 pm)
This format is longer but definitely more interesting.
I'll start (at last) to promote it today, feel free to announce it in forums & websites :) .. Now FICGS account at Paypal is available to send & receive money.
I'll start a new topic about Freestyle cup... Too many out-of-date informations in this one.
Thanks for your help !
Andrew Stephenson (2007-09-21 18:52:24)
Tie Breaks
Farit just to clarify things, you lost your drawn match against Peter Schuster (despite being the higher rated player) because of the rule that the lower rated player wins in the event of a drawn match, where there has been at least one win by the lower rated player. So the 4 draws by you are drawing attention to the problems with the tie break by rating approach (albeit the higher rated player wins if all games drawn part of the rule) Well at least we understand your side of it - that you were actually making a point.
Wolfgang I understand the rule is a compromise no need to cry however surely its right to review the experience and see if we can improve? The problem I have, based on the experience, is that it just makes the site look bad and silly to have 4 identical 15 move games. Thats not chess - in my view its absurd. So lets examine the experience and refine the process. A 2 game play off series at a very fast cc time rate ( 1-5 day reserve + 1 day increment)would, I believe, get a result. Its still a compromise because the time for cc is very short. At the same time lets re -think having the championship every 6 months idea - I think thats a big factor behind Thibault's tie break by rating rule. Its leading to overcrowding and its pretty hard to follow perhaps 1 every 9 months or year? Incidentally Thibault how do you break the tie if both have the same TER? Just a thought!
Andrew Stephenson (2007-09-21 20:34:37)
Tie Breaks
Thansk for the reply Thibault. on the delay front I think it would be less than 6 months maybe 1 or 2 months. First the effect of this delay would impact on only very few top players in completing the final stages. Overall the quantity of chess games and opportunities would be unaffected as new championships start every 6 months so the amount of playing is the same. Second "If tournament entry ratings are equal, ratings when the next stage begins will be taken in account." Ok this will be rare but you cannot really be saying that a match would be decided perhaps 1 or 2 months after completion when the next rating is done? Third "The special rule, at least, force one player to avoid it." yes but it didn't did it? You took the 4 draws in 15 moves because you had too many games and your opponent was a strong player! My point is not about the unfairness of the rule Thibault its the effect of it - in this case 4 identical 15 move draws is not a good advert for the site, the World Championship FICGS or the players.
Andrew Stephenson (2007-09-23 13:23:38)
Log out
Thibault I get logged out of the site automatically after a certain time is there anyway I can extend the time before the sysytem logs me out forcing me to log back in?
Garvin Gray (2007-09-24 07:41:22)
site messages
Another reason could be so we see any important site change messages as our first port of call
Tano-Urayoán Russi Román (2007-09-28 00:36:03)
Comment
This remark was made by past freestyle winner Equidistance in the rybka forum:
"This FICGS site is very unclear, impossible to find anything. No clear summary about what these e-points are all about, very long terms and conditions, really I doubt anybody will spend so much time to even find the page about Freestyle Cup, which is hidden under one of many menus."
Maybe navigation could be made easier for new players interested in the tournament.
Garvin Gray (2007-09-28 03:28:13)
pm's
Proposal for site rule, now that private messages has been enabled.
Publication of a private message without the authors expressed permission is forbidden and will lead to ...... (insert penalty here).
Thibault de Vassal (2007-10-03 14:03:06)
Cool websites
Feel free to share here the last funny websites you just surfed on :)
Here's a completely mad one - http://twitter.com
Mladen Jankovic (2007-10-03 14:26:56)
a good 1
http://xkcd.com/
http://xkcd.com/chesscoaster/
Caveat! The site contains an excessive amount of excessively geeky jokes.
Wolfgang Utesch (2007-10-05 15:37:27)
Slave of ...
Thibault said, he is slave of his site - but I think, we are slaves of his site, aren't we?
Andrew Stephenson (2007-10-06 19:20:34)
Slave
Definitely thibault is a slave to this site - the amount of time he must spend on it and play cc, mind boggling. Thibault do you actually have a full time job as well as all this?
Edwin Dabbaghyan (2007-10-20 11:14:42)
where?
Hello everyone...just got back from a 3 drunk days cruise trip and am quite beatable ;)....where exactly do we play the freestyle? on a server client or on this website like any other game? Hej, William, Eros and Alberto...good luck friends:)
Thibault de Vassal (2007-10-24 14:05:27)
Wolf Blitzer on CNN's Late Edition
Kasparov : "In Russia we are not fighting win elections, we are fighting to have elections."
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4198
Fighting from the opposite side of the earth, quite good strategy :)
Ulrich Imbeck (2007-10-26 23:28:42)
voting machines
The famous hacker organisation "Chaos Computer Club" is against voting machines.
On their website is a analyse about a voting machine from the netherlands on pdf.
http://www.ccc.de/updates/2007/wahlcomputer-ausgemustert?language=en
The same pdf is
http://wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl/other/es3b-en.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_Computer_Club
The voting machine will not be used in the Netherlands.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-11-02 20:55:37)
Videogames & the future of Board Games
Quite funny to see the same discussion on GoDiscussions.com and ChessDiscussion.com forums :
http://www.chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=457
http://www.godiscussions.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4644
<<
Apparently, two years ago there was a major exhibition sponsored by the Asia Society in American museums called "Asian Games: The Art of Contest." I have been fortunate enough to get a copy of the exhibition book. I found a quote there that I would like you to comment on:
“We hope that this exhibition, in addition to persuading visitors of the historical importance of games, will also stimulate an interest in playing board games. As computer gamers sit in solitary oblivion frantically pressing buttons to manipulate images on screens, it is worth considering how such games could have succeeded, to a large extent, in eclipsing real board games. The answer may be that they have appropriated much of the best of traditional board games. But it is also worth pointing out that the appeal of most electronic games is ephemeral. Ask a teenager if he still plays the same game he played two years ago, and the answer will inevitably be no. We can predict with confidence that twenty years from now, of the electronic games currently in fashion, it is only those versions of classic board games—chess, weiqi/go and perhaps backgammon—that will still enjoy widespread popularity.
Does the future of chess, weiqi and backgammon, then, lie solely in electronic media? We hope not. However convenient it may be to play chess or weiqi on the internet, nothing can replace the face-to-face social interaction of real games playing—and indeed the attraction of such games as spectacle. It is no coincidence that there is a trend now among jaded electronic games players to return to board games. This renewed interest undoubtedly reflects the need to compete with a real (as opposed to real-time) person. But there may be another reason for this development. The physical satisfaction of holding a well-crafted gaming piece or die, or of hearing the sonorous click of the pieces as they are placed on the board, does not exist in an electronic universe. No culture better understood the aesthetics of games than the Japanese, whose go, sugoroku, and shogi boards were not only objects of exquisite beauty, but were also designed to enhance the sound of piece struck against board. If, in addition to stimulating more research on Asian games, this exhibition prompts some of its visitors to take up chess, xiangqi, or weiqi—or even better, to work out the rules of liubo—then we will be entirely satisfied.”
Colin Mackenzie and Irving Finkel, “Preface”, Asian Games: The Art of Contest (Asia Society), p. 17
>>
Interesting !
Dan Rotaru (2007-11-12 01:14:40)
Number of games limitation
I think that limiting the number of games is a good idea, and I have a feeling reading the posts that the issue is not if to do it but the number of games. 40 seems to be a reasonable number. FICGS is still free for corr chess and people are tempted to play too many games at once which not only dilute the quality of the games but leads to too many forfeits. I was horrified some time ago when one of my opponent confessed that he had about 230 games in progress on various sites including FICGS. I believe that even for very strong players too many games will reduce the quality of some games and I am not talking about chess knowledge but about the possibility to do a mistake as the good move in the wrong game.
Thibault de Vassal (2007-11-22 04:23:12)
IECG chess server
Hi Dinesh !
The server is not really down but I can't login, so Ortwin may be working on the site...
Garvin Gray (2007-12-12 16:40:02)
5 over 7 as a trial :)
7 players is best for fair ratings IMO.
I do not disagree one bit. The more games and more players in a touranment, the better rating outcomes and fairer tournament all round.
That being said, I think this does need to be balanced against both how long it takes to get a tournament started (which can be quite a while in some cases) and keeping new players on the site by being able to get them some starting games sooner. This has to also be good for accurate ratings as it increases the pool of potential players.
Samy Ould Ahmed (2007-12-20 12:11:06)
www.brainking.com
In this site you can see 33 variants of chess...it can help you to find a new one :-)
Garvin Gray (2008-01-03 04:29:22)
Steve Lopez latest article on chessbase
My only comment is that I would have liked Steve to also have compared the chessbase engines to Rybka, Zappa et al
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4357
[moderator : please just leave a link to articles from other websites]
Thibault de Vassal (2008-01-11 05:00:33)
FICGS improvements : Your opinion
Hello to all...
Kind of poll, it would be useful to know which part of the site looks quite or really unclear to you. FICGS website continues to grow, I tried to use some symbols repeatedly to make it coherent but it's quite obvious that it's not easy to understand how the site works at a first sight.
Feel free to point unclear functions or to make suggestions...
Thanks in advance :)
Konrad Hornung (2008-01-13 03:05:32)
Possible Improvement to site
I like to sometimes analyze a position before moving i.e. move pieces around, and I don't think this a possible option on the game page.
Patrick Richardson (2008-01-13 12:32:53)
analyze board
I would second the idea of an analyze board, it would be a nice addition to the other site features. Pat
Konrad Hornung (2008-01-16 07:11:38)
Games Database
Having a user friendly games database, showing the board and position and listing the options of moves played in that position by users of the database, with the option to filter games below a particular rating e.g. 2000, is my next idea to improve this site.
Thibault de Vassal (2008-01-25 16:29:52)
Chinese Chess, Shogi ...
Hi Christophe... Of course it has been discussed here already. Well, it is technically possible, but it is not technically possible before a few months :)
The real question is : Do you want FICGS to be a multi-games site or mainly a chess place ? .. I've included Go (weiqi) because this game is really different and interesting, I'm not sure yet about the others and "A few is better than too many" IMO (what a quote) :)
Dan Rotaru (2008-01-25 21:54:21)
Logged out
It happened to me few times because my Internet connection was down for few seconds. When I tried to access other link on the website I was told to try again. Maybe the server resets the connection if the Internet is down?
Hannes Rada (2008-01-28 18:58:35)
Chess, Chinese Chess, Go
Thibault, have you ever tried Chinese Chess ?
I've a book about the rules with some games, but I do not have a board.
Maybe there is somewhere a Chinese Chess pgrogramm for free download.
What do you like more Chess or Go ?
Some years ago I tried to study Go, visited a Go Club. I tried to play a few games but did not realy realize what's going on. I was even not in the position to find out if my position is better or worse :-).
Shogi - Japanese Chess, and Korean Chess, many chess variants and board games ....
Hao Nhien Nguyen (2008-01-30 10:02:33)
Rating from the other site.
I've got a rating of 1834 in chesshere.com. Can I get this rating here?
Hao Nhien Nguyen (2008-02-02 03:35:39)
Chinese chess
Chinese chess is the most loved chess game in my country, Vietnam and in many other Asian countries. So, if Chinese chess is available, this site is better.
Wayne Lowrance (2008-02-02 19:15:42)
Rating from the other side
Congratulations Hao, when I joined I had a CC rating of 2300 at another CC site that I played at for years and years. I started here at 1400,,,,did not know any better.
Wayne
Julien Coll (2008-02-04 08:11:23)
hello :)
I mean: 15 people maxi for each game, each time I connected -that's not enormous anyway... :) some months ago some members of the the ASA (the french shôgi association) used to meet all monday evenings in Kurnik -I don't know if they continue doing it again.
If you're able to understand chinese, korean, japanese, etc... perhaps you'll find plenty of very good internet clubs devoted to these games :o)
There is a shogi club called ISC, but I don't know if it is active.
about shogi and servers: a good server for OTB play is Shogidojo... but the level is quite hard for beginners.
there are other sites for differed play (ex. in Brainking you can play to the two games).
Andrew Stephenson (2008-02-07 09:33:55)
cycle entry rating??
Thibault now your really confusing me?? I do not think there is any concept of cycle entry rating being followed in your WC system! In the knockout stages players ratings change so there entry rating changes in different stages. eg Wolfgang entered the quarter finals for 000002 with a TER of 2460 he was successful (against you)and played the semi final with improved TER 2523 and for the the knockout TER was the same 2523 with Harry had TER with 2456 for quarters but went to semis with TER 2459 and for knockout final his TER changed again to 2555. Now if CER is operating Thibault, the knockout final match should contain entry ratings at the start of the cycle ...this is extremely important because that would have wolfgang on 2460 and Harry on 2456 which will make a difference as it reverses the TER at present showing in that match leading to opposite results in the event of a tie. The same occurs for the stages and round robin finals - updated ratings are used for tie breaks at each stage. Anyway for the next cycle why do you not just change the candidate tie break rule to make it consistent with all the other tie break rules ie based on TER at the time the stage commences. It does not make any sense to give an advantage to say the no 8 rated player at the start of the cycle who goes into knockout over the no 9 rated player going into the stage and round robin. Both players will benefit from improved TER during the course of the cycle before they meet in the candidates final where there strength at that entry point should be a tie breaking factor and not where there rating was 1 year or more years earlier- the more so as their changed ratings since will/may have been used as tie breakers along the way anyway. Either that or introduce cycle entry ratings concept and keep ratings fixed for the duration of the cycle for tie break purposes for all matches and stages!
Iouri Basiliev (2008-02-13 16:40:48)
FICGS vs. IGAME.RU, the games
I don't pretend to make the conclusion, but looking for the games quality i must admit the very high average level of play.
Nearly all the tables! Fantastic! I personally think it's a historical (sorry for the overpathetic) event in the life of both sites.
Wayne Lowrance (2008-02-15 18:57:08)
ratings
Thibault you say you don't understand why a strong player would not ask for a provisional rating change when coming aboard....
Easy to answer Thibault, most people feel like rules are rules, and won't challenge them. At least that is why I didnt ask for a rating upgrade when I first came aboard. As I said earlier that when I came aboard my rating was 2300+ on another CC site I played on for humpteen years. Anyway I was confident in my CC chess ability and figured it would not take long to get to a decent rating, I wanted to more or less prove my self here. I guess that is basic to what you have answered.
Wayne
Thibault de Vassal (2008-02-15 22:47:18)
FICGS other forums
Hello to all.
You may have noticed new banners on the right of the chat bar before to login, so this other part of FICGS website. Well, looks like a small portal now, these new forums (seo forums, buzz blog, web directory, country & city forums and chat..) should help the games server, even if there's a lot of work to make it coherent and to improve it yet. Feel free to use it anyway :)
Lots of improvements to come on the chess server next month. Have a nice week !
Best wishes, Thibault
Garvin Gray (2008-03-17 11:35:42)
freestyle and seedings
While I am just another user of this forum, I can answer both of these questions as they come up regularly.
Hailes- My understanding is once you sign onto a waiting list, you cant leave it.
The reason being is players could enter, then see another player enter, then leave the tournament and rejoin in another slot to get a better colour, as your entry position determines your seeding in the round robin draw.
Also regarding chess engines etc, as long as you play as an individual, anything goes. Most of the players on here are using engines and it is fully endorsed.
Basically this is a freestyle chess site.
Mark Hailes (2008-03-17 15:10:44)
Thibault
Thanks - that's a relief. I'd have had some problems trying to run 10 games at once!? I'll try not to screw up again.
BTW I really like the site.
The tournament has just started!
M
Don Burden (2008-04-01 23:21:35)
April Fools!
Here is a link to one of the better April Fools jokes I've seen - from the Chessbase site:
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp
The author hasn't admitted that this is a joke yet, but it obviously must be.
Thibault de Vassal (2008-04-06 18:06:20)
time control
Once more, you are probably right about time controls.. just tried, but anyway, no formula will fit to everyone :( .. IMO the main points are the site has to improve yet and we need more players, then things should follow. Of course, feel free to make suggestions...
Two points :
- I just wonder if an 'open' waiting list is ok for such a tournament : Maybe players shouldn't be able to see the players who already entered the waiting list (cause of course everyone may wait to see who registered before to register...)
- Following some improvements, bronze games may become free soon. More players could familiarize with short time controls.
What do you think ?
Hu To (2008-04-21 16:21:04)
GoChild 2.0 is available
For kids who loves to play web games, GoChild 2.0 can use their favorite website as reward.
Andrew Stephenson (2008-05-01 13:42:03)
time controls
The server is accessed on the site, you can tick the box on log in and then your password will come up automatically, once in you go to waiting lists and enter a tournament that your starting rating permits, the time controls are described under the categories (world championship is the same as the rapid time control), check the my games to see when you have games click on the game and you can play with the server keeping all the records. Hope that helps
Marc Lacrosse (2008-05-01 18:03:17)
to Andrew
"I don't se much benefit to letting the computer think for hours frankly wants it gets to 20 + ply. There all sorts of horizons in positions that letting the computer run for a year wont sort out."
There are other ways to use engines than letting simply one of them run for hours.
You may interactively walk along the various branches of the tree going from current position with one or several engines running.
You may also have engines playing some kind of test matches against each other from the current position or from any critical position that you identify along the possible continuations.
You can use Rybka randomizer against itself or against other engines for more exhaustive evaluation through test games
And so on ...
"Marc why are you playing this c3 stuff against the sicilian with such great kit? You play the same openings all the time and I thought it was because you had not much time!!!"
1. I never played this disreputed c3 stuff against the 2..d6 sicilian (with or without the 4.Be2 pawn offer) before january 2008 in my 140+ former serious correspondence games
Indeed I did choose it because I erroneously enrolled in three new tournaments simultaneously and I feared to miss time for serious analysis due to heavy workload at that time.
Results are a bit disappointing with it : five draws so far and two unfinished games that I should win (one win is sure and the other one is probable).
This should lead to a 64% result and a 2333 elo performance. Not shining but not that bad insn't it ?
2. I like playing unorthodox openings in correspondence play.
I do not see any interest in beginning my games with 30 moves of overanalysed theory.
Most often I decide for a side variation and I do play it in as many games as possible simultaneously : I do the analysis job once for all while being fully "in the mood" of a similar set of positions.
Then I change for something else
I won't probably ever play any more game with the line I played against you.
3. An exception is the Basman-Sale Sicilian (2..e6 4..Bc5).
I like it a lot and even have a web site devoted to it (http://chessbazaar.mlweb.info/basmansale/index.html)
I am in a running series of more than twenty corr. games without a single loss with it and decided not to stop using it until defeat happens
I probably analysed it more than anybody : I have several thousands of analysed lines in my files.
I am just busy to consider switching to something more agressive for cases where I need to play for a win as Black.
Regards
Marc
Jason Repa (2008-05-06 03:59:45)
Bird's Opening
Comparing 1.b4 to the Bird's Opening is just revealing your lack of chess knowledge. There have been many books written about the Bird's Opening. It has it's own discrete chapter in MCO, and its played in serious games in professional chess still today, as I've already mentioned to you. I wasn't making an argument that it should be someone's "main weapon", and I don't use it as a "main weapon" myself. Your original statement that I was contesting was: "1 f4 at cc seems a waste of white".
I'm significantly higher rated than you are on this site, and I beat you quite easily when we played last year (only took me 33 moves if I recall), so I don't think you're any authority in cc either.
And you shouldn't equate a lack of an "opening advantage" with winning potential. Chess is a complex game, and its not about simply trying to make the best theoretical move all the time. It's about defeating your opponent. Theory suggests that 3.Nc3 is the strongest objective continuation for White against the French Defense, yet you still see 3.Nd2 quite regularly and even 3.e5 sometimes. There is more to think about than trying to get an opening advantage when it comes to winning a chess game. There is positional maneuvering and jockeying, as well as psychological factors to consider.
Additionally, trying to win the most games on an online correspondence chess server isn't everyone's goal. Some of us play real chess and use the information garnered here to assist us in our over the board play.
Jason Repa (2008-05-06 04:24:31)
Bird's Opening
Here's a few more wins played on this site I obtained with 1.f4
http://members.shaw.ca/winnipeg_chess/birdsopening.htm
I've actually never lost a single game with this opening. Hardly seems like a "waste" to me.
Pablo Schmid (2008-05-07 00:34:11)
...
"Actually you're wrong once again Pablo. I know that you're only a 1912 rated player on this site"
Yeah, on this site... I began here as a 1700 (the first rating here) and I lost many games on time or because I was very busy and in a hurry to play a move without checking seriously to not lose on time. And corr rating does not mean everything. I play OTB too. Do you? I would be happy to play with you, even if you seems a bit arrogant when I see the way you speak in general.
And still, when I read that: "FYI,
5...Nc6 doesn't "put up more of a fight". It loses immediately to 6.Bxg5. I rarely have anyone play that badly against me in an online bullet game, let alone a cc game.
and in the line with 4...Nf6 (called the Mestel Variation), there is no clear way for Black to win his pawn back.
" There is not discussion about material, you seems to judge the position on the fact that Black could not regain the pawn, so they are worse...
Jason Repa (2008-05-06 23:41:40)
Pablo
"I realize that Pablo, probably a lot better than you do. 'What? How do you know? You know nothing about me and you say that...'"
Actually you're wrong once again Pablo. I know that you're only a 1912 rated player on this site. And I also know that you have difficulty understanding the difference between a discussion of dynamic compensation for material, and one of simply whether or not material can be recovered. Only in your mind is there the implication that "chess is all about material". Material is one parameter, and that is the parameter that was being discussed. You need to learn to understand that. Nobody was saying that was the only parameter to consider, or that it was the most important parameter to consider.
Jason Repa (2008-05-07 01:09:36)
Step up, or shut up!
"I know that you're only a 1912 rated player on this site" Yeah, on this site... I began here as a 1700 (the first rating here)"
Join the club. I started as a 1700 player also. You've lost over 25% of your games. And to weak opponents at that. So I'm quite justified in assuming that I'm a better chess player than you, and by a very wide margin also. The fact that you couldn't figure out on your own why 10...Bf5 is no improvement over 10...Qe7 is just icing on the cake.
But anyway, I've had enough of you whining about your low rating and making excuses for your poor performance in chess. Excuses are for losers.
And there was nothing "arrogant" in any of my statements. The problem here is your stupidity and incapability at understanding what has been said to you. I've already explained to you TWICE that you were wrong in assuming that there was an implication that "material is everything" when I was discussing the recovery of material. That was not said nor implied. What part of this isn't sinking into your skull? How many more times does it need to be repeated for you to be able to understand???
I don't normally give free chess lessons to insolent patzers like you, but I'd be willing to have you a few bullet games on a secure server like playchess.com where in bullet time controls you won't be able to use your chess program to do the thinking for you like you do here. I've already had this type of thing go down with another motormouth on this site. I beat him 100% of the games and posted a link to them. At least he was man enough to step up to the plate and play me. You made the challenge so don't back down with any excuses, like the excuses you used to explain your paltry 1912 rating. And obviously if we're going to play real-time chess with the assumption is that its going to be human mind vs human mind chess, it's going to have to be fast bullet games. Not standard blitz where you have time to see what rybka running on your other computer suggests. Let me know what your playchess.com account name is and when you're able to play.
Andrew Stephenson (2008-05-07 05:15:58)
f4 or not f4
1.0 Pablo here is a link you should read: http://www.avlerchess.com/chess-analysis/A_BRAND_NEW_Chessbase_9_for_sale_on_eBay_92649.html
2.0 Mr Repa here is a comment about the Dutch defense: "Black's ...f5 stakes a serious claim to the e4 square and looks towards an attack on White's kingside in the middlegame. However, it weakens Black's own kingside somewhat, and does nothing to contribute to Black's development" My point exactly about 1 f4
3.0 Mr Repa's chess federation of canada rating is listed as 2010 with an active rating of 1737. If he reaches am expected rating here of, by his account, 2370+ then everyone will be impressed particularly as Mr Repa says "I think I'm a bit out gunned here.I'm running BATTLE CHESS on a Commodore 64. I believe its running at 1.023 MHz."
4.0 It might be battle chess that accounted for the following cc (!) game as black he played against Torsten Opas 1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Be7 7.Ne5 Bd7 8.O-O O-O 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 a6 11.Bxc6 Bxc6 12.Re1 Re8 13.Qf3 Qd6 14.Re3 Qb4 15.Rae1 Bd8 16.Qf5 Qxd4 (oops)17.Bxf6 Bxf6 and the game is already lost
5.0 Together with his loss with 1f4 that he forgot about here is another example of the correct treatment of f4 by black against Mr Repa 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.b3 Bg7 5.Bb2 O-O 6.Be2 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.d3 c5 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.d4 e6 11.Nd2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 completely dead for white no prospects and duly drawn. Like I said 1 f4 is a waste at cc. I doubt we shall see Mr Repa use it again against a good opponent on this site.
6.0 All the games I referred to were white victories OTB with 1. f4 "Look what happened to Evgeny Alexseev as black - a very strong 2600+ GM at the time - he continued 6 ..b6 7 h3 c5 8 Qe1 Bb7 9 g4 and lost to IM Sengupta." Alexseev lost and the criticisms of IM Sengupta's moves by Mr Repa are quite funny - thats the whole point. At cc Sengupta's play would not be impressive but otb it was effective. Incidentally the game was played in 2004 in India
8.0 1 g4 is like 1 b4? Well that is clearly wrong. There have been no GM - GM encounters with 1 g4 there have been several with 1 b4 including Topalov v Malakhatsov. Over 50 IM's and a dozen GM's have played 1 b4 very few have ever played g4. 1 f4 has been championed by GM Jakubiec who is the only GM who has played it regularly.
9.0 "What is weird is that the conversation began with quite civil exchanges before tiny criticisms quickly escalated to nuclear mode despite my genuine and exhaustive efforts at diffusion and removal of misinterpretation" Can anyone guess who is being written about here on another chess site?
Thibault de Vassal (2008-05-07 19:34:00)
Reminder : Forum rules
Hello all. The previous thread about From's Gambit has been closed.
As a reminder of the site regulations :
11. 1. Netiquette
(...) No player may post in forums or send to another member any voluntary message that contains abusive, insulting, provocating, advertising, vulgar, foul, racist, sexist or other discriminatory or politically sensitive content. Doing so may lead to being immediately and permanently banned. You agree that the webmaster, administrator and moderators have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic, comment or message at any time should they see fit. Responding to a provocative message is strictly forbidden (...). In this case, please just warn the moderator or webmaster in private.
Provocation is just ridiculous when alone...
Jason Repa (2008-05-13 08:25:55)
When will this troll stop?
This is hilarious! You've got a guy (and I use the term loosely) who goes WAY out of his way to insult, harass, and annoy, now trying to pass himself off as holier-than-thou. He's even following me around from thread to thread with the sole purpose of abuse and provocation. If I say the sky is blue, he'll say green. If I say 2+2=4, he'll say there is no proof of that. This character will not stop trying to provoke, as this thread proves.
I start an innocent thread describing an interesting game I played with someone. He immediately starts criticizing my choice of chess openings, made all the more laughable because I CRUSHED the guy in chess, and am significantly higher rated than he is. Perhaps this is what is fueling his little tirade. He then proceeds to post links to off-topic discussions that occurred 4-5 years ago as further harassment. And this is the same individual who is whining about, of all things, Netiquette? Irony to the EXTREME!
His latest tactic is to incessantly suck up to the site admin by making repeated hybrid posts which are intended to harass me while worshiping the admin. We'll see his signature phrase "I agree with Thibault" over and over again ad-nausiam. As if this somehow buys him respite for the provocative and abusive comments he CONTINUES to make towards me.
Although you're probably used to being in that position, please get off your knees and stop brown nosing Stephenson. It's pathetic. And before you start talking about Netiquette, please learn what the term means yourself. We wouldn't be having this discussion if you did.
Benjamin Block (2008-05-19 15:06:03)
Nice!
why have the GM class 2600+ in rating? Nobody in this site have that high rating?
Michael Aigner (2008-05-27 18:35:33)
Sorry but white is going to win
I think black has a maximum 10 % drawing chances in this position. e.g.
[Event "Blitz:120'"]
[Site "PC"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "Naum 3.1"]
[Result "*"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[TimeControl "7200"]
{256MB, Hiarcs10.ctg, HOME-PC} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Bg5 h6
6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Ne5 Bg7 12. Nxd7
Nxd7 13. Bd6 a6 14. a4 e5 15. Bg4 exd4 16. e5 c5 17. Re1 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 O-O 19.
Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Ne2 f5 21. Bh5 f4 22. b4 cxb3 23. Qxb3 Qd5 24. Qh3 Bc8 25. Nc3
dxc3 26. Qxc3+ Qd4 27. Qf3 Ra7 28. axb5 Rf6 29. h3 Qd6 (29... Re6 30. Qa3 Rxe1+
(30... Qd6 31. Rxe6 Bxe6 32. Rd1 Qe5 33. b6 Re7 34. Rc1 g4 35. hxg4 Rd7 36. Qa5
Qd6 37. Qxa6 and White wins) 31. Rxe1 Bf5 32. b6 and White wins) 30. Re8 Be6 31. h4 g4 32. Bxg4 Bf7
33. Rc8 and White is clearly better
Regards Michael
Thibault de Vassal (2008-05-27 19:02:42)
Provisional rating
1800 is quite usual as a provisional rating in correspondence chess, some sites prefer to ignore games played by players who don't have an established rating in rating calculation. In my opinion, the effects are quite small here and ratings move faster this way.
Mik Kris (2008-05-27 19:51:18)
Thanks for the quick response
I am sorry I did not think my original idea it all the way
And forgat my manners for a moment there
I wold like to thank you for building this great site and this opportunity for me to meet many intersting people
Yes I wold like to be able to challenge some one for a simple rank game without starting a tournament
one more thing might be nice is to get an "are youre ready to play" message before a game in a bullet or lightning tournament
Thibault de Vassal (2008-05-28 00:32:54)
Advanced Go games
Actually, it should also open a pop-up window if your browser allow it for the site. Anyway you should remove from the waiting list if you can't check the page regularly.
Mik Kris (2008-05-29 06:37:00)
so thing you might not know about go
go is not about making a better move its about keeping the game equal
you cant win in go unless youre oponent had a misstake that you fix
or a simple misstake you didnt evean have to fix
most players take too long to realy understand this
hell i know this i stil dont understand it
but its true ask any strong player or pro
its evean more true in our kyu games where we make a wrong move every few
also i took some time lookin at some games on this site
it seems that most players here dont use the extra time they have to read
or make shape any way
in fact many games are lost becouse of misstakes in reading
what seems to me becuse the lack of faster games where you have to read perfactly fast
Don Burden (2008-06-01 18:50:35)
Problem....Problem
"Find a Grave" site says he was cremated and his ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3476
Garvin Gray (2008-06-02 19:14:39)
response
Wayne, this is an enternal problem and while you complain about it for the rating group 2100-2300, saying that only 2100 will benefit from it.
No matter what the rating bracket, it has been shown on this site many times that very few players will enter a waiting list when their entry is just below the cut off.
So changing the rating limits to 2200-2400 will not change this behaviour, all it will do is move the 'problem'.
Benjamin Block (2008-06-03 17:20:27)
Poker
I have not seen any site with corr poker it would be funny? Or do you mean live time?
William Taylor (2008-06-04 23:09:47)
Don't like the idea
My initial reaction is that I don't like the idea. Whilst I do enjoy playing poker, I think it would be out of place here. As others have pointed out, there's a lot of luck involved, and (so far anyway) this website is for skill-based abstract strategy games. I also think it would be unsuited to a correspondence time control. Shogi or xiang-qi on the other hand... I'm in favour of introducing them.
Jason Repa (2008-06-08 20:37:40)
Rapid chess entry rating
No, Lowrance, you're the one missing the point here. And you're using engine assistance as much as anyone here, so don't pretend like you're somehow at a disadvantage. I've played you, and you're 100% program. Perhaps that's the problem.
Thibault mentioned once that a weak player running Rybka can get to around 2100 or so. To get beyond that requires some chess knowledge. While he may not be precisely accurate about the number....perhaps it's 2200 instead......nonetheless, the point is accurate. Everyone who's above 2000 on this site is consulting chess engines, but in corr. chess simply running a program alone is not the strongest way to play. You make it sound as though Rybka plays the perfect chess game. If that were the case everyone on this site would be rated about the same. It should be quite obvious to you that to go from 2300 to 2400 is much more difficult than going from 2200-2300. As a higher rated player, you get less points for winning or drawing, and lose more when you lose. As for your chances against 2400 players being the same as against 2100 players, that's pure nonsense. You'd be lucky to get the occasional draw against a 2400 player, (one who's really earned their rating and not just started with an artificially high rating as is the case with more than a few on this site) whilst you will lost most of those games. A higher rated player is higher rated for a reason. They win more games.
The correct spelling of my name should also be obvious to you, as it's on the same page that you're entering text into.
Don Groves (2008-06-09 06:47:09)
Brackets - both Chess and Go
In response to Garvin Gray's first response in this thread: There is a way around the problem of being stuck at a certain rating because you never get to play against higher rated players (which is necessary to move up) -- allow the winner of a tournament to qualify for the next higher classification regardless of his/her rating. This is done on at least one site already (IECG, if I recall correctly). If the player in question does not improve his/her rating enough to stay at the higher level, he/she drops back into the lower classification. Thibault would have to agree to allow this of course. I think it's a good way to reward the winner of a tournament.
Wayne Lowrance (2008-06-10 16:44:32)
Rapid chess entry rating
I am pleased that Thiabalt has/is taking steps to put a stop to this bickering and name calling here at the chess site.
For my part I would like to apoligize to all for opening this "Rapid chess entry rating" topic in the first place. It is my bad ! And I will not repeat this mistake again.
It was never my intension to creat such chaos. I thought it was a harmless topic and was giving an opinion.
I feel bad that one individual has such a dislike for me. I have been playing c hess on internet for perhaps 20 years, and in all of that time I have never had anyone dislike me, I confess it does bother me.
Wayne
Andrew Stephenson (2008-06-10 18:09:02)
No apology necessary
You have nothing to apologise for Wayne your comments were reasonable. It is up to Thibault to enforce the policy and to stop this kind of thing happening. To have this happen every time different opinions are expressed is very damaging for the site. I respect everyone on this site whatever their grading and whether they agree or disagree with me. If someone cannot control their language and become abusive they should not be allowed to post on the forum - its that simple.
Samy Ould Ahmed (2008-06-25 23:24:54)
Salut
Salut Khaled, je ne pense pas qu'on puisse jouer un match (en deux parties) de parties longues sur ce site, Thibault me contredira si j'ai tort. Joue tu sur d'autres sites ?
Wayne Lowrance (2008-07-03 01:03:17)
my games copied to Fritz database
Sorry Thibault, I cannot make this work, too dense I guess. Thanks for trying to help me.
Maybe you can make a site up date to do this.
Wayne
Andrew Stephenson (2008-07-09 22:18:10)
Derrida
Strongly advise against reading anything by the chap although I did enjoy his defense to being caught with a big bag of dope in prague - it was planted on him when he visited Franz Kafka's grave - hmmm yeah ok.
Normajean Yates (2008-07-11 01:20:57)
the answer is in Carla Bruni's new album
Well maybe so and maybe not - but rather like the album. (Comme si de rien n'était) - I liked the first two albums too :)
You can hear the enitire album at the official site www.calabruni.com
Normajean Yates (2008-07-14 04:29:14)
thanks thibault, it was adblock problem
the adblock-filter-updater i was using was too strong :)
As a courtesy, as long as I am a free memner I have allowed all ads that appear that appear on this site :)
Benjamin Block (2008-07-16 14:32:33)
New idea
i have think about this a long time but now i think it is time to write it down.
What do you think about make you´re own money price tournament. First you choose e-points fee 10 or 100. Then you choose how many games you want. Of course the site need to have limit so nobody take 100 games.
And you choose the highest and lowest rating you want here the site need to take a limit. And the last thing you choose the time control. Here it will be fun if we can take more time control example 30/10 days,50/10 days and 60/10 days.
What do you think?
Thibault de Vassal (2008-07-16 23:12:46)
Mirroring moves
This rule work from move 1 (let's say move 5 :)) .. it can be verified within the site by examining the date of each move.
Benjamin Block (2008-07-17 19:30:56)
Why more times an be good.
First i am going to take a example.
You will play on a high rated tournamnet on iccf. The fee is 10 euro. But it is too hard for you too win so you need help from this site. You take help from this site. If you lose on this site you will win on iccf. If you lose on iccf you will win here not smart?
One more example. I play vs example you Thibault.
You are white. You start with. 1.e4 i make the move on iccf. the player on iccf. move 1-.e5 and i make the move on this site and so on....
Thibault de Vassal (2008-07-18 14:15:56)
how did member's name change?
According to the terms & conditions, the site can keep players informations and games, however if it's a "real" problem for a player who wants to close his account to have his name remaining on the site, an admin may change it (at his own discretion, the player can't register under his previous name though), but the games remain.
Robert Mueller (2008-07-19 07:31:33)
available? - not quite
Rybka 3 is not quite available yet. You could pre-order at Chessbase (if their website wasn't down) or at Convekta. But delivery willl begin on August 1 or August 4 depending on where you buy.
Normajean Yates (2008-07-21 15:16:14)
why so few women on ficgs?
compare chess.com.
Simone de Beauvoir write in Le Deuxième Sexe, 1949 that women in l'Etats-Unis d'America are more advanced...
Still true? [with modification: women members of USA-based sites :)]
Andrew Stephenson (2008-07-21 16:00:32)
cc sites
Sites like ICCF and IECG seem to be like FICGS - very few women members. Chess.com is not just an exclusive cc site and has a lot more varied chess content - not just cc. Perhaps thats part of the reason. However some sites like chessbase are cringeingly sexist - never missing an opportunity to show pics of the "pretty girls" together with 1950's style comments.
Normajean Yates (2008-07-21 19:15:38)
thibault you really need more women here
US sites like fics are so sexist [AND racist --- anti-Arab] that for 3 years i was ranting and raving there ...
So chess.com is an exception i think.
I would have liked the first exception to be NOT from the USa, but .. fait accompli it is ... And woman are vocal at chess.com - i've not been the target of any sexist remark [or seen any anti-arab or otherwise racist remark] there so far though i am perhaps the most vocal woman there .. And lots of women DO play corrspondence chess there ... 'lydiablonde' is both vocal and a strong, heavy player.
Anyony I am here for computer-assisted chess and there for the other sort ... [that site doesnt allow engines]
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2008-07-25 05:01:17)
quote was Gloria Steinem's iirc...
The opposite is also true:
A married woman looks like a fish riding a bicycle.
Garvin Gray (2008-07-25 17:41:01)
wonders will never cease
and you guys wonder why there is a lack of females on this site :o :P
Marc Lacrosse (2008-07-27 19:36:41)
The specifics of match play ...
Tanks to FICGS championships interesting formula I just entered Wch 005 in a quarter final 8-games match (against GM Balabaev).
This is the first time I have to play several simultaneous games against the same opponent in correspondence play.
There are interesting questions related to this unusual kind of tournament.
First of all, what kind of opening(s) should you play, and more precisely is it better to vary or to go for the same opening in several games?
Having had a look at my opponents former games I had prepared quite a few options.
As Black I decided to rely on my favorite Bc5 sicilian defence
Four identical games developped and very soon it appeared that these games should be decisive for the whole match
For long I was afraid that my opponent could come with some decisive prepared analysis leading to a 4-0 lead ...
But the opposite happened and all four games ended (draw by position repetition) before I had left my opening prep, after less than one month of play.
Thus I am left with four games where I am white
A considerable advantage IMHO ...
On this precise topic I wonder what is the opinion of top players here : is it better to be the one who vary early or should you go along your favorite analysis as long as your opponent won't diverge himself in case of match play
I have never read anything on this topic anywhere ...
Marc
Normajean Yates (2008-07-29 05:32:27)
why so few retrograde analysis fans here
http://www.ficgs.com/user_page.php?page=problem_read&id=262
Nicola, Kieran, and me [ i hadn't discovered this site when the problem was posted]
This problem is not trivial, but definitely not difficult!
Thibault de Vassal (2008-07-29 14:05:49)
why so few retrograde analysis fans here
Because I hate this ! :o)
Just joking, but I don't like it much for real. As I made this site mainly in a competitive way, probably most players look for the same things as me here, a deeper chess (& Go) games understanding and of course competition - this is a men's feature, you know :))
Andrew Stephenson (2008-08-07 16:00:12)
Longest game
I just wondered whats the longest game game ever played on FICGS - in terms of moves? Potentially it could be very long as the 50 move draw rule does not apply automaticaaly on this site.
Normajean Yates (2008-08-11 09:33:10)
or maybe the question is not clear to me
Exactly what do you mean, Phil and others - getting a game annotated?
Specially since this is primarily a computer-chess site so of course you dont want engine annotation. You want the sort of human annotation that engines cannot do, right?
Normajean Yates (2008-08-12 02:10:55)
Okay, requestiong annnotation!
Consider this latvian fraser 'book' line:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Qh5+ g6 5. Nxg6 Nf6 6. Qh3 hxg6 7. Qxh8 Qe7. [yes I know it is in crisis :)]
well, opp played 8. Nc3 [which i couldnt find in any database] and I was already in serious trouble after:
8...fxe4 9. Be2 Nd4 10. O-O.
Cant see any counterplay by black.
[not on this site; and the game is in progress but has moved on a few moves beyond this point - so I am not cheating!]
Anyone care to comment on - ahem, annotate - my [black's] 8th and 9th move?
Phil Cook (2008-08-12 07:34:16)
Morales Vs Cook
[Event "Single game, E4EC"]
[Site "http://gameknot.com/"]
[Date "2008.04.22"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Morales, Rafael (rafafallo)"]
[Black "Cook, Phil (Kiwi)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1078"]
[BlackElo "1170"]
[TimeControl "10/30"]
1. d4 {(D 00 Queeens Pawn,Chigorin varation) 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 } d5
2. Nc3 {(D 00 Queeens Pawn,Chigorin varation) 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 e6..not
commonly played } e6 {(D 00 Queeens Pawn,Chigorin varation) 1. d4 d5
2. Nc3 e6..not commonly played} 3. a3 {3.blocking ..Bb4} h6 4. e4 a6
5. g3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nf6 {3. ....... h6 4. e4 a6 5. g3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nf6 attemps
white into another exchange} 7. Bg2 {7.Bg2 defends } Nxe4 8. Bxe4 c6 9.
c4 Be7 10. d5 {7. Nxe4 8. Bxe4 c6 9. c4 Be7 10. d5 (white here,trying
to open the middle up) so black attacks} cxd5 11. cxd5 O-O 12. dxe6 {12.dxe6,,(black
gives up a pawn or does he)} Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rd8+ 14. Bd2 fxe6 {12. dxe6
Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rd8+ 14. Bd2 fxe6(wins the pawn back,has white in disarray
here)} 15. Nf3 Bf6 16. Rb1 Nd7 17. b4 Ne5 18. Ke2 Nxf3 19. Bxf3 {15. Nf3
Bf6 16. Rb1 Nd7 17. b4 Ne5 18. Ke2 Nxf3 19. Bxf3 (note whites black bishop)}
Rb8 20. a4 b5 21. a5 Bb7 22. Rbc1 Bxf3+ {19. Bxf3 Rb8 20. a4 b5 21. a5
Bb7 22. Rbc1 Bxf3(white lost contol and game from here,yet plods on)} 23.
Kxf3 Rxd2 {22. Rbc1 Bxf3+ 23. Kxf3 Rxd(loss of bishop)} 24. Rc6 Rd3+ 25.
Ke4 Rbd8 26. Rxe6 Rd3d6 27. Rxd6 Rxd6 28. Rc1 Rd4+ 29. Kf5 Rxb4 30. Kg6
Rg4+ 31. Kf5 Rc4 32. Rd1 Rc5+ 33. Ke4 b4 34. Rb1 Rb5 35. Rb3 Bc3 36. f4
Rxa5 37. f5 Ra3 0-1
Don Groves (2008-08-14 00:17:39)
Nada...
I set my site design to random and logged in again, but it still looks like it always did...
Thibault de Vassal (2008-08-16 12:29:32)
Questions to Xavier Pichelin
Xavier Pichelin is 1st FICGS chess champion after beating IM Gino Figlio in the first candidates final, he accepted to talk about his match, the tournament, his views around correspondence chess, chess engines and so on... The most important part may be he'll defend his title against the winner of the 2nd candidates final :)
Unfortunately, the complete interview is in french only as he doesn't speak english, but if someone finds a good translator (if possible better than Babelfish), he may post it in this thread. Thanks !
- Bonjour Xavier et tout d'abord félicitations pour ta victoire dans le match
qui t'opposait au MI (ICCF) Gino Figlio [Pérou] dans la finale des candidats. Tu
devais éviter à tout prix la nulle dans toutes les parties, finalement les noirs
t'ont porté chance, comment expliques-tu ce résultat ?
Xavier : Bonjour, merci pour les félicitations.
C'est vrai qu'en cas de nulles pour toutes les parties, le règlement indique Figlio Vainqueur en cas d'égalité avec victoire(s) et défaite(s) je remporte le match. Donc il fallait que je prenne des risques en attaquant et c'est avec les noirs que je l'ai fait car je pensais que Gino, dans ces parties, attendrait sans prendre de risques pour assurer les nulles.
- Peux-tu nous décrire la manière dont tu as abordé ce match contre Gino et
son déroulement au fur et à mesure des différentes phases du jeu ?
X : C'est assez simple, dans ce match je n'étais pas du tout favori car
avec plus de 200 points ELO FICGS en ma défaveur, et Gino titré Maître
International avec plus de 2480 point ELO ICCF, je pensais que je n'allais pas
résister sur 8 parties simultanées car sur une partie tout est possible mais
sur 8 parties... c'était pour moi un grand défi !
Pour le déroulement du jeu j'ai joué la diversité sur mes débuts avec les blancs
4 parties 4 coups différents : 1.e4 1.d4 1.c4 1.Cf3.
Gino a fait de même : 1.e4 1.d4 1.Cf3 1.Cc3.
Ce qui m'a fait douter aussi car 1.Cc3 m'a surpris, je pensais qu'il avait prévu
un début tonitruand et c'est là que je me suis dit qu'il fallait que je prenne
des risques avec les noirs. Au fur et à mesure des différentes phases du jeu
j'ai assuré les nulles des positions équilibrées pour me concacrer a deux
parties avantageuses dont une avec les blancs et une avec les noirs pour au
moins faire la différence dans une partie pour assurer la victoire.
Et en fin de compte c'est 3 victoires qui me reviennent, ce qui me paraissait
impossible étant donnée la qualité du jeu de Gino joué sur ce site pour arriver
à la finale des candidats du championnat.
- Tu as réalisé pendant le championnat un parcours sans faute, aucune
défaite à signaler, tu affiches également des statistiques stratosphériques à
78% contre une moyenne elo à près de 2200, quel est ton secret ?
X : Mon secret? Je n'ai pas de secret. Si j'avais un secret je ne le
dévoilerais pas sinon je ne gagnerais plus ! Je pense que j'ai eu un petit peu
de chance car il s'en est fallu de peu que je ne sois pas qualifié au stage 3
(robin-round final) car il y avait 3 joueurs à égalité et j'ai eu l'avantage du
classement du départ de ce tournoi comme l'indique le règlement. Quant à mes
statistiques, c'est aussi grâce aux erreurs de mes adversaires qui m'ont permis
de gagner des parties équilibrées.
- Que penses-tu du système mi-ko, mi-toutes-rondes du championnat FICGS et
de ses départages inédits lors des matchs en 8 parties ? Quelles modifications y
apporterais-tu ?
X : Très bonne question !
Le système mi-ko pour moi est un peu trop rapide car un coup par jour c'est des
heures d'analyses pour exploiter une position compliquée, ce qui est difficile
quand on à plusieurs parties en cours. Surtout quand on travaille.
C'est peut-être aussi grâce à cette cadence que mes adversaires, faute de temps,
ont fait des imprécisions sur certaines postions ou exploité mes erreurs.
Mais cette cadence a un avantage par rapport aux cadences ICCF qui est de 5
jours par coup, c'est que les parties durent 5 fois moins longtemps !
Le départage inédit des matchs en 8 parties est excellent, obliger le favori à
assurer tous les matchs nulles pour gagner ce duel et sinon
d'obtenir une victoire supplémentaire contre le challenger est un mode très bien
pensé. La modification que je pourrais y apporter est peut-être la gestion du
temps qui est rapide pour un système de jeu par serveur.
Peut-être augmenter l'horloge de départ de 15 jours, soit de commencer avec 45
jours contre 30 en ce moment. Et aussi la possibilité des prendre des vacances
uniquement sur le tournoi en cours afin de gérer les autres parties du site.
Par exemple prendre 7 jours de vacances sur un tournoi d'échecs du championnat
et pouvoir jouer un tournoi de Big Chess, de Go ou un autre tournoi
d'échecs pendant ces vacances. Pouvoir choisir une date de début de vacances à
l'avance serait également appréciable.
- Pourquoi t'être investi dans les échecs par correspondance ?
T'apportent-ils d'autres satisfactions par rapport aux échecs classiques et au
blitz ?
X : Je préfère les échecs par correspondance par rapport au temps.
Car les échecs classiques se jouent souvent le week-end, à une heure précise et
souvent en déplacement pour effectuer un tournoi.
L'avantage, pour moi, des échecs par correspondance est que je puisse me
connecter à n'importe quelle heure pour jouer mes coups, ce qui me
permet, par exemple, de faire des repas de famille le week-end et le soir tard
de jouer un coup, ce qui n'est pas possible aux échecs classiques.
- Tu as su ne pas céder à la tentation et te limiter à jouer un nombre très
raisonnable de parties sur le site tout le long du championnat, penses-tu
néanmoins que les échecs par correspondance soient addictifs et à quel point ?
Ont-ils des répercussions sur ta vie de tous les jours ?
X : Oui ! Limiter mon nombre de parties en cours est pour moi essentiel pour
essayer d'avoir des parties de qualité plutôt que de quantité.
Avoir beaucoup de parties en simultanée est quand même une chose très difficile
à gérer !
C'est peut-être la clé de ma victoire contre Figlio, j'ai regardé ses parties en
cours, il en avait pas loin de 90 sur le site de l'ICCF, cela a pu se ressentir
sur son temps d'analyse consacré à nos 8 parties sur FICGS.
Sur la vie de tous les jours les répercussions sont familiales car il est vrai
que je passe plus de temps à analyser les parties et moins temps avec ma
famille, ce qui est assez difficile pour moi.
Mais quand les résultats sont là je ne regrette pas !
- Que penses-tu de la place actuelle des moteurs d'analyse (Rybka, Shredder, Fritz et autres) dans les échecs par correspondance ? Quelles sont pour toi les
qualités complémentaires essentielles du joueur par correspondance, devenu
centaure avec la machine pour jambes ?
X : Les moteurs d'analyses dans les échecs par correspondances sont utilisés par
95% des joueurs...
Maintenant il faut s'adapter et savoir utiliser ces machines à calculer.
Car jouer simplement le meilleur coup de Rybka 3, de Fritz 12 ou Hiarcs 12 sans
réfléchir mentalement mène à la nulle si l'adversaire fait de même ou
possiblement à perdre si l'adversaire se donne la peine de réfléchir en les
utilisant également.
En sachant que lorsqu'on est dans le milieu de partie ces logiciels vous donnent
souvent 4 à 5 coups evalués de manière semblable, et c'est là qu'il faut choisir
le bon coup alors que celui-ci n'est même pas forcément cité par le moteur
d'analyse...
- Tu joues désormais au Big Chess sur le site, curiosité ou intérêt ? Que
penses-tu de cette version étrange des échecs ?
X : Par curiosité et par amusement et je pense que Rybka 3 ne joue pas encore au
Big Chess !
Cette version est quasiment inédite je ne connaissais pas cette forme de jeu
d'échecs auparavant donc celui qui a inventé ce jeu a très bien fait !
A propos c'est moi qui vous pose une question sur le Big chess... Y a t-il
possiblité de roquer avec ce jeu si oui comment? (NDLR : Non, il est impossible
de roquer au Big Chess)
- Et enfin la question que tout le monde se pose, particulièrement François et
Wolfgang qui disputent la deuxième finale des candidats, penses-tu pouvoir
défendre ton titre l'an prochain ? :)
X : Bien sûr ! Je défendrai le titre ! J'aimerais si possible savoir la date et
la cadence du match. Et je souhaite à François et Wolfgang une belle finale !
Je dois faire honneur à cette compétition qui est bien organisée !
- Le match devrait pouvoir débuter durant la première semaine de janvier 2009, la cadence sera à nouveau de 30 jours et 1 jour supplémentaire par coup.
Merci pour tes réponses, et encore bravo pour cette belle performance !
X : Merci ! Et à bientôt ! Bonne continuation à tous et bonnes parties !
Benjamin Block (2008-08-18 08:52:18)
Try to translate!
I think it is something like that?
Hello Xavier and first congratulations on your victory in the match which t'opposait the MI (ICCF) Gino Figlio [Peru] in the final candidates. You should avoid at all costs void in all parties, finally brought blacks t'ont chance, how do you explain this result?
X
avier: Hello, thank you for the congratulations. It is true that in case of zero for all parties, the regulation states Figlio winner in the event of a tie with victory (s) and defeat (s) I won the match. So I had to take risks in attacking and it is with blacks that I did it because I thought Gino, in these parts, expected without taking risks to ensure the void.
-- Can you tell us about how you approached this match against Gino and his conduct as different phases of the game?
X: It's pretty simple, in this match I was not at all favorite because with more than 200 ELO points FICGS to my disadvantage, and Gino titled Master International, with more than 2480 ELO ICCF point, I thought I n ' not resist going on 8 simultaneous games as a part everything is possible but on 8 parts ... it was for me a great challenge! In the course of the game I played diversity in my beginnings with white 4 parts 4 different strokes: 1.e4 1.d4 1.c4 1.Cf3. Gino did the same: 1.e4 1.d4 1.Cf3 1.Cc3. What made me doubt also because 1.Cc3 surprised me, I thought he had planned an early tonitruand and this is where I said that I should take risks with blacks. As the different phases of the game I assured the zero positions balanced for me concacrer deal has two parts, one with blanks and one with the black for at least make a difference in part to ensure victory. And ultimately it 3 victories me back, which seemed impossible given the quality of the game Gino played on this site to reach the final of the championship candidates.
-- You have made during a championship course without fault, no losses to report, you also posters statistics stratospheric to 78% against an average elo to about 2200, what's your secret?
X: My secret? I have no secret. If I had a secret I do not dévoilerais if I do win more! I think I got a little lucky because he is required by little I am not qualified to stage 3 (round-robin final) because there were 3 players equally and I had l 'advantage classifying the departure of this tournament as indicated by the regulation. As for my statistics, it is also thanks to the errors of my opponents who allowed me to win parts in balance.
-- What do you think the system mid-ko, semi-all-round championship FICGS and its new départages in matches in 8 parties? What changes would it be?
X: Very good question! The system mid-ko for me is a little too fast since a coup by day is overtime analyses to operate a complicated position, which is difficult when several parties in progress. Especially when you work. It is perhaps also through this pace that my opponents lack of time, made some uncertainty regarding postions or exploited my mistakes. But the pace has an advantage over the cadences ICCF which is 5 days a coup is that the parties had to 5 times less time! The départage new games to 8 parts is excellent, forcing the favorite to ensure all matches to nil win this duel and otherwise obtain an additional victory against the challenger is a very well thought out. The amendment that I could make is perhaps time management which is fast for a game system per server. Perhaps increase the clock starting 15 days, starting with 45 against 30 days at this time. And also the possibility of taking a vacation only on the tournament underway to manage other parts of the site. For example, take 7 days vacation on a chess tournament championship and be able to play a tournament Big Chess, Go or another chess tournament during the holidays. Being able to choose a start date of holidays in advance would also be appreciated.
-- Why t'être invested in correspondence chess? T'apportent there are other rewards compared to traditional chess and blitz?
X: I prefer chess match over time. For the classical chess is often play the weekend at a specific time and often on the move to make a tournament. The advantage for me, correspondence chess is that I can connect at any time to play my shots, which allows me, for example, making family meals on weekends and late at night to play a coup, which is not possible chess classics.
-- You knew not to succumb to the temptation and you only play a very reasonable number of parties on the site throughout the championship, do you think nevertheless that the correspondence chess are addictive and at what point? Did they affect your everyday life?
X: Yes! Limiting my number of games in progress is essential for me to try to have parts of quality rather than quantity. Have a lot of parts simultaneously is still something very difficult to manage! This is perhaps the key to my victory against Figlio, I watched its games in progress, it had nearly 90 on the site of the ICCF, it has been felt on his time devoted to analysis our parties on FICGS 8. On the everyday life impacts are family because it is true that I spend more time to analyze the parts and less time with my family, which is quite difficult for me. But when the results are there I do not regret!
-- What do you think about the current position of engines for analysis (Rybka, Shredder, Fritz and others) in correspondence chess? What are the qualities you complementary core player by correspondence, now centaur with the machine for legs?
X: The engines of analyses in chess matches are used by 95% of players ... Now we must adapt and learn to use these machines to calculate. Car simply play the best shot of Rybka 3, Fritz 12 or Hiarcs 12 mentally without thinking leads to zero if the opponent does the same or possibly lose if the opponent gives himself the trouble to consider using them as well. Knowing that when you're in the middle part of these programs give you often 4 to 5 strokes assessed similarly, and that is that we must choose the right time when it is not even necessarily cited by the analysis engine ...
-- You get the Big Chess now on the site, curiosity or interest? What do you think of this strange version of chess?
X: For curiosity and fun and I think Rybka 3 is not yet the Big Chess! This version is almost unprecedented I did not know this form of chess before therefore the one who invented this game was very well done! About I'm the one who asks you a question on the Big chess ... Is there possibility of castle with this game if so, how? (Editor's note: No, it is impossible to castle the Big Chess)
-- And finally the question that everyone arises, especially Francis and Wolfgang disputing that the second final candidates, think you can defend your title next year? :)
X: of course! I will defend the title! I would like if possible to know the timing and pace of the match. And I wish Francis and Wolfgang a beautiful final! I must honor in this competition which is well organized!
-- The match should be able to start during the first week of January 2009, the pace will again 30 days and 1 additional day by coup. Thank you for your answers, and even congratulations for this excellent performance!
X: Thank you! And see you! Bonne continuation to all and good parties!
Andrew Stephenson (2008-08-18 16:06:16)
translation
I will have a go off the top of my head at giving a sense of the interview in english (I dont know the phrase tonitruand but I am guessing it means dynamic!)?:
Hi Xavier and first of all congratulations on your success in the candidates final match against IM (ICCF) Gino Figlio [Peru]
You had to avoid drawing all the games and finally you succeded with the black pieces. How did that happen?
Xavier: Hi thank you. Its true that if all the games had been drawn then under the rules Figlio would have won whereas if the match was drawn but with a win and loss I would win. Because of this I had to take risks and attack. It was with Black that I did this because I thought that Gino would play safely to be sure of a draw.
- Tell us how you approched the match and how the different phases of the game went
x: Its quite simple, I was not the favorite I have 200 ELO less on FICGS and Gino is an IM on ICCF with a 2480 rating. I did not think I could survive 8 games at once - in a single game anything is possible but 8 games .... it was a big challenge for me! In the openings I chose 4 different moves 1 e4 1 d4 1 c4 1 Nf3 Gino chose 1 e4 1 d4 1 c4 1 Nc3 I was surpised by 1 Nc3 because I was expecting dynamic openings and it was then that I decided I must take some risks with black. I kept most of the games balanced with a draw in hand and concentrated on 2 games 1 white and 1 black to get a result. In the end I got 3 wins which seemed an impossibility given the quality of the games Gino had played on this site to reach the final.
- you have not lost any games in the championship and you have fantastic statistics 78% against an average elo of about 2200. What is your secret?
x: My secret? I havent any secret and if I did I would not say because I would not win anymore! I think I have been a bit lucky because in the the Round Robin final there were 3 of us on the same score and I went through under the rules because of my rating. As for my statistics I was helped by mistakes by opponents who allowed me to win some drawn games.
- What do you think of the system for the FICGS championship (round robin and knock out matches)and what changes would you make?
x: Very good question. The matches are a bit too fast for me - 1 day per move when there are hours of analysis needed to exploit a complicated position its difficult when you have several games running Particularly if you are working. Perhaps that is why my opponents have made errors or failed to exploit my mistakes.
But this time limit has an advantage over ICCF where it is 5 days per move the games here are 5 times quicker! Having 8 game matches is an excellent idea and obliging the favorite to draw all the games and the challenger to get a at least 1 victory is very well thought out. The change that I would suggest is to have 15 days extra starting time that is 45 days at the start instead of 30 and also the possibilty to take holidays for tournaments for example take 7 days for championship games and to be able to play big chess go or another chess tournament during the holiday. To be able to choose the start of a holiday in advance would also be good.
- Why do you like cc and how does it compare to blitz and normal chess?
x: I prefer cc because of the time factor. Classical chess is often played at the week end at a fixed time and you have to travel to the tournament. The advantage for me at cc is that I can connect at any time to play a move which allows me for example to have meals with the family at the weekend. Late night moves for example are not possible at classical chess.
- You limited the number of your games on the site to a reasonable amount throughout the championship. Do you think nonetheless that cc is addictive? Does it affect your daily life?
x: Yes! Limiting the number of my games is essential to try to have games of quality not quantity. Having a lot of games going at the same time is something very difficult to handle. It is perhaps the key to my victory against Figlio - I looked at his games - he had not less than 80 games going on at ICCF this must have affected the amount of time he could spend analysing his 8 games at FICGS. The effects on daily life are felt by the family because the reality is if I spend more time analysing the games I spend less time with the family. Thats difficult for me. But when the results come I dont regret it!
- What do you think of the role of chess engines (Rybka Fritz etc)in cc. What are for you the important skills of a cc player - to supplement the machine?
x: Chess engines are used in cc by 95% of players. You have to adapt yourself and know how to use the engines. To play just the best move of Rybka 3 Fritz 12 or Hiracs 12 without thinking leads to a draw if your opponent does the same or to a loss if your opponent is thinking. You have to choose bewteen 4 or 5 moves with a similer evaluation from the engine during a game and sometimes the best move is not among these.
- You play Big chess. Interest or curiosity? What do you think of this strange version of chess?
X : Curiosity and amusement and I think Rrybka 3 cannot yet play Big Chess! This version is new and I did not know it and the inventor has done a good job! By the way I would like to ask is it possible to castle at Big Chess?
[No its not possible]
- Finally the question that everyone is asking particularly Francois and Wolfgang who are contesting the 2nd candidates final. Do think you will be able to defend your title next year? :)
x: Definitely I will defend the title I would like to know if possible the date and time limits for the match. I wish Francois and Wolfgang a great match! I would also like to express my appreciation for this tournament which has been well organised!
- the match should start in the first week in January next year the time limit will be 30 days plus 1 day per move. Thank you for your answers and once again congratulations on a great performance.
x: Thank you. Cheers. Best wishes to everyone and good games!
Normajean Yates (2008-08-21 14:46:27)
Ilmars, you don't realise it but...
In marxian terms, *objectively* you are in the 'try to keep latvian alive' team, though 'subjectively' you think are in the opposite team :)
Because by participating in a latvian thematic, you are helping to try to keep it alive ;)
Wolfgang Utesch (2008-08-24 09:06:56)
Andrew, stop scathing criticism
on Thibault. Maybe he did some controversial decisions. But everybody who have to do decisions can be out in his calculations. In summery Thibault do a very good job and we all have to be thankful to him for all his work on this site.
Marc Lacrosse (2008-08-24 10:02:03)
I fully agree with Wolfgang
"In summary Thibault does a very good job and we all have to be thankful to him for all his work on this site."
I could not say it better.
Marc
Iouri Basiliev (2008-08-26 11:57:21)
igame.ru R.I.P.
Looks like owner of the site is not interested in this project anymore. It's very sad. It was one of the best correspondent chess sites from only about 10? in the world! R.I.P.
Ilmars Cirulis (2008-08-30 11:11:51)
...
We have 2 "refuters" vs 2 (maybe 3) "defenders".
Will every play with every from opposite team?
Alexis Bromo (2008-09-01 17:01:13)
igame.ru
It was my favorite chess site... but i like ficgs. another beautyful and convenient site for me :)
Benjamin Block (2008-09-02 18:58:21)
organize?
On this site? Yes it would be funny.
I think it will be hard to ask the rybka team?? Have they time? But if some one that we trust can use the computer 30+1 to don´t get to much electricity. How are inveted to play? The openingsbook Random?
Thibault de Vassal (2008-09-05 19:23:28)
Team challenge : Latvian gambit
"Will every play with every from opposite team?"
Good question : I think yes, at least if there are no more than 4 players in each team. Do anyone else want to enter a team or may we start the tournament ?
Peter Unger (2008-09-08 00:54:05)
a game ended with mate
my Game vs. Sharma ended with Mate. Why isn't it finished? And tournament-table isn't adapted?!
Here is the game:
[Event "FICGS__CHESS__WCH_STAGE_1_GROUP_04__000005"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2008.07.08"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sharma,Kirti"]
[Black "Unger,Peter"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1365"]
[BlackElo "2187"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Qc2 Qc7 5. Be2 e5 6. O-O Be7 7. Na3 O-O 8. Nc4 Be6 9. Ng5 Bd7 10. Ne3 h6 11. Nf3 Be6 12. c4 b6 13. Nd5 Qb7 14. Qd3 a5 15. a4 Nc6 16. Qc2 Nb4 17. Nxb4 axb4 18. d3 Nd7 19. b3 Nb8 20. h3 Nc6 21. Qd1 f5 22. Nd2 fxe4 23. dxe4 Nd4 24. Bg4 Bxg4 25. Qxg4 Bg5 26. Rb1 Rf6 27. h4 Rf4 28. Qd1 Rxh4 29. g3 Bxd2 30. Bxd2 Qxe4 31. gxh4 Ne2+ 32. Kh2 Qxh4+ 33. Kg2 Qg4+ 34. Kh2 Rf8 35. f3 Qg3+ 36. Kh1 Qh3+ 37.*
regards
retep1
Thibault de Vassal (2008-09-09 18:32:31)
One player needed to save Latvian gambit
Current teams :
Defenders : Michael Aigner, Rodolfo d'Ettorre
Refuters : Ilmars Cirulis, Iouri Basiliev, Scott Nichols
We need one more player in the defenders team ! One game to play against each player of the opposite team...
Thibault de Vassal (2008-09-09 19:40:44)
Multi-site tournament
Hi all,
A multi-site tournament is being to be organized with 4 chess websites (not using real names), each player from each team playing 1 game with Black "at home" and 1 game with White in his opponent's home with 1 opponent of each website (3 in total, hope I'm clear), so 6 games in total.
2 websites in the competition are :
http://www.echecsemail.com
http://www.echeconline.net
6 games (3 games here and 3 games played on 3 other websites) seem a lot though, what do you think ?
Ruslan Kopytov (2008-09-16 11:41:51)
igame.ru
Imho igame.ru was very nice place 2 play corr. chess. Alot of strong players, interesting personalities, really popular and actual threads in forum. It is very bad news if this site is down 4ever. Played there 2002-2008. Nick Ruslan73.
Thibault de Vassal (2008-09-16 13:12:58)
Tournoi multi sites
Salut Alexis, non tu vois ça ne décolle pas sur le forum en tout cas, mais je pense qu'il faut de toutes manières continuer d'en parler sur le forum intersite pour voir s'il n'y a pas moyen de rendre le concept plus attractif (un challenge plus clair) et plus pratique (moins de parties, et sur un site ou 2 maxi) pour les joueurs de chaque équipe.
http://grandintersite.forumactif.net/forum.htm
Thibault de Vassal (2008-09-18 20:47:10)
Chess quizz beta
Hi Michael, yes it is planned to make the interface easier... But 30 seconds should be a max. The point is not to be able to search the game on the site ;)
Denis Ivanchenkov (2008-09-25 23:13:44)
Alexis
What you are actually doing - is just trying to convert Ficgs.com into Igame.ru :))
I'd recommend you to register on chess-online.ru - they have vibrant russian forum.
The palpable difference between westerners and russians - is in absence of desire to communicate a lot (and most time to chatter about nothing :)). Just look at Ficgs forum - visitors are pretty rare and usually they pretty brief and discuss only chess/site related issues.
Denis Ivanchenkov (2008-09-27 01:54:32)
hmmm...
Iouri Basiliev
"arteficially introduce" Russian in Crimea???
Alexis Bromo
it is not a good place to discuss our internal problems here on international site.
Denis Ivanchenkov (2008-09-27 02:03:33)
Thanks!
Thibault thanks for the interesting info! :)
as to other language site i actually ment that though introduction changes due to language selection other crucial messages remain English. Well, maybe that is even good - we all can communicate.
Thibault de Vassal (2008-09-27 12:11:12)
Seen by Jennifer Shahade
BTW the debate seen by GM Pascal Charbonneau, John Fernandez & Jennifer Shahade :
http://jennifershahade.com/site/2008/09/23/obama-plays-chess-against-mccain/
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2008-09-28 15:34:26)
Languages ...
This is very interesting, in the olimpic games in Barcelona, the King of Spain spoke a few sentences in Catalan, someone told me it was the first time in History that a King of Spain spoke publicly in Catalan, instead of Spanish, also in Italy, in Bolzano, the streets names are in both Italian and German and the region I think have the status on bilingual.
In my opinion a second language is always a wonderful thing, been able to speak another language always enriches a person.
There was a SF writer in one of his stories he said that langiage gave shape to thoughts, not the opposite, and in the novel 1984 of George Orwell there was the concept of eliminating dissident movements by creating a new language without words that could be used for thoughts against the government.
Josef Riha (2008-09-29 19:32:36)
Hallo Wayne,
it's a little difficult, I believe.
Start Fritz and then change to the Database(the very right icon in the iconbar). Then click New Database. In the dialogue enter the name, e.g.: FICGS.cbh and open it. Remember the directory displayed at top.
Now go to your ficgs site and download your games in that directory.
After this load one game after the other and save them as New Game. That's all.
Iouri Basiliev (2008-09-29 21:13:05)
Denis
U have not only extraordinary deductive abilities but great imagination. I have nothing against russian language. Moreover, Pushkin and Lermontov are my favourite poets. Lesya Ukrainka and Kotljarevsky are the greatest ukrainian poets imho.
Communists (like you?) 70 years artIficially (i've no spell checker) propagate russian in Ukraine.
It were only 10% of ukrainian schools at that time. Nowadays the situation is opposite. If you living in Ukraine, spend some time to learn ukrainian if you are able. When i sad i'll accept ANY decision by voting majority i mean i'll accept. I hate persons like Zvarych and another ProFFesors. My Ph.D. has been defended in USSR (not US) in deep 1989.
Denis Ivanchenkov (2008-09-29 23:27:26)
Iouri Basiliev
"Communists 70 years artIficially propagate russian in Ukraine.
It were only 10% of ukrainian schools at that time.
Nowadays the situation is opposite."
so you think it is good to use communist methods - making
LESS than 10% of russian language schools?
"If you living in Ukraine, spend some time
to learn ukrainian if you are able."
oh thanks for such a deep, wise and unexpected advice.
and this is my advice for you - to read
"European Convention for the Protection of National Minorities"
this will also ansver your Alsace issue.
Denis Ivanchenkov (2008-09-30 00:08:25)
Iouri Basiliev
"<<you think it is good to use communist methods -
making LESS than 10% of russian language schools>>
where i sad this?"
you just became bold enough to order me what to do:
"Nowadays the situation is opposite.
If you living in Ukraine, spend some
time to learn ukrainian if you are able"
and this is actuall means that you are
considering that this is right (and good of course).
so stop making a fool of you and just read what you are saying.
I live in Central Ukraine where Russian speaking people
are minority - so I don't say that Russian should
be introduced here. But in East and South and 100% in Crimea
Russian WILL BE introduced by people - whatever you(foreigner/traitor/
agent of western influence) want/order/dislike.
Alexis Bromo (2008-09-30 20:35:43)
interesting
Two men speak english at french site about russian/ukrainian language... it's amazing!
Thibault de Vassal (2008-10-02 11:50:49)
Game 16370, towards a new rule ?
What do you think about this case :
http://www.ficgs.com/game_16370.html
Last move : Qe4+ 2008 September 30 19:57:40
White clock - 94 days 18:34:55 (58 days 08:20:25)
Black clock - 0 day 01:19:54
[Event "FICGS__CHESS__CLASS_A__000032"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2007.11.30"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Koch,Christian"]
[Black "Stephenson,Andrew"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "2140"]
[BlackElo "2104"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.h3 Be7 9.Qf3 O-O 10.O-O-O b5 11.g4 b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Bc8 14.Kb1 Nd7 15.Qe2 Bb7 16.f4 Qc7 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.Qf2 Bd8 19.Bg2 a5 20.Nd4 a4 21.Rhe1 a3 22.b3 Ra5 23.Nf5 g6 24.Nh6+ Kg7 25.Qf4 Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Rxd5 27.Qxb4 Qc6 28.Rxd5 Qxd5 29.Qf4 f6 30.Bc1 Qc5 31.Rd1 Ba5 32.Qe4 Rc8 33.c4 Bb4 34.h4 Qc6 35.Rd5 Re8 36.Qf4 Bc5 37.Bd2 Qb7 38.Bc3 Bb4 39.g5 f5 40.Qd2 Bxc3 41.Qxc3 Kf8 42.Kc1 Qb6 43.c5 Qc6 44.Rxd6 Qh1+ 45.Kc2 Qe4+ 46.Kc1 Qh1+ 47.Kc2 Qe4+ 48.*
So here player Black has good chances to lose the game on time, even if the best thing player White can do is to draw the game. In my opinion, "in general" player Black should play his next move, unless an analysis prove that the game is a forced draw - according to the rules, http://www.ficgs.com/membership.html#adjudications - and eventually the result will be corrected after the game, but I'd like to know what other players think about this situation in general...
Thanks for helping to build strong rules.
Thibault de Vassal (2008-10-14 16:21:25)
Kramnik vs. Anand
The first game of the match for the Fide WCC started !
You may see the games live at this french site :
http://www.imineo.com/wcc2008
Garvin Gray (2008-10-23 23:22:31)
change as good as a holiday
Are you able to provide the new link now, so we can change our information and then just wait for the site to come up?
Normajean Yates (2008-10-24 00:46:29)
maybe put in the IP of new server?
maybe thibault can post the IP of the new server [those 4 numbers] so that one can bypass DNS - or is it one of those new kinds of indirections I dont understand? Nowadays on some addresses I 'ping' to get the IP but trying to reach the site via the IP doesnt not work [only for very few adresses.. generally on free-webhosting sites..]
Thibault de Vassal (2008-10-24 00:53:32)
www.ficgs.com
The website address won't change : www.ficgs.com , no need to change anything to your favorites, but I'm not completely sure of what can happen if someone connects through the ip address so it won't be possible to connect this way, sorry :/
Please just check the login page (that will display a message tomorrow) regularly, when it's normal again, it means that you reach the new server.
Scott Nichols (2008-10-26 03:38:49)
Aigner
There is a really good article on the Latvian revisited at www.chessville.com
Normajean Yates (2008-10-26 08:03:34)
ive seen those chesville articles before
http://www.chessville.com/instruction/Openings/LatvianGambitRevisited.htm
http://www.chessville.com/instruction/Openings/LatvianGambitRevisited_PartTwo.htm - not bad for a starting uderstanding.. but the lines - dont follow them blindly! doublecheck with latest databases and - with llmars :)
Thibault de Vassal (2008-10-26 11:57:39)
SSL / https problem
Hello all,
If you use the site in HTTPS mode with Firefox 3 or a more recent version (the latest is 3.0.3), you may have intermittently encountered this error : SSL received an unexpected Change Cipher Spec record.
(Error code: ssl_error_rx_unexpected_change_cipher)
This is a bug from OpenSSL that occurs with Firefox 3+ , I just added something to correct it so please just report any bug of that kind here if you have it yet. Thanks in advance.
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2008-10-27 12:25:59)
Thanks Thibault
Hi Thibault, your site is probably the best chess postal site ever.
Une question, after a few years, when you grow older, do you have any grand children to whom to pass this legacy?
Normajean Yates (2008-10-30 21:27:23)
what I *really* miss is 1 move/month...
Wish there was a site with one move / month, one week increment after every move, max 400 days vacation every decade...
It will have health benefits also - I mean you may be a B up in the middlegame and opp may have no counterplay, but you have to maintain good health to live long enough to deliver checkmate! :)
Preferably, resignation should not be allowed in such a format :)
Normajean Yates (2008-10-30 22:46:54)
Scott Nichols - hahahahaha :):):)
mate[*], chess site comments/anecdotes have occasionally made me smile, but yours is the first really funny enough that I cant't stop laughing for 2 whole minutes ans still counting!
I am going to shamelessly plagiarise an retell it orally - my version will be -- 'when *I* used to play postal chess back in the '70s-'80s [I did actually], <your anecdote will go here> and after 6 months I recieve this postcard with "j'adoube" written on it! ' :)
[*]if a woman may address a man thus - but why not?
Thibault de Vassal (2008-10-31 20:37:59)
10x10 "super" chess
The 10x10 variant seems much more funny but it is not so far from 8x8 chess. Ok, let's say that 5x5 chess is a "natural" variant, but I see no real interest to play it yet as the first 5x5 chess engine will be probably invincible :/
16x16 big chess is too long but IMO the great interest is that the pieces are the same and it is far enough from computer chess (unlike chess 960)... But it is not played enough yet and the more tournament categories, the more variants (..whatever), the less players in each one. This site is firstly dedicated to competition, unlike some other sites that offer tens of variants and it is not compatible IMO :/ .. Big chess & chess 960 + all unrated categories are a lot of chess tournaments already, maybe too many.
Normajean Yates (2008-11-01 23:43:03)
Benjamin Block - I agree
It seems there is some HP product that offers 5x5 chess of various kinds including the one I describled - it is called 'Gardner minichess' now. English-wikipedia 'minichess' entry has a link to that - and in a discussion forum on that HP thing I found - "recent play suggests that Gardner minichess is a draw".
So the first decent engine for it would finish it, it seems, as thibault said earlier in this thread...
Someone modify crafty for 5x5 and check - yawn - I am toooo lazy --- plus crafty [and all later closed source engines I suppose] are too strongly low-level optimised for 8x8 chess --- writing an engine from scratch? Well I know the seven steps [they are/were on an internet in a nice article] --- but I have retired from writing code --- written enough for three lifetimes; no more programming for me.
*Proving* that Gardner-minichess is a draw would be more difficult -- 20-piece tablebases! (okay, in a much smaller space) - that's for the universities --- they have to do something to give out M.S.'s and Ph.D.s - so let them do it :)
[they did it with draughts <called checkers in the USA> - it is solved ie proven to be a draw -- let them try Gardner-minichess now :)]
3x3 - as I said there are complate tablebases now including for positions with pawns on first rank -- so it is very-strongly solved [i.e. given *any* position, the result and the best play for that result are known - in fact online accessible -- instant results of course... you'll find the link on eng-wikipedia -- I have accessed it [3x3 chess site] before but yesteday it seemed to be down - the old link was http://kd.lab.nig.ac.jp/3x3-chess/ but it is broken now...
Benjamin Block (2008-11-06 17:49:39)
You mean this site?
If you mean this site the answer is no. But you can filter the games in fritz.
1.Start fritz.
2.Press File->Open->Databas (F12)
3.Press File->Open->Databas (ctrl+o)and choose file with the games you want to filter.
4.Now you have the games. Press Edit->Filter games... (ctrl+f)
5.Now you can choose every things you want ;)
If you don´t understand i can send you one step by step on you´re e-mail.
Good luck and have fun
Ben Milton (2008-11-06 19:50:27)
!
Thanks for the reply but i am already familiar with that. I was referring to this site...
So what alternatives are there? chose top games and download pgn 1 by 1?
Ilmars Cirulis (2008-11-14 19:07:51)
'Experimented players' still here :)
'Experimented players' still aren't corrected.
I look at the right upper corner of site (when I am not logged in yet). And what I see?
Imho, I see some flash animation with rotating sentence (in purple colour under line in blue "Wikichess, open chess repertoire") - "Chess moves explained by experimented players"
It was what I meant previous time. :D
Ben Milton (2008-11-22 11:32:04)
.
Good evening, I would like to count myself as an experienced poker player, however that is only true when i play face to face and can read the other players, however playing on the websites such as pokerparty.com or here is quite different. I was wondering if there was a way for me to increase my poker rating thibault? If a world poker champion is 2500 rated and a beginner is 1500 i think id categorize myself as 2000. Regards
Benjamin Block (2008-11-26 15:41:54)
Two time?
with no cheat and no program error?
Four of a kind already at this site it is very good.
I have only get 4 of one kind 3 times in my live. Two with 6 and 1 with 9. My best hand ever is with four 9.
I did have fluch one time but my oppenent did have royal fluch :(
Francisco Gramajo (2008-11-26 18:43:12)
Best hand or best played hand?
Any hand can be the best, when is played correctly... and that depends on prior hands. Not in the cards showing up.
A good hand?
I just had one full house K-K-K-10-10 ironically I was playing for K-K-2-2-2 or 10-10-2-2-2 or 10-10-10-2-2.
For me the way to play is the key.
Later we can discusse about the algorithm to generate cards.
Thanks for this website, it is amazing!
Andrew Stephenson (2008-12-01 15:34:03)
cant argue...
..with your results Marc. However the current champion won FICGS with exactly the strategy I favour and exactly the opposite to your strategy. So thats powerful evidence in favour of the varying openings approach. Well done on winning your match - lets see how far you get with your strategy. As for these side line sicilians I never called them silly Marc your being over sensitive. I thought that it was easy to equalise against them and get a draw at cc. I still believe that and proved it in our game. However I do think your opponent (as black) was playing ambitiously to win! Now thats a different story .....
Andrew Stephenson (2008-12-01 15:37:40)
cant argue...
..with your results Marc. However the current champion won FICGS with exactly the strategy I favour and exactly the opposite to your strategy. So thats powerful evidence in favour of the varying openings approach. Well done on winning your match - lets see how far you get with your strategy. As for these side line sicilians I never called them silly Marc your being over sensitive. I thought that it was easy to equalise against them and get a draw at cc. I still believe that and proved it in our game. However I do think your opponent (as black) was playing ambitiously to win! Now thats a different story .....
Thibault de Vassal (2008-12-03 11:30:29)
Chess olympiads, Tkatchiev "forfeits"
After the case of Ivanchuk on doping, a new unexplained and undercovered (actually completely missed by the official websites - FIDE, federations, olympiads site...) case at the Olympiads !
France just lost 1,5-2,5 to Azerbaijan, Vladislav Tkatchiev just did not arrive to the board !! .. while the France team has 5 players for 4 boards... One full point lost. No explanation, nothing, maybe a conflict in the team. I hope there will be more information about it. To be continued.
Pablo Schmid (2008-12-07 14:05:01)
@Thibault
Je profite de ce post pour parler d'un "problème", sur une partie j'ai fait une promotion de pion en dame mais j'ai été "désagréablement" surpris que bien que c'était le coup que je voulais faire, le site ne m'a pas proposé la pièce promue. Ok, dans 95% des cas, faire dame est le meilleur coup mais parfois promouvoir en autre chose est le seul coup...Pourrais-tu remédier à ce "problème"?
Thibault de Vassal (2008-12-13 16:30:45)
Wikipedia
I posted about this article here already. I saw it about 1 year ago, as far as I can remember. Well, many (chess) sites have an article on Wikipedia, that's not so surprising...
Marc Lacrosse (2008-12-15 12:26:29)
You are abused by a mediocre clone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydra_(chess)
The machine described there relies on a 64 PCs cluster, each PC being equipped with specially designed FPGA hardware cards for chess processing.
So there is no sense in asking "do you use the hydra engine?" : the hydra engine proper won't run on anything else than its dedicated hardware.
At the time Hydra had just beaten a few GMs, there appeared a so-called Hydra engine in dubious sites. This was soon proven to be a mere clone of the Fruit engine, completely unrelated with the true Hydra machine.
This is what you may still find on sites like the TommyThomas one.
Marc
Normajean Yates (2008-12-17 18:05:42)
anyway, about the 16-queens mate-in-4:
Svante Carl von Erichsen showed it was possible to solve without computer help:
http://www.ficgs.com/user_page.php?page=problem_read&id=311
As for proof game, The foll is from my rec.games.chess.analysis post [it *was* .analysis I think - feeling too tired to search usenet]
"
This one is mine:
1. 4k3/qqqqqqqq/8/8/8/8/QQQQQQQQ/4K3 w - - 0 109: [pos. 1]
White to play and mate in 4.
There are no duals - only one moves mates in 4. [there is no mate in 3
or less.]
Move given at end of post, with sample continuation.
These two were posed by me and solved by likesforests [see fics
(www.freechess.org) or chess.com] in 20 minutes total!
2. Give a proof game for pos. 1, ie Show that the position in prob. 1
is legally reachable by giving a game that leads to the position.
3. Okay, so you can reach a position where you have 16 queens on
board. Can you construct a game which reaches a position with 18
queens? If so, do so! [the last part carries 99% of the credit - it
is to pre-empt the answers "yes" and "no".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(note: these can be more conveniently viewed at chess.com in the
thread "advantage of moving first - mate in 4 in symmetrical position"
in the forum-category "more puzzles")
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solution to 2: by likesforests
[Event ]
[Site ]
[Date ..]
[White likesforests]
[Black likesforests]
[Result 1-0]
1. a4 b5 2. a5 b4 3. a6 Bb7 4. axb7 Nc6 5. Na3 bxa3 6. b8=Q a2 7. Rb1
a1=Q 8. Qb3 Qa6 9. Qa2 Qb7 10. b4 a5 11. b5 a4 12. b6 Qa6 13. b7 a3
14. Qb3 a2 15. b8=Q a1=Q 16. Qh3 Q1a5 17. Qbb3 Ne5 18. Qbg3 c5 19. Rb3
c4 20. c3 cxb3 21. c4 b2 22. c5 b1=Q 23. c6 Qba2 24. c7 Qb8 25. Bb2 f6
26. Bc3 Kf7 27. c8=Q d5 28. Qc4 Nc6 29. Qch4 d4 30. d3 dxc3 31. d4 c2+
32. Qd2 Ra7 33. f3 Q5a4 34. Kf2 c1=Q 35. d5 Qca3 36. d6 e5 37. e4 Nge7
38. d7 Kg8 39. d8=Q Qa8 40. Qb6 Nb4 41. Qbe3 Nbd5 42. exd5 e4 43. Ne2
f5 44. Qeh6 f4 45. Kg1 e3 46. Nd4 e2 47. d6 e1=Q 48. d7 Qea1 49. d8=Q
Nd5 50. Nc2 Nc3 51. Ne3 fxe3 52. Qdg5 e2 53. Qdf4 e1=Q 54. Qfg4 Qeb1
55. f4 g6 56. Qc5 g5 57. f5 Bg7 58. Qgc4+ Rf7 59. f6 Bf8 60. Q5b4 g4
61. Qe5 g3 62. Qe1 Ne4 63. Qcb3 Nd2 64. Qhc4 Nf3+ 65. gxf3 g2 66. Be2
Bg7 67. Kf2 Bf8 68. Ke3 g1=Q+ 69. Kf4 Qgb6 70. Qcc3 Be7 71. Kg4 Qe6+
72. Kg3 Rf8 73. fxe7 Rf7 74. e8=Q+ Rf8 75. Qeb5 Qf7 76. f4 Re8 77. f5
Re6 78. fxe6 Qff8 79. e7+ Qf7 80. Rf1 Qaf8 81. e8=Q Qa8 82. Qbb2 Q4a7
83. Qed2 Q3a6 84. Rf3 Q8b7 85. Qcc2 Qac4 86. Q4b3 Qad6+ 87. Kg2 Qdc7
88. Q3a2 Qce6 89. Qhe3 Qed7 90. Q8e4 Q8e7 91. Qb2b3 Qag7+ 92. Qg3 Qbb2
93. Bc4 Qbf6 94. Kf1 h5 95. Rf5 Qfxf5+ 96. Ke1 Rh6 97. Qxh6 Qfh7 98.
Qhxh5 Qfxc4 99. Qee2 Qcf7 100. Qbb2 Kf8 101. Qgf2 Ke8 102. h4 Kf8 103.
Qhg4 Qhxh4 104. Qgg2 Qhh7 105. Qbh5 Ke8 106. Qhh2 Qfe6 107. Qff3 Q6f6
108. Qff2 Qff7 1-0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
solution to 3: by likesforests
Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[White "likesforests"]
[Black "likesforests"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. a4 b5 2. a5 b4 3. a6 Bb7 4. axb7 Nc6 5. Na3 bxa3 6. b8=Q a2 7. Rb1
a1=Q 8. Qb3 Qa6 9. Qa2 Qb7 10. b4 a5 11. b5 a4 12. b6 Qa6 13. b7 a3
14. Qb3 a2 15. b8=Q a1=Q 16. Qh3 Q1a5 17. Qbb3 Ne5 18. Qbg3 c5 19. Rb3
c4 20. c3 cxb3 21. c4 b2 22. c5 b1=Q 23. c6 Qba2 24. c7 Qb8 25. Bb2 f6
26. Bc3 Kf7 27. c8=Q d5 28. Qc4 Nc6 29. Qch4 d4 30. d3 dxc3 31. d4 c2+
32. Qd2 Ra7 33. f3 Q5a4 34. Kf2 c1=Q 35. d5 Qca3 36. d6 e5 37. e4 Nge7
38. d7 Kg8 39. d8=Q Qa8 40. Qb6 Nb4 41. Qbe3 Nbd5 42. exd5 e4 43. Ne2
f5 44. Qeh6 f4 45. Kg1 e3 46. Nd4 e2 47. d6 e1=Q 48. d7 Qea1 49. d8=Q
Nd5 50. Nc2 Nc3 51. Ne3 fxe3 52. Qdg5 e2 53. Qdf4 e1=Q 54. Qfg4 Qeb1
55. f4 g6 56. Qc5 g5 57. f5 Bg7 58. Qgc4+ Rf7 59. f6 Bf8 60. Q5b4 g4
61. Qe5 g3 62. Qe1 Ne4 63. Qcb3 Nd2 64. Qhc4 Nf3+ 65. gxf3 g2 66. Be2
Bg7 67. Kf2 Bf8 68. Ke3 g1=Q+ 69. Kf4 Qgb6 70. Qcc3 Be7 71. Kg4 Qe6+
72. Kg3 Rf8 73. fxe7 Rf7 74. e8=Q+ Rf8 75. Qeb5 Qf7 76. f4 Re8 77. f5
Re6 78. fxe6 Qff8 79. e7+ Qf7 80. Rf1 Qaf8 81. e8=Q Qa8 82. Qhc1 ( 82.
Qbb2 Q4a7 83. Qed2 Q3a6 84. Rf3 Q8b7 85. Qcc2 Qac4 86. Q4b3 Qad6+ 87.
Kg2 Qdc7 88. Q3a2 Qce6 89. Qhe3 Qed7 90. Q8e4 Q8e7 91. Qb2b3 Qag7+ 92.
Qg3 Qbb2 93. Bc4 Qbf6 94. Kf1 h5 95. Rf5 Qfxf5+ 96. Ke1 Rh6 97. Qxh6
Qfh7 98. Qhxh5 Qfxc4 99. Qee2 Qcf7 100. Qbb2 Kf8 101. Qgf2 Ke8 102. h4
Kf8 103. Qhg4 Qhxh4 104. Qgg2 Qhh7 105. Qbh5 Ke8 106. Qhh2 Qfe6 107.
Qff3 Q6f6 108. Qff2 Qff7 ) h5 83. Qhc8 h4+ 84. Kg4 h3 85. Bf3 Rh5 86.
Bg2 hxg2 87. h3 Rh4+ 88. Kxh4 g1=Q 89. Rf6 Qga7 90. Qec6 Q8b8 91. Q8a6
Q8e7 92. Kg4 Kf8 93. h4 Qbe8 94. Rd6 Qg8+ 95. Kf3 Qbg6 96. h5 Q6g7 97.
h6 Qad7 98. h7 Qa5 99. h8=Q Qdxd6
1-0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
solution to 1: 1. Qaxf7+!
Sample continuations:
1... Kd8 2. Qexe7+ Kc8 3. Qdxd7+ Kb8 4. Qdd8#
1... Qxf7 2. Qh8+ Qxh8 3. Qxh8+ Qf8 4. Qfxf8#
"
Thibault de Vassal (2008-12-23 16:24:15)
Inviter mode
I understand that but be sure I wouldn't take any risk on this, no passwords nor usernames are stored, and there is no way to catch it, particularly if you use the SSL (https://) mode. I can't even know your password at FICGS -which may be the same- that is encrypted with a complex function. Security has always been an important issue for me, I know that many sites using this kind of inviter (often related to MSN) then use passwords to send spam & virus.. that's not the case here.
Only the emails are stored to locate your friends, definitely it makes no sense to give Epoints in the 'email mode'.. anyone may enter bob.. , bob2.. , bob3.. and so on. Sorry about that.
Marc Lacrosse (2009-01-06 21:54:35)
Too much time lost lately I fear
I do not see anything interesting in these developments : there are better dedicated sites for this kind of things
Isn't it just a way to try expanding general traffic and thus advertising income?
If this is the aim, I do agree to some point: You have offered to us all a very nice tool for free and I will allways be very glad if you can earn something significant from your site's activity
But I fear that you are more and more busy in money-making trials than in core site improvements (chess and go).
This could well lead to a problem as it led one day or another many another site that followed the very same path...
If you do not care enough with improving the core of your site people will leave as soon as another one offers more appealing features partly built on what you were first to offer.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-01-06 22:18:38)
Social networks & money
Hi Marc, thanks for your comments.
It is true that I'm trying to make money with the site now, also to increase significantly the prizes offered in the future, but I did not sell my soul & the site will remain a chess server before everything else ! Money can do so much too, before it becomes too much ;)
About the other social networks, well... of course a new social network is created every week but most of them are dedicated to a particular function (couchsurfing, viadeo, reunion, facebook, myspace, hi5 & so on...) and are not exactly in concurrence. Let's see how this one will go in this sea, I have many features to add yet :)
About the core of the site, I already thought about removing the ads in the chess server... It may happen very soon if most players agree that it would be a significant improvement. The ads will remain in the general forums... Believe me, I'll do the necessary, that's why your comments & suggestions are always welcome here.
Wayne Lowrance (2009-01-06 23:20:05)
Norms
Thank you Marc, your input is well received. I was a 2300+ rated player on another CC site. I was unaware that I could apply for an appropriate transfer rating. My entry rating here was 1400 which accounts for a mean opponent rating of 2000. I have not cherry picked tournaments, far from it. I always have entered in the highest rated tournament allowed, always. I do not wish special treatment, wont accept it. I think my suggestion is an improvement in this terrific server. Thiabault has always solicited ideas. That was my sole intent, nothing more. I think it is a darn good one. Wayne
Wayne Lowrance (2009-01-07 00:48:40)
Site Core
Tribault, I think you will not find very many who complain about your adds,the nature of them and their position, etc. We are all very much interested in your income prospects here, I know I am. I can appreciate it maybe a little more than others, as I have mentioned both of my sons are programmers and their sole income come from internet and they are doing quite well.. Wayne
Normajean Yates (2009-01-08 04:36:46)
I find this update excellent!
I've seen that chess sites with social networking features allow people to interfere with chess players by intrusive comments/messages etc.
OTOH, I like Thibault's model - it:
1. keeps an excellent separation between the social networking part and the chess-play part.
2. provides much more privacy.
And why should Thibault not try to make money??? Do you think this is a charity or soup-kitchen or what? How many of you do your jobs [salaried/self-employment/business] for free???
Thibault de Vassal (2009-01-08 12:30:06)
Separation
That's the way I want to do it indeed. As Marc said, protecting the core of the chess server is essential, but there's no problem while creating some connections between these different parts of the site IMO.
Hannes Rada (2009-01-10 17:40:18)
html - tags ?
Hi Thibault,
I don't thinkt that using html-tags is very intuitive for most users.
I would prefer having the look and feel and the features of one of the widely used forums.
Like phpbb ....
I think such a forum could be easily included here in this site.
Tom Smith (2009-01-11 12:16:27)
Engines allowed?!
Hi
I have another issue with the rules and conditions here, I came across the following:
Computer assistance is authorized, as any other kind of help but in the "no-engines" tournaments.
This in itself is confusing, am I to believe that players are allowed to use engines to play for them in the "no engines" tournament?? Unless it is a mistake and means engines are allowed but NOT in the no engines section.
If this is true then do most people use enignes here? I really do not want to play on a site where engines use is considered ok!I am far too weak to play engines :)
Would somebody please clarify this section of the rules for me please.
Thank you
Tom
Joseph Thomas (2009-01-11 22:35:06)
Social Networks and Money
Thibault, while I probably won't use a social networking site on here, I may always change my mind. I don't use www.myspace.com or www.facebook.com either, and since I am 25 I should fit into that demographic.
I really enjoy the site though. And I the advertisements nor the social networking they way you have it now is not intrusive for me.
Great site!
Normajean Yates (2009-01-12 03:52:03)
The simplicity of this site is its USP!
The simplicity of this site is one of its USPs [USP ='Unique Selling Point' (advertisement-agency jargon)]
If and when making big changes, Thibault has been careful that it hasnt affected this unique attractiveness of the site.
I hope - (and expect! I like Thibault's aesthetic sense) - that this site will remain unique in the simplicity of its core 'look'.
Otherwise, it will become 'just another chess site [yawn]' - but I am sure Thibault won't let that happen :)
Tom Smith (2009-01-12 18:55:18)
Re:
Thank you both for your replies.I understand "but" was meant to mean except.
This brings me back to my original concern, that being engines are actually allowed, IE cheating is allowed, this has made me very reluctant to begin playing on this site, knowing that anyone is allowed to openly cheat!
That seems quite crazy to me, and is the reason that I probably wont start any games, I hope that the site admins or owners see this thread as I am sure that a lot of people will be put off by this bizarre rule.
Thank you again for your replies
Marc Lacrosse (2009-01-12 21:12:03)
to Tom Smith
"...back to my original concern, that being engines are actually allowed, IE cheating is allowed".
I cannot understand your point.
Cheating is when one infringes the rules in a disguised manner.
Where is there cheating here as computer (and books, and databases, and anything...) help is explicitly allowed and encouraged in the site rules?
OK I do understand that you do not _like_ this kind of play.
But then the answer is simple : go away, go on these many sites where computer use is actually forbidden and where there are a lot of cheaters!
Here is a place without cheaters.
Marc
Tom Smith (2009-01-12 21:40:28)
Re: Marc
By allowing engine use, the site is allowing players to have the computer engine make certain moves for them or indeed play an entire game for them, I can play fritz or any engine for the same effect, I wish to play against humans who play moves themselves rather than get an engine to make moves for them, how is that not cheating?
If you dont see that as cheating then I dont know what to say, I think this is a fair complaint and does not quite deserve being told "go away if you dont like it", I am simply suprised a site allows it thats all.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-01-12 23:54:09)
Engines allowed
Actually many (most, probably) correspondence chess sites allow the use of chess engines, to start with ICCF, the "International Correspondence Chess Federation".
Scott Nichols (2009-01-13 03:58:19)
Different sites:
Dear Tom, There is a site called Playchess.com that only allows engine play in the engine room. All other areas are closly monitored and players who try to use engine assistance are seriously repremanded, (loss of ratings and on up). It is an excellent site.
This site allows engine use in correspondence chess. Alot of players love the system. And it seems also, that even when players have basically the same equipment, the better player usually wins anyway. As Thibault so eloquently put it, they look beyond the "horizon" of computers to make their decisions.
I play on both sites and follow both sites rules. Playchess=serious chess.
FICGS=fun and theoretical chess and more.
Philip Roe (2009-01-14 05:00:51)
Tom, if you are still with us..
Not everyone here uses engines, even in events where it would be allowed. As proof, some of us occasionally play moves that would disgrace a cell phone (and have long ago learned not to aspire to high honours).
However, the site has many nice features, and the absence of rules, "bizarre" as it may seem at first, does mean that whatever is going on is not actually cheating.
Tom Smith (2009-01-14 18:49:58)
Reply
Thank you all for your comments.
I will reiterate again that I am not pointing the finger at anyone, I just asked about this as I do not wish to play against people who just let a computer play their moves, that is all.
I do not think that all people who use engines are cheaters, and I apologize to all those who do not blindly let a computer play their games for them.
I am astonished now at normajeans hostility, I dont believe I have been offensive to anyone, if I have then it is unintentional.
To Normajean, I can only assume that your hostility is due to someone mentioning about selling some software, I can only say, not only have I not heard of any software of this type, but I am in no way involved at any such goings on.
I came on the site to join up for some chess and had one issue I wanted to ask about before I started playing, I am beginning to regret this as I did not expect quite such a response!
I can maybe understand some suspicion at a new person asking a question of this nature, and understand that some may not like me asking, so again I am sorry for the offense I have caused those players who play a fair game.
"Care to confess to the libel under oath in the U.K. and get a taste of the receiving end of libel law?"
This comment is ridiculously over the top and again that particular post was unecessarily hostile imo, if you read my posts to this point normajean and still dont see what I am trying to find out about then I shant try any further to answer you as you and some others have obviously found me guilty of a plot of some form against you.
I thank the people who answered me honestly and calmly for their comments and I shall try the site out as I said to give it a fair shot.
Normajean Yates (2009-01-15 07:04:32)
sober/serious look - yes!!!!
from thibault's post - "maybe it should keep its 'sober/serious' side, what do you think ?"
YES!!!! That is the *unique* sober elegance of this site. Must not be disturbed.
The forum - with < br > and now chess diagrams -- that is good enough. My vote is against adding any more html/phpbb features in the forum.
Tom Smith (2009-01-15 07:10:20)
wow...
normajean you are one crazy lady.
Thibault, I have chosen the wrong site I feel, would you please cancel my membership, I entered a standard 40 day tournament, would you please remove from that too as I wouldnt want to hold that up.
Thank you
Garvin Gray (2009-01-18 13:57:42)
to which do you belong
Either that, or that the readers are not sure exactly what you are talking about, to which I am in the second category.
On possibly a related issue, when I click on the links below, the site opens a new window and tells me I have to log in again, but when I log in again, it sends me back to the my messages page. So I can not get to the page you mention from the link.
Garvin Gray (2009-01-18 17:26:53)
rules question
Ok, what I was suspecting was the situation is in fact the case.
To clarify in different speak and to guarantee we are talking about the same situation.
Game 232- The river is Ad and Player 1 has gone all in for 55 chips.
You are now asking if player 2 calls, will player 2 have to show cards, is that correct?
Do I have all this correct?
Went for an internet search to see if there were any sites at least claiming official poker rules status and there were none from my searching.
In my opinion, Player 2 has called Player 1, so both players must show their cards.
Normajean Yates (2009-01-19 15:30:21)
:) [to rodolfo] - and, to sophie: re OTB
to rodolfo:
:)
to Sophie:
[and a general point to all wikichess contributers]:
I think that it will be a bit less confusing if in your wikichess entries, you include the phrase '(at OTB chess)' or something like that.
The reason is that this is (for chess) a site where engine-use and *slow* correspondence-chess is the default.
Contemporary computer programs do not get 'tense' or 'fooled' by an attack -- they just calculate the static evaluation functions for positions on the game tree [using hash tables, alphabeta, iterative deepening, nullmove, quiessence search, endgame recognition heuristics, etc etc for efficiency :) positions]
computer programs *can* be fooled [otherwise every game here would have the same result by now], but not by the same techniques as those by which humans can be... :)
Sebastian Boehme (2009-01-24 00:34:23)
It is not everything like it seems
Eros plays way more games, than he plays on this site...
Anyway nice rating that is for sure
Congrats il grande Eros Riccio! ;-)
Normajean Yates (2009-01-24 16:53:42)
I would be most intesrested in reading..
.. posts in this thread.
though I am afraid i have nothing to contribute - didn't keep statistical track: until 2006, I used engines for analysis of critical positions of my favourite historical games only.. at up to 5 days / move! [but I didnt keep hardware/NPS records - all I can say is I mostly used whatever was the latest version of rebel - that was until 2006. Until 2002 I ran long analyses with crafty also...]
Also, in my experience the hash size does change the PV, not only the time taken to reach a certain ply [ because if a line/subtree is in hash it gets appended - with eval - so that say at 18-ply you are seeing *some* lines which are actually 28-ply or more - so it affects what gets pruned by alphabeta ... and if the engine has forward pruning it affects that much more..]
But this being a centeaur chess site (as far as chess is concerned) I suppose every chess player here knows this... :-/
Garvin Gray (2009-01-28 03:22:26)
Since poker has started
Since poker has started on here, it feels as a general rule that my chess opponents are taking longer to reply with their moves, suggesting that poker is taking over.
Has anyone else noticed this? If my hypothesis is correct, then this would be a real shame and could cause me to find another chess freestyle site.
Francisco Gramajo (2009-01-29 03:42:30)
Poker insults Chess...
My friends:
Years ago I was addicted to poker, losing a lot of money on line, also in real casinos.
I was a chess player since 13, but dont like the openings, I was tired to play same thing... e1-aggg! same faces... and a lot of fake players on line.
I discover this place by mistake, I was so happy because keep my fix with chess in peace. Playing with decent players. Not only doing regular openings...
Then you install poker...
how come poker? again... I am playing in my local casinos again, and afraid to tell about his site, because I don't want a lot of people playing here making this place full of poker players.
The finest, the few, the chess... te best.
I suggest you Thib, separate ficgs from poker, and create a really server to play poker in a table with many players a time.
Play poker heads-up one to one, is bored, the winner is not always the best.
The future of ficgs is compromised with poker, but not for bad...
go ahead and crate... fipgs...
Best Regards!!!!
Thibault de Vassal (2009-01-29 12:33:51)
FICGS
Hi Francisco, these important points need to be discussed for sure.
1) As it has been said here on another point, I shouldn't try to protect players from themselves, but I've to protect players from other players (speaking of the quality of the games, general forfeits & so on - or the posts of Garvin & Josef in this thread). You can play poker all over the internet, it's up to you only. I'm not sure I should feel responsible of players addictions, the whole world (commercial issues) is about addictions that exist anyway. In my experience, I was not really addicted to poker as a gambling game, I never played it in casinos but I like competition and that's the way I introduced poker here, quite different from the casino games (by the way a few "pro" poker players here do not even understand it).
2) "Play poker heads-up one to one, is bored, the winner is not always the best", so chess, so Go... of course. I may be wrong on the poker games format (3 winning rounds / 100 chips), we'll see it in a few months as the rating list will evolve.
3) "Poker insults chess", I don't agree with this but I understand & respect this opinion (that could probably be "Poker insults" in some cases). Only 1 player cancelled his membership because of this at the moment. I'm sorry about this, I can't satisfy everyone when making updates but be sure I'm working for FICGS firstly as a chess place and thanks to poker (even with no money), we welcome more players & the prizes (for chess tournaments) will increase a lot in the next months. That's quite good for the site in my opinion. Anyway if I realize I'm wrong, no doubt I'll change it.
Anyway, that's an interesting & important discussion and I'll listen to all your points.
Normajean Yates (2009-02-01 09:55:59)
poker is NOT interfering with chess..
Players that are *choosing* poker over chess (as posted by some as reason for delay on moving, delay in tournaments starting...) are either not *that* interested in chess anyway, OR it is a transient phenomenon - they are trying out poker as a novelty.
We are humans, not dedicated chess-playing machines.
If someone takes longer to move because of poker or anything else (whether the 'anything else' is related to this site or not, whether it is related to the internet or not); it gives me either more time to analyse, or effectively more vacation time, so I see no reason to complain.
If poker generates revenue for ficgs, it will help ficgs survive and so it will help ficgs chess (and go) survive.
The point is, whatever choices we make have to be made taking into account that we are embedded in a capitalist economy. We are not living in some anarchist utopia.
Normajean Yates (2009-02-01 10:15:31)
thanks Mr R.-Román, and I am *Ms* Yates.
Mr Russi-Román, I am Ms Yates, not Mr Yates.
I thank Mr Russi-Román for the valuable info and link: (and others too) : I'll update myself whenever I have free time [not only from chess play, but from higher-priority things...]
So, what is the state of the art in noticing drawish nodes (blockade, repitition etc) during search? [remember: 'false positives' are as bad as 'false negatives'] Offhand here is one area where significantly good new heuristics would be much more important than hardware..
Another example: at present, has any program - however highly parallel - delivered mate from a suite of mate-in-60+ troitski positions (NN v P) *without* using tablebases? (ignore the 50-move rule for this question. Anyway this site doesnt have the 50-move rule...) I dont know the answer...
Thibault de Vassal (2009-02-04 13:47:29)
Roadrunner vs. Jaguar
I found these informations on Roadrunner but I must admit I'm unable to compare it with a typical 2GHz processor, any idea on this ?
System Name Roadrunner
Site DOE/NNSA/LANL
System Family IBM Cluster
System Model BladeCenter QS22 Cluster
Computer BladeCenter QS22/LS21 Cluster, PowerXCell 8i 3.2 Ghz / Opteron DC 1.8 GHz , Voltaire Infiniband
Installation Year 2008
Operating System Linux
Interconnect Infiniband
Processor PowerXCell 8i 3200 MHz (12.8 GFlops)
http://top500.org/
Thibault de Vassal (2009-02-05 16:53:23)
The "invisible" bug
Well, after 4 hours of work I found what was finally a human error, mine of course... One of the hardest situation I've had to understand :/
The story for coders, kind of butterfly effect : Weeks, maybe months ago, for some reason I suppose I've deleted an essential line in a file that created an invisible "bug" (no consequences) in all games but also a real bug for poker, but worst, for some reason I did not update the bugged file ! So the site worked well until yesterday when I finally updated the file for a minor change (nothing about the actual problem), so I had no clue about what happened...
Everything should be ok now, but some cards may have changed in a few games.
Bad day... Sorry about that.
Don Groves (2009-02-06 04:34:00)
Normajean's point revisited
Yes, of course that counts ;-)
I should change my bio since I think "programmer" is more accurate than "software engineer." Although I did build my software with the same care and planning as an engineer building a bridge, so maybe... Who knows ;-)
Thibault de Vassal (2009-02-28 03:35:14)
Svante Carl wins FICGS Go WCH (again)
Congratulations to Svante Carl von Erichsen who keeps the FICGS Go champion title by beating Ke Lu 5d on an impressive 5-0 score, also reaching a rating of 2653 !
A rematch just started between our two top Go players, as Ke Lu convincingly won the 3rd FICGS Go WCH preliminary tournament by 7/7
You can follow the games here :
http://www.ficgs.com/user_page.php?page=tournament&tournament=FICGS__GO__WORLD_CHAMPIONSHIP__000003
Svante Carl kindly accepted to answer a few questions on his match :
FICGS - Hello Svante Carl, first of all congratulations for your win in the FICGS
correspondence Go championship final. Your opponent was Ke Lu 5 dan, you
won 4 games out of 5 already (the last game is not finished yet), how do
you explain such a result?
Svante Carl -
Hello! Thank you very much! It is certainly astonishing for me that I
was able to hold my own in these games. I believe that the main factor
that helped me in getting on even terms with such a strong player was
that I could spend much more time analyzing each move than in a
face-to-face or online direct playing situation.
FICGS - Did you have a particular preparation or plan before to start the games?
Svante Carl - The only things I planned beforehand was to really give my best, and to
make the games as distinct as possible.
FICGS - The site will now try to attract more correspondence Go players from Asia
(with a few chinese, japanese or korean words on the home page already),
what do you think about the games format played at FICGS
(30 days + 1 day / move, chinese rules komi 7.5 points) and the championship rules?
Svante Carl - I like the format. I am also interested in the rules of Go as well as
the rules that surround Go, like tournament rules and time settings.
My current conviction is that the "real, pure" Go rules are area rules
with superko, and territory rules should be seen as a shortcut which
should give the same result. I have come to think that the "Taiwan
rule", i.e. White gets a point of compensation if Black got the last
play (before the first pass), is a sensible part of the rules. FICGS
has taken a very easy route by declaring the rule set and leaving
negotiation of the result to the players. While in the end, it is only
important who won, I think that showing a result as e.g. "White+3",
"Black+Resign" adds a lot of flavour.
As a time system, I think that bonus time (a.k.a. Fischer time), like on
FICGS, is a very general and sensible approach to timing a game like Go.
I think that many "real-world" tournaments and internet servers will
switch to that in the future, for all, blitz, speed, normal, slow, and
correspondence games.
The championship format is quite nice. I like the title
holder/challenger way of tournament series. The only thing I would like
to see is some sort of nigiri to determine the colours in the odd game.
Attracting players from Asia is really a worthwhile goal. I look
forward to playing players from all over the world.
FICGS - Does correspondence Go bring you something more than real time Go?
What is more addictive according to you?
Svante Carl - Since I think that analyzing is a forte of mine, I might be a bit
stronger at correspondence Go than at "real time" Go. I don't think
that one is more addictive than the other.
FICGS - Do you often play real time Go online? What servers do you prefer?
Svante Carl - I usually play on KGS, but not too much, perhaps one or two games per
week on average, often in "bursts". KGS is quite nice, but not perfect.
Sometimes I play at CyberOro, but there is much less communication; I
like to watch pro games there.
FICGS - Do you use softwares that assist you in your games (FICGS rules allow
this)? What do you think about computer Go in general nowadays?
Svante Carl - I only use a board or a simple SGF file viewer for analyzing. There are
no playing programs that could help me. The programs have advanced
quite much recently, but I think that it will still be a long time
before they can beat me in an even game. Currently, most tests of these
programs are against professional players with high handicaps, and I
think that this is a good situation for the bots, since they get
exponentially weaker the further the game is from the end -- high
handicap practically eliminates the opening, their weakest spot. I
would like to see more tests against amateur players at the bots' own level.
FICGS - Do you play other games (board games, video games...), what is your
favourite one?
Svante Carl - Go is certainly my absolute favourite. I also know chess, although I am
really weak at that. I also like "german board games", there are some
really nice pearls there. In video games, well, there are also some
pearls, but they get drowned by a mass of ... not so good games..., I
don't waste time looking at that scene any more. I also played some
online poker, but it wasn't able to keep me interested.
FICGS - Will you defend your title again against Ke Lu who also won
the 3rd wch tournament?
Svante Carl - Of course, I am looking forward to that!
FICGS - Could you give us your impressions on the games, how it
went from the beginning to the end, do you think that
time pressure were a non-negligible factor in the result
(the clocks of Ke Lu were quickly near 1 or 2 days left)?
Svante Carl - I was a bit surprised that he let his time drop to such a low level
right at the beginning, perhaps he was not familiar yet with the vacancy
feature at FICGS. I can't see his reasons for this, or how much time he
actually could spend on his games. I was ahead in each game when it
timed out, though.
I think that game 2 was quite even from the start. The skirmish in the
lower left resulted in me capturing a little group, but he got a nice
framework on the lower side. My prospects of reducing this were a bit
hampered by the fact that my right side group was not completely
settled. I found a way to sacrifice some stones to settle my group
while fixing the framework's extent and keeping sente to secure my top
side, at which time, the game was still almost even, but I think that I
was a few points ahead then. Later, I could seal the top side with some
extra points through some rather blunt forcing moves.
In game 3, my opponent made an approach with White 24 that is usually
regarded as bad in this situation, because the pincer Black 25 works out
very well in conjunction with the stone on the left side. He tried to
settle with White 26, but I refused to make things so easy, even though
the result from the usual joseki would not have been bad. He resisted
Black 27, but I think that White 28 is an overplay. The resulting fight
left me with nice profit in that corner and sente, while he made some
centre thickness. I then tried to carefully neutralize this thickness,
but I may have played some slack moves in the course. Later, I was able
to keep a little moyo in the lower right centre, and then I poked into
his right-side territory where he had left a serious weakness earlier.
Game 1 started out with an interesting fight in the upper right. After
White 42, both the three captured black and the two almost captured
white stones retain some serious aji, which I came back to fix on my
side a few moves later. When I could set up a splitting attack with
Black 77, he was able to connect his two weak groups, but in bad shape.
I continued to keep this dragon separated from the top, planning to
invade the top side afterwards. However, with White 110, instead of
connecting by playing B6, he saved some centre stones, and I proceeded
to separate and kill the dragon. He may have overlooked that my upper
left side group was still able to live after 110 and 111.
In game 4, after White 22, Black's stones on the left side have a
strange relation. The three stones in the corner are a bit far from
C10, but putting another move here is way too slow. He tried to remedy
this situation with the following moves. After Black 27, there are
weaknesses left in both sides' shape. When I entered with White 32, I
thought that his weakness at F13 would let me settle easily, but he
attacked very hard. After White 60, there are some weaknesses in my
shape, but he also has a weakish group in the centre. Playing at K10
with White 76 before taking the two stones with H2 felt very important
to me. At move 94, I couldn't find a good move to complete my moyo at
the top, but I thought that I had found a good point to invade. This
was much harder than I thought, since after Black 95, the 3-3 point
fails to live. With 96 and 98, I thought that I would get a ko, but he
played a line that I had excluded earlier on account of too many cuts in
Black's outside shape. However, with Black 107, he made things very
difficult for me, since cutting at P16 doesn't work out too well -- my
inside group doesn't have enough liberties. I cut at Q14 instead with
the hope to at least get some outside forcing opportunities that might
have been able to keep me in the game. I think that Black 115 should
have been at R12, because after White 116, R12 and N16 have become miai.
Black 117 just doesn't work at all. I really got lucky in the end here.
These impressions are naturally one-sided, and I would be really
interested what stronger players might say about these games.
FICGS - Thank you very much and have good games !
Svante Carl - Thank you!
Denis Ivanchenkov (2009-03-22 23:34:58)
notation
Heinz-Georg Lehnhoff, would you be so kind to tell me what 4R means? 4 rooks captured? though it is possible I'd prefer if site engine would make reverse engineering of those 2 extra rooks to the original pawns and write in the following manner - 2R 2P -
well that's just my point of view
Thibault de Vassal (2009-03-23 15:44:12)
Best poker sites
Well this thread may be a good place to discuss the best poker places... Do you know other sites where to play Poker Texas Hold'em ?
I have no time to try it anyway but it's always good to know.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-03-23 15:55:15)
Checkmate detection (finally)
A few improvements to come today !
Checkmate detection : Finally I implemented it even if I like the idea that a player should resign by himself (just like for Go). It will be in test for a few days/weeks so it may not work for everyone during this time.
A few informations more in players statistics (number of advanced chess, Go & poker games won, lost, running...)
In Go games, a reminder will appear when a player "pass" (one player has to resign or call referee to end the game, with a link to the Go scorer)
Thank you all for making suggestions that help to improve the site, I know there are many others to implement (e.g. challenges option & so on...), be patient :)
Benjamin Block (2009-03-28 09:04:48)
Other sites
There are some site that have free tournamnets. You can win in them and then play bigger and bigger some have earned over $10 000 starting with no money. But the most sites you need to be 18. I don´t really understand why. If it is free tournament why do you need to be 18? You can´t lose any money. Maybe they only want players that they can take money from. At the moment i play on pogo.com it is free and you win tickets that you can win money but the chans is very smal.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-03-28 17:19:58)
Email notification
Hi Don, the link to the game is included in emails for about 1 or 2 months already !? Just before the PGN. How (which software or website) do you read your emails ?
Nick Burrows (2009-03-31 23:46:20)
general improvements
I agree that seeing 'rabbit' cards is a waste of space & distracting.
I also would prefer to just see the cards as they are, rather than the winning hand. It's very simple to see who has the best hand.
Scrolling back through a game is way too time consuming, i would play back thru games if there there was a 'viewer' similair to the chess analysis board, but as it is now is just like a hard record of the game.
Otherwise, i am greatly enjoying my poker games and has improved my enjoyment of the site immensely :-)
Many thanks, Nick.
Scott Nichols (2009-04-05 18:50:07)
Programming
Hi Thibault. Most of us have no clue about what it takes to program. Something we think looks like an easy add-on may be a programming nightmare. It is VERY impressive all of the things you do on this great site. Just one question, is making the chess ratings happen instantly like the poker does one of those programming nightmares?
Ranganathan Raman (2009-04-08 23:53:11)
today it show i can not join any game?
You have too many running games (54/50)
any bug in the site
William Taylor (2009-04-12 20:04:06)
I still like the idea
I still like the idea of country teams and an Olympiad-like format. I've read Marc's post and can't imagine nationalism would be a problem on a friendly site like FICGS.
However, it would be a shame for countries which only have one or two players at FICGS not to be able to play. How about a team championship along the lines of other chess team championships such as the Russian one which has just finished? i.e. teams are made up of invited players from all over the world. Anyone could be a team captain and enter a team if they could get one together. There could be an entry fee and captains might even then pay a fee to top FICGS players to be on their team in an effort to win the FICGS team trophy and prize money. ;) I'm not saying an entry fee would be a good idea - just mentioning it as a possibility. Anyway, I think a team championship of some kind, Olympiad-format or not, or both, would be interesting, exciting, and good for building the sense of community on FICGS.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-04-17 20:16:45)
Draw offers
I'm not sure the site "allows" such a thing, rules allow or don't allow and ambiguous (obviously) rules should be changed. As it's been said, we might consider that the message field is independant from the draw and resign box. Any player may send a message offering a draw through other ways.
Does anyone know how this issue is ruled at ICCF & IECG ?
Normajean Yates (2009-04-19 04:41:26)
But thibault, you already have them!
Thibault, you say: About rule 11.2 and this issue, the aim is [...] only to build accurate & understandable rules.
But, on this issue, you already *have* a very easily understandable rule - tick draw offer box and make move and send it (for making draw offer). That is very accurate and easy, isn't it. So what is the problem?
And in general, for rules of games, [except in mathematics :)] it is understood that what is not mentioned is not true (if the situation is such that this is expected by common use of language). For example, about move of the knight, we say that it moves fom one end to the diagonally opposite end of a 2x3 rectangle, and can jump over pieces while doing so. Since nothing else is mentioned about knight moves, it is understood that the knight cannot move legally except in this way. [In mathematics, we would have to explicitly say: 'the knight moves in the above way AND IN NO OTHER WAY.']
Don Groves (2009-04-19 08:21:09)
Ending abandoned games
This requires more programming for our already overworked director, but how about having the system send an email to anyone who has not played a move in a certain (to be determined) time period asking if that player intends to continue the game and requesting that s/he resign if the answer is no?
The message could also request an RSVP and, if no response is forthcoming, the game is ended. This handles a common situation in Internet games where a player enters some games, then after a short time never returns to the site.
This seems like a reasonable thing to do and it doesn't change any existing rules or time controls.
Don Groves (2009-04-23 22:35:20)
Move with draw offer
I understand the offer is not valid -- the problem is how to continue the game!
It seems the only solution is for me to send my opponent a private message declining the offer. This could lead to misunderstanding.
On the other hand, the system says it is my turn, so can I make another move even though my opponent hasn't moved?
A can of worms has been opened...
A quick solution could be to add another check box for declining a draw offer.
Does anyone know how this is handled on other sites?
A
Normajean Yates (2009-04-24 05:24:14)
re lennon/yko ono and chess...
Oh dear, quoting lennon's 'imagine' made me some sort a sitting duck but nobody's noticed it yet so I'll preempt that line of attack by pointing it out myself :)
I had forgotten, in the 'no more war' (that was the Vietnam war) sit-ins /bed-ins /exhibitions/ 'happenings' by Ono and Lennon, Yoko Ono had exhibited this sequence of chess sets where the two sides were indistinguishable --- or, more clearly, there was only one side - there was no 'Other'. [and only Yoko Ono 'playing']..
So, if I were to be consistent, I shouldn't be playing chess or any competitive game - against living beings at any rate - here or anywhere -:(
But, saved by something Thibault used to have on this site [I suppose it is still one of those quotes whose turn to be the 'featured quote' comes] - essentially, one is competing against oneself...
but woe! :(
If so, then once I have won a game [ie see the win clearly] why do I insist on actually completing the game, if I am 'only' competing against oneself?
I think I managed to score something which has the feel of an own goal ^^:-|
Normajean Yates (2009-04-26 18:11:42)
I think Thib's IS the shortest...
To spell it out, white moves Nh2-j4-h6-j8-h10-j12, while black helps by g15-g14,Nj15-h13-g15,Ng16-j15, (and one irrelevant move e.g. moving an edge pawn). That is 5 moves ['half-moves'] by each side, and the 11th half-move is white's Nj12xh14 mate (the black K is smothered and the h14-pawn is unprotected).
You need five [half-]moves for a N to reach the opposite king; so: black can mate white (helpmate ie white co-operates) in 10 half-moves.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-04-29 21:59:19)
Player games search
Right.. not a mockery, I know that the site is not clear enough on such things, sometimes there are so many ways, but none is really obvious :)
Normajean Yates (2009-05-02 00:56:55)
I am patient !
- will remind once very 6 months :)
Another suggestion: let's some of us become free members of some online chess-games database site; so that we can post there to suggest including ficgs games - then transposition problem will be solved at least for completed games... just search that database site..
I use chesslab.com among others - I suggest some of us lobby chesslab.com for including ficgs games. After all, these are much higher-than-average quality as these are engine+human (=centaur) games...
Sophie Leclerc (2009-05-10 22:13:49)
For the move
He send me his move by e-mail, since I am his friend, I promise I would keep his account and play his on this site and inform him of his opponent sometimes I mess up and play badly a couple of his games or resign them, he grew angry at me...
I don't think our opponent will have any objection, they will just ask to not be stupid and to not play for him.
I can reconnize his account now, he set it in french..
Normajean Yates (2009-05-11 02:07:31)
thoughts on Big Chess... and tips...
I find bigchess more and more fascinating.. I Think it is a wonderful creation of Thibault's (I presume it is Thib. who created it: any way he offers it seriously on this site...) - the starting position is very well-concieved..
I think Bigchess needs more publicity. This is about the only place one can play it - and here there are 2-3 top-class players; less than 20 middle-standard players (including me); others try it once or twice and for some reason get scared or overwhelmed and give up - I see no reason why..
Bigchess gives no advantage on account of huge memorisation of theory, or of better engines: there are *no* theory books; and there are no known engines in existence (probably there isnt one - too little demand, and writing a *good* engine is somewhat laborious, coming up with a *good* static-eval function is tricky, fast board-implementation issues...), so it is all wits...
In fact last week I spend part of two days writing down whatever theory I could discover [with help from top games], it comes to half a page..
Tips for people who want to try bigchess:
1. Bishops are much more powerful than Knights. (because of much longer range compared to 8x8 chess).
The consensus on the values of bigchess pieces is David Grosdemange's valuation:
pawn=1
knight=2.5 (written 2,5 in the continent, of course)
bishop=4
rook=6
queen=11
2. In the opening position, the c,f,L and o-pawns are unprotected.
So, if white's opening move is with the j2-Knight ( freeing the queen), then on move 2 white can move the Queen and threaten to pick up a pawn by forks.. Similarly for black.
*However*, such pawn gambits are quite playable because the Queen can be forced to make many moves to capture a pawn, while the gambitting side develops their pieces.
3. Most Important For Many People: board for offline analysis.
Best of course, is to take time to draw a 16x16 board on paper and stick it on cardboard. And get hold of four sets of chess pieces.
Another way: print a position, and after a move is made - just update the position using correction fluid (typewriter/printer-ink erasing fluid) or something. That way you don't have to keep printng a lot of positions.
Normajean Yates (2009-05-16 04:29:30)
WC?
On an English-language site, it would perhaps be more appropriate to use the abbreviation WCh or something -- anything but WC :/
Normajean Yates (2009-05-17 03:09:39)
Don : point of etymology revisited!
Don Groves posted and I agreed:'"The Arabic suffix "uddin" or "idin" means "of the faith." Hence a mujahidin is a "warrior of the faith," or a holy warrior.'
Still havent gotten down to learning to use the oxford arabic-english dictionary, but:
Don, I'm afraid your derivation won't do - you might still be right, but not for the reason you gave.
You see, mujahideen is just the plural of 'mujahid', 'mujahid' = one who does 'jihad' [arabic and hebrew are both semitic languages: people who use the term 'anti-semite' often forget this (because of the nonscientific 'ham' and 'sam' myths thrown in - so like hebrew, arabic has this - root in the middle, and modification affects the root and possibly adds prefix and suffix.. i remember reading this in chomsky - linguistic paper not political)
Khatoon (= lady; no religious overtone here); plural Khwateen = ladies
Talib (=student); plural Taliban
Mujahid (='jihad'-doer); plural Mujahideen
So we are back to the question:
Etymologically speaking, does 'jihad' just mean war, or does it mean holy war? (the current meaning is a different question..)
On this point: until 2001 no one including me would see any problem in saying - such-and-such is a lone crusader for human rights (or for animal rights, or for the separation of church and state, or for whatever cause) -
Bush-Cheney-Blair&co since ensured that the word 'crusade' became an avoidable word again..
Imagine reading the following sentence in 1999, and in 2009:
"Richard Dawkins has launched a *crusade* against all religions in general, and against christianity in paricular." ;)
Normajean Yates (2009-05-26 12:31:32)
Thib. - best wishes for site in these ..
.. recession times.Improvements, to-do lists etc. can wait if necessary.
I fell in love with the site at first sight - such a classy approach - not like some of the garish american sites.
So I hope that in these times of recession, there is no serious cash flow problems you are facing... I am sure all of us want this site to live long!
Again I say; improvements, to-do lists etc. can wait if necessary: please concentrate on cash flow [if there is a serious problem there] -- that is the practical thing to do. This site is excellent as it is now!
Again, best wishes to Thibault the person, and may ficgs live long!
Thibault de Vassal (2009-05-26 17:30:46)
Thanks :)
There's no problem with to-do lists.. actually it is just absolutely necessary.. I can't think about everything. I still have many things to improve, this year I developped much more the "other side" of the site and this was very exciting, I learnt a lot while doing this.. that will be useful for future improvements and it brings more and more visitors [the current statistics are about +10% every week for a few months (that's good :))] on the server (I try to redirect as many as potential players as possible here).
Speaking of the server, I'm not afraid of crisis or whatever, the statistics are just better and better now, that helps the site to distribute Epoints (potential money) prizes. Almost nobody claims for real money prizes but that's the finality (to distribute money prizes in free tournaments).. There are plenty of "successful" sites on the internet that offer money prizes (or costly services) for free but all of them are built on unrealistic views IMO, so they implode or cheat in a way as soon as they encounter success. Most of us know about the Facebook case that still lose money. FICGS grew very slowly during 2 or 3 years but IMO it was based on realistic views so don't worry, the site will survive after both of us, I'll take care of that :)
Normajean Yates (2009-05-27 05:02:24)
Thank you Thib: and I am so relieved!
First, about the 'thank you' to Thib.: that is for responding :) Now, to business:
>Thib said: Speaking of the server, I'm not afraid of crisis or whatever, the statistics are just better and better now..
I am so relieved! Seriously.
>Thib. said: FICGS grew very slowly during 2 or 3 years but IMO it was based on realistic views..
Exactly! That was one of the first things I noticed when I discovered this site (early June last year, I think) - I phoned my partner [she and I were in different countries on that day; coincidentally, this month also..] - told her this site *will* survive, and chess.com will *not* survive [too much money wasted by Eric of chess.com even then] - [It was only in in May last year that I had noticed chess.com in its present incarnation (earlier it did *not* offer chess-*playing*, it was a chess-reference-material site only)
(My partner doesn't play chess but of course one doesn't have to be a chess-player to be interested in issues like this!)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(beginning of digression about chess.com (as a contrasting example):)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
well chess.com has *technically speaking* survived; but there is a graded level of paying members [silver-gold-diamond-platinum-what not] - each year paying membership has to be renewed [I am a free member there; I don't play games there now except on special request :) ] -- and..
Guess what, chess.com in a few months intoduced a system that gave a *playing advantage* to paying members: the more expensive grade you are in, the greater the paying advantage. So, as far as correspondence chess is concerned, can chess.com be now considered a chess site?
(In fact I posted a thread there last year suggesting that they should introduce auction: at any time any of the opponents in a game can bid to win a game. [even if they have lone K against K+Q+Q+R :}] - then if opponent doesn't make a bigger bid then the bidder wins the game. Minimum bid € 20,00 :) (chess.com is a US site ;) )There was some heated discussion over it.. Eric (the site owner - he is a decent chap, all said and done) prudently stayed away from that discussion :)
I posted in various threads there also directly saying that chess.com is probably the only *chess* site where the more you pay, the greater advantage you have in a *game*. Is that chess?
None of the above is defamatory: it is obviously true for anyone to check - and clearly Erik silently agrees - well good luck to him...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(end of digression about chess.com)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Thib. said: so don't worry, the site will survive after both of us, I'll take care of that :)
:)
I am sure now that you will :) (but not because both of us will suddenly die tomorrow, I hope ;))
Thibault de Vassal (2009-05-27 23:17:28)
FICGS & chess.com
The example of chess.com is very interesting, I looked at this site (from time to time) growing very fastly, most probably because of investments for good SEO (search engines optimisation) - to start with the domain name - but it still looks like a MFA (Made For Adsense) website even if I'm sure that Eric made good work to offer plenty of services related to chess. Well, I did not check it for a while...
Speaking of auction at chess.com, that's a funny idea and I just wonder why I did not think about a system where you can bet some epoints at any time in any game... maybe I'll think about that, but that's not really important (the very large majority of players do not play for money but for the love of games only).
Normajean Yates (2009-05-28 03:40:31)
Thib, my auction suggestion was sarcasm!
Thib. please read it again (the part where I suggested auction at chess.com - or you can loook at my thread on this there - it is called 'the best chess money can buy' ;)
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/the-best-chess-money-can-buy
(I am not sure whether the link works for members only or for everyone; anyway free membership is a 5-minute process..)
That was sarcasm! I meant this: suppose you are left with K+Q v K. Sure win for you, no? At least you can't lose, even on time (insuff. material) ? Now my sarcastic suggestion was that: opponent bids €20 for the game, now if you cannot bid higher then opponent *wins* the game automatically!
Of course I thought until yesterday that no chess site will offer *that* kind of auction! but you said:
>Speaking of auction at chess.com, that's a funny idea and I just wonder why I did not think about a system where you can bet some epoints at any time in any game...
Surely *you* don't want *that* kind of auction here, do you? ;)
Wayne Lowrance (2009-06-04 01:44:44)
Draw offers
Tribault I do not know how it is addressed in other sites. But clearly you need to be careful where you tread here. Repeated draw offers seems on the surface rude. I have not seen the game, but according to Nick Burrows he feels he has winning chances and hence has refused the draw offers. That is clearly his right. If this evaluation is accurate the the repeated offers are in very bad taste.
I do not know if you have a review structure here for handling complaints. Having said this it is best if this site just runs on its own without intervention. Maybe extreme abuse should be reviewed. I dunno
Wayne
Thibault de Vassal (2009-06-16 22:33:44)
World Go Oza canceled by sponsors
Sad news for the world of Go, the rumor was reported in GoDiscussions.com forums then confirmed by the AGA (American Go Association) : The Nihon Kiin announced that Toyota & Denso Cup World Go Oza has been canceled by sponsors. TOM news website reported that JP Morgan is discontinuing sponsorship of the Zhonghuan Cup and GoGameWorld.net reported that the Chinese NEC Cup has been canceled as well.
Looks like the economic crisis hits the small Go world also.
Daniel Parmet (2009-06-24 02:50:06)
Learning Go
Greetings!
I really really want to learn to play Go (and play some of it on ficgs of course!). Does anyone have recommendation for the easiest way of learning the basics? Good websites for rules, follow masters etc. I appreciate any and all help!
Normajean Yates (2009-07-03 01:38:27)
The Scheming Mind
I provided a quote from Arthur Conan Doyle where Sherlock Holms says that excellence at chess is a mark of a scheming mind.
Voila, there is a correspondence site called 'the scheming mind', and its motto is precisely that quote!
http://www.schemingmind.com/ . This offers some variants also; it is the only site I have seen which offers the 7th century persian chess 'shatranj' at correspondence time controls.. [engines won't help in that one!]
Thibault de Vassal (2009-07-03 01:55:36)
The Scheming Mind
This is a well known website ! I did not know how to play "Shatranj", but it is fully explained on Wikipedia :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatranj
Maybe it is worth a try.
Marc Lacrosse (2009-07-03 09:47:02)
My chess site ...
... has been rejuvenated and I intend to add content more regularly.
Address is still http://chessbazaar.mlweb.info
I hope computer chess and correspondence chess fans will find some interesting info there.
There is a linked blog where comments and suggestions are welcome.
Marc
Normajean Yates (2009-07-03 14:03:22)
ficgs v 'the scheming mind' ..
well 'the scheming mind' seems to be a no-engines no-tablebases site. But, for ficgs v 'the scheming mind' engine-use a matter of negotiation..
Don Groves (2009-07-04 00:19:53)
Your chess site
Very nice!
Nick Burrows (2009-07-04 07:55:18)
Minimum rating idea
A common problem encountered in correspondance chess is that of strong players forefitting several games and their rating dropping by hundreds of points
This spoils the tourny for lower rated players who often have a 2200 rated player in their group with a misleading rating of 1600.
It also de-stabilises the ratings across the whole site as many players grades are false.
Lastly, and of least concern because players who made the drop deserve some handicap - the artificially low-graded player has a whole year of uncompetitive matches as he waits to regain points.
In o.t.b tournaments in England, a method employed to stop rating cheats is that a player who has won a certain class of tournament previously, cannot re-enter at that level.
The equivalent here would be that your rating has a minimum value, equal to the highest rating requirement of a tournament class you have previously won.
This seems to solve the problems experienced by many on this site.
It may be said that the rating drop is a necessary deterrent to prevent players from doing this. My experience is that it occurs from factors out of one's control (illness) and any deterrant is irrelevant - just as a death penalty doesn't stop heroin addicts from stealing!
What d'yall think?
Thibault de Vassal (2009-07-08 15:05:34)
Kasparov meets Obama
This is quite a surprise to me already, Barrack Obama met former chess world champion Garry Kasparov and other opposition leaders in Russia !
Nobody knows exactly what has been said during this meeting but the site Theotherrussia.org provided a full transcript of United Civil Front Chairman Garry Kasparov’s statement to president Barack Obama and an interesting interview of Garry Kasparov... The name of the forgotten Khodorkovsky appears several times.
http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5562
A good summary could be : "Obama seems like a man who doesn’t try to solve problems that don’t have solutions. He saves his energy and political capital on realistic goals. If there’s a big obstacle he simply takes it off the table and deals with what can be done." (Garry Kasparov)
Normajean Yates (2009-07-09 04:25:46)
icc offers live shatranj, that's why...
that's why I said 'theschemind mind' is the only site i knew that offers correspondence-time-control shatranj...
(should have made it explicit - anyway William Taylor has now...)
Scott Nichols (2009-07-29 14:26:23)
Excellent
Another nice new feature, thank you Thibault for always working and improving this site!
Tano-Urayoán Russi Román (2009-08-05 18:13:29)
Another game
William Taylor (2009-08-06 15:09:54)
Nice
I hadn't heard about that - I look forward to it. Is there a website dedicated to the match?
Rolf Staggat (2009-08-06 18:20:56)
Valencia-match
I did not find a site about that match, but
<previews.chessdom.com/kasparov-karpov-valencia-2009>
is a report about it, also to find on the <fide.com> site
Thibault de Vassal (2009-08-10 12:46:38)
Poker engine
I'm not sure if there can be exactly a "poker engine" like Fritz is a chess engine, able to play any situation... I know that there is poker engines for certain poker rooms but in order to play here you may only find sites that offer to calculate the odds for each hand, but it won't take in account the coins & points you have, which are very important also, so I'm afraid it does not exist :)
William Taylor (2009-08-10 16:16:54)
Poker engine
I've played poker against a computer before (several computer opponents). I think the program I used was called 'Tik's Texas Hold'em', but I've no idea what the best poker program is. I seem to remember reading something in either a poker magazine or a poker website a while ago about a match between top pros and top programs, and I don't think it was a one-sided encounter.
Michel van der Kemp (2009-08-25 19:47:10)
Mistake in ELO calculation?
I got this email from an advanced match.
Game 27857
[Event "FICGS__CHESS__BULLET_BRONZE__000132"]
[Site "FICGS"]
[Date "2009.8.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "van der Kemp,Michel"]
[Black "Goršek,Gregor"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1966"]
[BlackElo "1623"]
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Be2 O-O 6.O-O c6 7.a4 a5 8.h3 Na6 9.Be3 Nb4 10.Qd2 Qc7 11.Rac1 Rd8 12.Rfe1 d5 13.exd5 Nbxd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bh6 Be6 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.c4 Nb4 18.Bd3 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 Qd6 20.Re3 Rd7 21.Qe2 Re8 22.Rd1 R7d8 23.Re1 Rd7 24.b3 b6 25.Ng5 Bf5 26.g4 1-0
Move sent : 2009.8.23 - 17:54:11
Move replied : 2009.8.23 - 19:10:44
Player resigned.
WhiteELO : 1966 ... 1961
BlackELO : 1623 ... 1627
This email was generated automatically by http://www.ficgs.com/
My rating went down after winning a game :)
Garvin Gray (2009-08-29 16:05:33)
Issue for 2150 rated players
I am starting to notice an issue with how the rating bands are set for tournaments, both standard and rapid.
Currently I am rated between 2150 and 2200, depending on the rating period. After having been in this rating band for a couple of rating periods, I am noticing it is very difficult to get rated games against players rated above 2200.
This makes it very difficult to improve my rating, or at least have it proven that my playing standard is not deserved of a higher rating, or a lower rating as the case maybe.
I know it is possible to look at my results from players rated similar to myself and try and work out conclusions from there, but to not have the opportunity to play people rated above myself does not afford me the opportunity to see how I go against them, or to record results against higher rated players that might suggest I am underrated.
I suggested awhile ago that each of the tournament bands need to be 200 points apart, with the standard and rapid tournaments operated on odds and evens 200 point rating bands. I still believe this to be the answer to a lot of the sites ills as I still see many tournaments where players just under the rating cut off not entering when the rating band is 400 points.
Garvin Gray (2009-08-30 16:23:48)
200 point bands in both!
nooooo, i am suggesting the complete opposite. That in both standard time control and rapid that the bands be 200 points.
It is only that in the standard time control that the bands be 1700-1899, 1900-2099, 2100-2299, 2300-2499 etc and for rapid it would be 1800-1999, 2000-2199, 2200-2399, 2400-2599.
This would mean for a person with a rating of 1950 would be at the top of the ratings for one of the bands and at the bottom of the bands for the other.
Don Groves (2009-09-02 01:28:18)
No official rules
Hi, Thib -- While there are no "official" rules for poker, most clubs use Roberts Rules of Poker which can be found at many websites. Of course, there are also many exceptions...
Garvin Gray (2009-09-02 07:33:40)
to be clear
Apologies if my post irks anyone, but just to be clear, the standard and rapid rating cutoffs have to at the opposite 100 point bands.
So as I said previously,
It is only that in the standard time control that the bands be 1700-1899, 1900-2099, 2100-2299, 2300-2499 etc and for rapid it would be 1800-1999, 2000-2199, 2200-2399, 2400-2599.
Of course this idea also works if Thibault decides to have the standard tournaments using an even rating cutoff ie 1800-1999, 2000-2199 etc.
Tano-Urayoán Russi Román (2009-09-08 09:05:01)
Mr Lowrance
Don't waste your time with such characters. Mr Uri Blass has already revealed his methods, he plays in a site where engines are not allowed and he cheats using them. He has already made the same silly arguments before, he just wants attention.
Ilmars Cirulis (2009-09-11 14:43:15)
...
Ha. I have opposite question.
"How to finish?"
Scott Nichols (2009-09-16 08:58:46)
Quick Corr. Chess
With the recent narrowing of the band in standard tournaments, it occurred to me that there is even less opportunity to get games than before. For those of us (and I think it is many) who check the site many times daily waiting for the next move, there just isn't enough games to feed our tremendous appetite for chess. I propose a new catagory, Quick Corr. chess, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but here it is. It would have it's own Quick chess rating. Bands would be, Over 2000, 1600-2000, and under 1600. Time limit-10 days per game, increment-8 hours. I truly believe there is a market for this here. Advanced chess requires that you actually be at the comp. for a length of time till game is done, so it is not an option for many. But as you can see there has been quite an increase in advanced games being played. So---if you are one of those players like me, that check for moves first thing in the morning and last thing at night, sneak your laptop into the bathroom at work to see if your opponent took the sacrifice you just offered, etc., and time after time are disappointed at not seeing any new moves, please offer your support and suggestions on this. Thank you, signed "Starving for chess". :)
Benjamin Block (2009-09-17 19:41:23)
Quick corr. chess
The only swedish site where you can play corr. chess have some very smal times the lowest is 7 days for whole game (no increment). But it is very smal and only person that don´t have a job or don´t go to school can fix it. It is also a contest about how can make the last move on the night?
Scott Nichols (2009-09-18 02:11:45)
Obviously....
This idea does not have near the backing I thought it would. Gave it a shot, right? And since this is the best site on the planet, no way would go elsewhere. So I will be content to wait for my next move, SIGH....:(
Thibault de Vassal (2009-09-24 01:00:06)
Games 1 & 2
What do you think about the final positions ?
Thibault de Vassal (2009-09-24 14:13:33)
Karpov wins game 3
.. but he lost game 4, Kasparov leads 3-1
Garvin Gray (2009-09-29 17:34:56)
Moneybookers warning
I have just received a warning email telling me that my moneybookers account has been suspended and to click on the link provided in the email to confirm my records.
The email does look legit, but from my understanding of these things, a proper site with this information would ask you to go to moneybookers.com and sign in, rather than provide a link. Clicking the link option is what scammers provide to get your information.
Thibault, are you able to confirm anything on this matter?
Thibault de Vassal (2009-09-29 19:06:17)
Moneybookers accounts blocked
Hi Garvin,
Yes, I have the same problem for one month... First you'll probably have to send a copy of your bank details, then a copy of your identity card and so on, and it seems that many people are in the same case.
On my case, it may be a personal/professional account confusion, but it may be another "problem" as well. Moneybookers seems to be very slow to respond when the end is to give back any money, I'm not sure I'll continue to use this site.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-09-29 20:17:35)
Carlsen leads the Nanjing tournament
The Nanjing tournament starts quite well for Magnus Carlsen, who won his first game with the scotch opening against Peter Leko (maybe the influence of Garry Kasparov), and won his second game against Veselin Topalov !
Thibault de Vassal (2009-10-01 18:54:07)
Carlsen beats Jakovenko
A third win (for 4 games) for Carlsen in the tournament !
Nick Burrows (2009-10-09 20:09:13)
Game from today
Nick Burrows (2009-10-09 20:12:28)
Another played this week
Daniel Parmet (2009-10-17 00:20:25)
Three Cheers for Thibault
After having had numerous bad experiences on other chess correspondence sites... it occurs to me how lucky we are to have this great one run by Thibault! I would like to thank him!
Don Groves (2009-10-17 05:43:18)
I'll second that!
In my opinion, this is the best Internet game site.
Benjamin Block (2009-10-18 21:36:58)
I agree
Thibault you make a really good work. I hope you take some money self from the google ads you are really worth it. It is hard to think any person that can take over this site when you do not want or can. I really hope that my grandchild will play on this site and have that fun as i have and always will have (i´m still i child). PS: Please stop smoke we don´t want you to die in prematurly. You really work hard. Do you ever sleep?
Thibault de Vassal (2009-10-18 22:52:59)
About PS :)
Hi Benjamin ! Do not believe photos, I never smoked (even this one) so I'll haunt this site for decades :) I hope our grandchild will play chess together ;)
Lazaro Munoz (2009-10-28 03:07:17)
Crazyhouse
There is a website of chess variant database at http://wildchess.org/. The interesting thing is that popular openings are very similar to bughouse but that should be no wonder: avoid fianchetto's (weakness in g7,b7) to a drop pawn is deadly and avoiding pawn conflicts since pawns are lot more valuable off the board then on, etc.
Don Groves (2009-10-30 00:57:59)
And the winner is...
Thibault! He's made over 26,000 moves while also building and maintaining the site!
Garvin Gray (2009-11-04 12:20:13)
2 or 4 for me.
I vote for option 2. This could already occur, could it now?
1 and 3 open up all manners of pandoras boxes about cheating and probably worse and more likely, paranoia about cheating and advice.
This already could occur with people advising outside of this site, but I do not think this is something that should be encouraged by having a forum dedicated to it.
Also there would be no way to prevent a player in the game seeing the comments/analysis while they are a guest viewing unless only those who sign up to view thread can see said thread.
Philip Roe (2009-11-06 03:54:51)
Luck is the residue of design
Nick, I did not know that one. It is quite splendid and I thank you for it.
But it may not be Milton. I tried to look it up and quotation sites attribute it to a poem of his called "At a Vacation Exercise in the College" However, it does not occur there, and the Yale book of quotation credits someone called Branch Rickey in Sporting News, Feb 21 1946. A rather different source.
See http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/quotes-uncovered-who-worried-about-events/
Lazaro Munoz (2009-11-06 05:14:51)
Minims
I had this great little book on "Minims". Now minims is the opposite of maxims. Mimins make statements that are obvious, but funny. eg:
"No man has ever achieved immortality in his own life time."
"There are more things in heaven and earth than practically anywhere else."
"The early worm gets eaten by the bird."
Does anyone have this book? (I have long since lost my copy) And remember any of the other minims.
Nick Burrows (2009-11-06 06:56:01)
"At a Vacation Exercise in the College"
Hi Phillip. I had a look around also, many sources site the quote as being wrongly attributed to the baseball player Branch Rickey.
The poem itself was written in Latin & English, then finished with lines of prose which are usually not published.
The quote is said to come from this prose and not the main body of the poem.
John Smith (2009-11-17 13:38:01)
regarding Naum
Regarding Naum retiring, I didn't find an official word on this, but
1) Naum's site http://www.geocities.com/naum_chess/
appears to be down
2) according to wikipedia " Naum tied for first with Rybka in the 2008 Internet Computer Chess Tournament [3], but has not yet competed in other public tournaments."
Thibault de Vassal (2009-11-17 15:27:32)
Naum
All I can say is that the complete Geocities website closed, so it doesn't mean anything for Naum which appeared 2nd behind of Rybka in a recent CEGT rating list.
Thibault de Vassal (2009-11-17 20:59:43)
Anand vs. Lacrosse
Yes, the event was related on many well known websites :
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2007/04/anand-scored-17-wins-1-loss-and-1-draw.html
http://www.chessninja.com/dailydirt/2007/04/anand-simul-and-interview.htm
http://www.indianchessfed.org/News/2007/April/Anandwins17gamesincharitysimul.asp
William Taylor (2009-12-05 17:22:48)
Opening theory
I remember Marc publishing some material about this opening on his website. Unfortunately it seems like the material was not transferred when his website moved. He had accumulated a lot of knowledge on this opening and it would be a shame to lose all his work on it - I don't suppose anyone knows if the material is available anywhere do they?
Thibault de Vassal (2009-12-05 18:16:56)
Basman Sale defence
Actually it may be possible to find the old website on the "wayback machine" http://www.archive.org , I'll have a look on this.
William Taylor (2009-12-05 21:48:19)
Great
Thanks Thib - it is possible to find it through this site. I haven't investigated it fully yet to see if all his analysis can be seen, but some certainly can.
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2009-12-06 00:33:26)
BasmanSale defence . ..
I downloaded long time ago from that website most of the zip files and the reports in pdf. These are:
BasmanSale-extended-05.2007.zip
BasmanSale-pure-05.2007.zip
Basman-Sale-reports-052007.zip
I could send the to anyone or put them in any repository .....
Xavier Pichelin (2009-12-10 22:10:00)
119.95$ not 1200$
For the site the Rybka.com
1) Now Rybka Aquarium 2010+ / Deep Rybka Aquarium 2010+ will include Rybka 3/Deep Rybka 3.
2) Super Bonus. Instead of a right for a free upgrade to Rybka 4 / Deep Rybka 4 you will get a free copy of a professional chess database program Chess Assistant 10 along with Aquarium 2010+!
Wayne Lowrance (2009-12-11 21:56:40)
clock implementation
Okey dokey Thibault, case closed. I must pay more attention to timers. I confess to not paying much attention. In hindsite it just did not look right. :)
Wayne
Thibault de Vassal (2009-12-20 14:23:36)
Boris Spassky vs. Viktor Korchnoi
Entitled the "Battle of the Giants", a match just started in Elista (Kalmykia) between the 10th World Champion Boris Spassky (aged of 72), and Viktor Korchnoi (now aged of 78, multiple World Championship challenger mainly during the Karpov era, but still active in competitive play).
Korchnoi won the first game, game two ended in a draw. This kind of match is always a pleasure to follow for long time chess fans :)
Here is the first game !
Thibault de Vassal (2009-12-21 20:03:52)
ID
Hello Luc-Olivier,
Well, I cannot force it... who can ? Not FICGS, nor Facebook or other sites who ask for the real names as well, obviously.
Anyway, as far as I can remember it is legal to ask for & store real names in a database if you have an 'obvious' reason to do it. However if you can prove that something is illegal at FICGS, I'll be grateful for that and be sure that I'll make the necessary changes !
Wayne Lowrance (2009-12-29 00:56:03)
Rybka demise
Howdy all. I feel like voicing my opinion of Vas and Rybka. I honestly feel his hold on the chess community has weakened to the point of breaking. He has his problems. His source code apparently has been compromized. This has led him to not releasing a Rybka3+ as promised. The release of Rybka4 is very cloudy. Then there is this cloud Rybka internet rentel thing that is supported by no one it seems, me for sure.
Anyways this is just back drop for recent developments in free software engines that are very strong and are pushing R3 in ratings. I am thinking about the following engines, that I have downloaded and find very interesting AND strong :
Stockfish 1.6
Brite 0.4A
Spark 0.3
I have minimal experience with these engines. I just want all my friend here on FICGS to be aware of them and if interested they can download them and be on equal footing. My wish is for better chess and I have no ambition to have secret progams.
The important thing I feel is that the loss of Rybka engine does not put much of dent in play quality. It was gonna happen sooner or later, and now it seems sooner.
My honest evaluation today is that Rybka3 still provides the best insite to best mid game play.
I want to put in a word for Zappa. I fairly often use Zappa as my CC engine partner because of better end game analysis. Rybka has no peer in mid game analysis. Well I share these thought with you all for what it may be worth. Best 2010
Cheers.
Wayne
Wayne Lowrance (2009-12-29 18:40:55)
Rybka demise
William, wow, These are new engines for me, I will look for them.
On cloning, Stockfish is not the engine cloned as for as I know. There are two other engines for which I have downloaded because the moderators of the Rybka forum have deleted all reference to them, including engine name and download site. Vas has admitted that one in particuliar is a clone and the cloning programmer had discussions with Vas letting him know what he was doing, very interesting. Since both these engines are free downloadable making the source code available for all other programmers. It is common on the forum discussions about R3 source code being compromised.
Thank you for sharing your Stockfish- Rybka testing results. What time control are your test run.
Wayne
William Taylor (2010-01-04 18:35:41)
Rodolfo
I haven't managed to get hold of anything other than the Basman-Sale index page, so I second Philip's request for you to make the files you downloaded generally available somehow. Perhaps Thib could host them - or if not then maybe you could upload them to some site like rapidshare?
Rodolfo d Ettorre (2010-01-05 09:40:32)
Marc Lacrosse memorial
Hi every buddy, I placed the files somewhere in this site:
http://rodolfo_3.tripod.com/
Maybe later I will put them in something like rapidshare.
Cherries
Rodolfo
Kamesh Nookala (2010-01-24 19:34:39)
Resign before 10th move
Hello HOST,
I didnt know about this forum earlier and posted in the International Chat. I am sorry for that stupid mistake of mine. But the problem which i faced now is this. There is a guy whom i defeated in all 4 meetings where i played vs. him. This poor guy found me yet again and having known by now that he cant beat me, he simply resigned. I have no grievance against him. But in my very first Rapid B tour here at ficgs, i got an advantage of +-1.00 (approx.) vs. a player who simply resigned after my white 10th move. This meant that though I am awarded with a win, yet because my opponent resigned simply instead of playing the 10th move, he denied me earning some elo. That also implies that he saved his elo by simply resigning.
I dont know much above this site as i am pretty new to this. However, i have been already a victim of this sort of activities. For e.g., I could simply resign when i play bad openings and evals dip before 10th move and i can simply save my elo. That means i can simply resign vs. Big Guys as Black and play as Black only vs. weak players.
Just thought to express my views. Rest upto the moderators
Daniel Parmet (2010-01-26 01:01:46)
SuperGMs watch Corr?!
Carlsen mentioned to the media after his game with Shirov that the improvement in the game of 22... Bc3 was taken from a Correspondence game he found. (Carlsen's own old novelty was 22... Be5 where he lost to Shirov). This is at least the third time i've heard Carlsen using correspondence games for his own opening research and I know also Peter Leko does this. How many supergms you think are accessing all the correspondence sites around the world looking at our opening ideas?! Cute thought!
Thibault de Vassal (2010-01-26 16:24:43)
Go chinese rules : should pass count?
A player just told me that in chinese rules for the game of Go, consecutive pass change the score of the game (thus in some cases the winner as well), I just visited a few websites that do not even mention this rule that is taken in account by some Go programs.
In my opinion it does not have any sense to link this to the score of the game, but I may be wrong... Does anyone have an opinion on this and clear examples that show it should be taken (or not) here at FICGS ?
I'll add a word on this in the rules after it is clearer to me.
Thanks in advance!
Thibault de Vassal (2010-01-27 08:21:05)
Shirov-Carlsen
Here is the game by the way...
Thibault de Vassal (2010-01-27 09:18:36)
Wijk aan Zee 2010
Finally, the tournament is now open again in Wijk aan Zee group A, after that Alexei Shirov won consecutively his first 5 games with a comfortable lead, Vladimir Kramnik finally catched him at 6.5/9 after a win over Magnus Carlsen with Black pieces.
Here is the game :
In group B, A. Giri leads by 6.5/9, in group C, Li Chao leads by 6.5/9 as well.
Zholy Zhou (2010-01-29 03:22:40)
make cool 3D flash banners for website
Recently I've been asked by a friend who wants to make a 3D flash banner for his website of wedding business. Many people included me thought that making a 3D flash banner is a very difficult thing for those who don't know flash skills, but I should say it's not like what you think if you have got a 3D flash banner making software Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery.
This article will show you how to create a cool 3D flash banner without Adobe Flash. A viewer can click on the banner to be transported to your website. You can use it on your own website to present your products or services. Also flash banners can be used to market your website as a banner ad on another website. A flash banner is much more attractive than still images. I bet you'll be agree with me if you see the 3D flash banner.
What you'll need:
1. Digital photos and background music for 3D flash banner
2. Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery(http://www.aneesoft.com/win-3d-flash-gallery.html)
Step 1: Download & install Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery
We'll be using a very nice 3D flash banner making software 'Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery' to making a cool flash banner for wedding websites, head over here and download the free trial version(http://www.aneesoft.com/download/win/aneesoft-3d-flash-gallery.exe). Next step is to install the program.
Step 2: Import wedding photos, add captions, edit photos
You can add up to 500 photos that you want to use in your flash banner, type in caption and arrange the photos here. 3D Flash Gallery supports a wide range of file formats for images, such as .jpg, .bmp, .gif. You're able to add hyperlink for each photo of your flash banner to be transported to your website.
Step 3: Choose from a variety of flash banner templates
3D Flash Gallery offer you an easy way to make a cool flash banner by choosing from variety of flash banner templates. A flash banner template automatically put preset decoration to your flash banners. When you select a preset banner template, you're able to enhance it by customizing some additional settings, such as background, thumbnail effects, playback options and scrolling actions. For the adventurous users, explore the powerful advanced features and tools that gives you total control over how you compose your flash banners.
Step 4: Add some background music files to flash banner
In this step, you can add background music files to play along with your flash banner. To do so, click Add Music button to browse and add your music files. You can add, remove and edit the music files. And you may check the option to control the background music looping or not.
Step 5: Preview and publish your cool 3D flash banners
It is advisable that you preview the 3D flash banner at least once, before your publish it. Click and drag mouse for scrolling and tilting the 3D flash banner. Click on the thumbnail to zoom in and out the photos. You have several options to share and publish your 3D photo gallery. It depends on your needs.
Lazaro Munoz (2010-01-31 11:54:48)
SuperGMs watch Corr?!
The Vidalina-Kabachev games goes:
[Event "WC-2006-F-00005"]
[Site "LSS"]
[Date "2007.9.12"]
[Round ""]
[White "Vidalina, Franjo"]
[Black "Kabachev, Andrey"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco ""]
[Annotator ""]
[Source ""]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5
a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.c4
f5 14.O-O O-O 15.Qh5 Rb8 16.exf5 e4 17.Rae1 Bb7 18.Qg4 Rfe8 19.cxb5
d5 20.bxa6 Bc6 21.b3 Kh8 22.Nc2 Bc3 23.Be2 Qf6 24.Rd1 Rg8 25.Qf4
d4 26.Bc4 d3 27.Ne1 Be5 28.Qe3 Rg5 29.g3 Rxf5 30.Ng2 Rg8 31.Rc1
Bd4 32.Qd2 Rf3 33.Rce1 Rgxg3 0-1
Interestingly Shirov played 23. Qh3 in his game. Rybka thought the move absolutely sucked and would have responded with the material grab: 23...Bxe1 24. Rxe1 Qc5 25. Bf1 Qxc2 giving it +0.11. It thought that white was much better before 23. Qh3 with the simple 23. Be2 (as was played by Vidalina).
Vidalina may have resigned prematurely since after 34. hxg3 Rxg3 35. Re3, Black is better and has some attacking chances there does not seem to be knock-out move.
Teudis Naranjo (2010-02-23 04:03:55)
Go
How to play in the tournaments of in this sites?
Garvin Gray (2010-02-26 19:13:30)
mate in N moves. Game is going on :)
I thought it was a rule on this site that as soon as a tablebase win appears it can be claimed.
I certainly remember this being discussed in the forum and being agreed to.
Lazaro Munoz (2010-02-27 16:46:21)
Hosting tournaments
Would FICGS be able to host a closed group tournament? For instance lets say some chess club, or group wants to have a tournament. Could they, after getting themselves an id on FICGS send you a request to create a tournament for that group?
As an enhancement for the future you might want to create a group(s) concept that can be stored in each users profile, so that one can in the future create group tournaments that are open to that group. Since this site is built in the spirit of openess it need not be enforced but people should understand that some groups many not want to be so open so they should request it from someone, so maybe the group info should have the user and email of the moderator for that group who will give the ok to join the group.
For instance some groups may want specific language so they converse in their native language in the chat box, or geographic area. Or even opening specialist can create thematic openings (although it could get tricky there if someones enters one these thematic groups and decides to play a different opening).
There really isn't anything like it for free anywhere, ICCF will host tournaments however they charge a fee, for instance.
Ralph Deline (2010-03-12 19:36:04)
Rating calculation
Hi Thibault,
Thanks for your earlier explanation. I wanted to respond sooner but then when I was at the FICGS site, I saw another player, also confused about his chess rating, questioning you about it so I threw in my two cents. In my situation, my opponent was rated about 80 points higher so when I drew, I thought I would actually go up in ratings points instead of down. That is still confusing to me.
Maybe my age is catching up with me, but for fifty years or more, using the formula for establishing ratings in Canada, I was always under the impression that your score and your opponents ratings, with a bit of math thrown in, determined your rating. I know at one time it was possible to win a tournament and lose rating points but I believe that was corrected about a decade or so ago. I wasn't playing for over a decade so I'm not certain on dates.
However, let me acknowledge the fact that I understand what you are saying, play less, win more, and your rating will improve. But I still have a hurdle to overcome. When a lower rated player ties with a highed rated player, regardless of colour, why does he get penalized instead of rewarded for achieving a result that is performing above his present rating? It doesn't seem logical.
You are probably busy and I've taken enough of your time. I don't think I will understand any explanation, you know, can't teach an old dog new tricks, so you don't have to try to explain any further. I just wanted my voice to be heard.
I have had three gross blunders in the last half year so maybe I am playing too many games. I hate to do it, but maybe I will try playing less.
Thanks for listening.
Ralph
Thibault de Vassal (2010-03-16 10:37:01)
Interview with E. Kotlyanskiy
Congrats again to Edward Kotlyanskiy, new FICGS chess champion after beating Xavier Pichelin (2577) in the 12 games final match of the 3rd cycle.
Edward kindly accepted to answer a few questions on his match and correspondence chess in general :
_________________________
> Hi Edward, first of all congratulations for winning this 12 games match against the former FICGS chess champion, Xavier Pichelin. You had to score at least one point more than your opponent, what was your strategy when the games started?
Knowing that I had to score at least +1 against Xavier, I had to try to get the games into complex positions where there are many options to play for both sides. At the point when the games started, I was the underdog to Xavier (mainly due to the face that I was rated about 200 points lower). In part, I think that one of the reasons why Xavier allowed the games to reach such complex positions is due to the fact that his rating was undoubtedly higher than mine and therefore he probably assumed that he could “outplay” me. Although this was simultaneously a brave and admirable choice, I think an option that many other players would have pursued would have been to play “drawish” lines with the hope of having all of the games ending in draws. I have great respect for Xavier due to the fact that he didn't choose such a path and allowed us to put on a hard fought show that was worth watching.
> What could you say on the hot moments of the match?
The first game in which I thought I had very good chances to win was game 34739. In this game (particularly on move 18) Xavier played the move Nb8?? Looking back at the move, I realized that the game was lost for him. I assumed that Xavier probably underestimated the threat of f5. There were no good responses and/or countermeasures for the move f5. For example, if 19) gxf5, I have 20) Nxh5 Nc6 21) Rc3! Bxh4 (Qd8 was also possible) 22) Qf4 Be7 23) g4! His king is just clearly caught in the attack! 19) exf5 also fails to 20) e6 f6 (trying to keep the king safe) 21) Bxh5!! gxh5 22) Nc6 Rc3 and therefore it’s easy to see that it is just a matter of time. Xavier did try something better although even that failed due to some nice moves. I believe that 21) g7 came as a surprise to Xavier (or that at least he hadn't seen this move when playing Nb8). After Nxh5 (another neat move), another line that I thought Xavier would enter (which is also losing) is 22) Qxc2 23) Qxc2 Rxc2 24) Nf6+! Bxf6 25) exf6. Clearly my pawns are just too strong! Knowing that I am winning after the mentioned alternatives, the other games (although I won three others) were just necessary to hold without falling for any tactics/tricks.
A second game I want to briefly comment on is game 34729. I played a very nice (although I am not sure if it is winning just yet) move known as 17.a4! It was a very nice way to open the position on both of our kings. In all honesty, the move that I think was winning in this situation 25) Rd3, I did not even consider too highly until the position reached that very move. After a relatively short analysis, I was indeed pleasantly surprised to see that; overall, it was completely winning for me.
> What could you say on the advantages and inconveniences of this 12 games match format played at a quite fast time control?
From the days when I first starting playing correspondence chess, I have always been accustomed to making moves rather quickly. In fact, when I first started playing, in some games I made moves within 10 minutes of looking at the position. Although I take a lot more time to analyze now-a-days, I still consider the speed of my play to be relatively faster compared to most other correspondence players. Playing 12 games simultaneously can have drawbacks as not having enough time to properly analyze; however, I didn't have such a problem. With the exception of a few games that I was playing on IECG at the start of the FICGS Championship, the 12 game series was my main concern.
> Without revealing your secrets, how would you define modern correspondence chess as a centaur (playing with chess engines)?
These days, it is impossible to play correspondence chess on a high level without consulting the engine. It is also unlikely that one can achieve a lot of success just by following the engine blindly (even after a long analysis). Personally, I know that some of my friends believe that in correspondence chess you are just following the engine but I believe that most “high level” correspondence players know that it just doesn't work that way.
In my opinion, one of the most important skills that a correspondence player should have is having some sense of where the engine he is analyzing with is faulty. To give a well known example, many people know that there are certain endgame positions that an engine alone can't be trusted in (a simple case is the wrong color bishop). In essence, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of whatever engine you are analyzing with is critical to playing correspondence chess at a “high level”.
> Why did you choose to play correspondence chess, do you play OTB (over the board) chess as well?
Before starting correspondence chess, I played OTB chess for quite a few years. When my schedule became busy, I realized that I wouldn't have much time to play OTB in clubs. I came across correspondence chess and got hooked on it very quickly. Also, I began to enjoy more of the subtleties of the game; something that is just lacking in OTB blitz games. I imagine that some people prefer to play practical chess (OTB) in which a move order wouldn't make much of a difference; however, I guess I am a perfectionist and believe the game should be played on as high of a level as possible.
> How many correspondence games do you usually play at the same time (on different chess servers or by email)? Would you say that it is an addiction?
Usually, I played about 5 to 10 games on average on all different sites. I did play via email on IECC but wasn't fond of playing by email therefore I went back to server only sites (IECG, FICGS, Schemingmind).
I can definitely say that correspondence chess is an addiction. All too often, I catch myself analyzing games when I really should be doing something much more time sensitive. Well, at least I can say that this addiction paid off in that I am the new FICGS champion!
> Are you interested in other games?
As far as board games go, chess is primarily the only game I play. At times I do play games like monopoly and scrabble with my friends. Another interest that I have is billiards.
> The next challenger for the FICGS chess champion title is SM Eros Riccio (winner of several PlayChess PAL freestyle tournaments). Do you think that you'll play him? What does this perspective inspire in you?
I can't wait to play Eros! I believe that he would be my toughest opponent yet (although I have played GM Leitão, Rafael (fide elo: 2619) and managed to draw). Eros is like an unstoppable juggernaut in corr chess. That said, I look forward to our games and I am certain that they will simultaneously be challenging and entertaining.
> Thanks and best of luck in your future games!
Zholy Zhou (2010-03-19 03:32:47)
How to make cool 3D flash banners for yo
Recently I've been asked by a friend who wants to make a 3D flash banner for his website of wedding business. Many people included me thought that making a 3D flash banner is a very difficult thing for those who don't know flash skills, but I should say it's not like what you think if you have got a 3D flash banner making software Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery.
This article will show you how to create a cool 3D flash banner without Adobe Flash. A viewer can click on the banner to be transported to your website. You can use it on your own website to present your products or services. Also flash banners can be used to market your website as a banner ad on another website. A flash banner is much more attractive than still images. I bet you'll be agree with me if you see the 3D flash banner.
What you'll need:
1. Digital photos and background music for 3D flash banner
2. Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery
Step 1: Download & install Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery
We'll be using a very nice 3D flash banner making software 'Aneesoft 3D Flash Gallery' to making a cool flash banner for wedding websites, head over here and download the free trial version. Next step is to install the program.
Step 2: Import wedding photos, add captions, edit photos
You can add up to 500 photos that you want to use in your flash banner, type in caption and arrange the photos here. 3D Flash Gallery supports a wide range of file formats for images, such as .jpg, .bmp, .gif. You're able to add hyperlink for each photo of your flash banner to be transported to your website.
Step 3: Choose from a variety of flash banner templates
3D Flash Gallery offer you an easy way to make a cool flash banner by choosing from variety of flash banner templates. A flash banner template automatically put preset decoration to your flash banners. When you select a preset banner template, you're able to enhance it by customizing some additional settings, such as background, thumbnail effects, playback options and scrolling actions. For the adventurous users, explore the powerful advanced features and tools that gives you total control over how you compose your flash banners.
Step 4: Add some background music files to flash banner
In this step, you can add background music files to play along with your flash banner. To do so, click Add Music button to browse and add your music files. You can add, remove and edit the music files. And you may check the option to control the background music looping or not.
Step 5: Preview and publish your cool 3D flash banners
It is advisable that you preview the 3D flash banner at least once, before your publish it. Click and drag mouse for scrolling and tilting the 3D flash banner. Click on the thumbnail to zoom in and out the photos. You have several options to share and publish your 3D photo gallery. It depends on your needs.
lean more:
http://www.aneesoft.com/win-3d-flash-gallery.html
http://www.aneesoft.com/download/win/aneesoft-3d-flash-gallery.exe
There are 8 results for site in wikichess.
Thibault de Vassal (2407)
c4
The English Opening is the fourth most popular opening move in chess. White begins the fight for the center by staking a claim to the d5 square. Common responses are 1...e5 (which can lead to positions similar to the Sicilian Defence but with opposite colors), 1...c5 (the Symmetrical Variation), and 1...Nf6. Also perfectly playable are 1...e6 (often leading to a Queen's Gambit Declined after 2.d4 d5) and 1...c6 (often leading to a Slav Defence after 2.d4 d5, a Caro-Kann Defence after 2.e4 d5, or a Reti Opening after 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3).
The English is a very flexible opening. Although many lines of the English have a distinct character, it often transposes into other openings. If White plays an early d4, the game will usually transpose into either the Queen's Gambit or an Indian defence.
The English derives its name from the English (unofficial) world champion, Howard Staunton, who played it during his 1843 match with Amant. It fell out of favor (the opening was notably disdained by Morphy), but is now recognized as a solid opening that may be used to reach both classical and hypermodern positions. Botvinnik, Karpov, and Kasparov all employed it during their world championship matches. Bobby Fischer created a stir when he switched to it from the King's Pawn against Boris Spassky in 1972.
============
Contributors : Thibault de Vassal
Thibault de Vassal (2407)
d4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3 Bg7 e4 d6 f3
The Sämisch variation often leads to very sharp play with the players castling on opposite wings and attacking each other's kings.
According to Chessbase, white chances are about 60%
============
Contributors : Thibault de Vassal
David Grosdemange (1912)
e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5 a6 Bxc6 dxc6
There is a question as to which pawn you should take the bishop with. Let me clear this up. White will now take the e pawn.
* white won't take the e-pawn (because of Qd4!-/+) , but white has a majority on the king-site (4 against 3) , when black's majority on queen-side isn't really effective , because of the doubled pawns .
============
Contributors : Tim Bredernitz, David Grosdemange
Ron Keyston (1522)
e4 e5 d4 exd4 c3 dxc3 Bc4 cxb2 Bxb2 d5 Bxd5 Nf6 Bxf7+ Kxf7 Qxd8 Bb4+ Qd2 Bxd2+ Nxd2
Considered drawish at the top-levels, but interesting at the club level. White has a 4-2 pawn majority on the kingside, while Black has a 3-1 majority on the queenside. Also the two-sides have opposite-colored bishops.
============
Contributors : Ron Keyston
Gavin Wilson (1400)
e4 e6 d4 f5 exf5 exf5 Bd3 Nc6 Ne2 d5 c4 Nb4 O-O Nf6 Bg5 Nxd3 Qxd3 h6 Bxf6 Qxf6 cxd5 Bd7 Nbc3 O-O-O a4 a6 Rfe1 Bd6 Qc4 Rde8 b4 Kd8
The king was feeling the heat on the c-file opposite the White queen.
============
Contributors : Gavin Wilson
Telmo Escobar (2055)
e4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4 cxd4 Nxd4 Nf6 Nc3 e6 Be2 a6 O-O Nbd7 f4 b5 Bf3 Bb7 e5 Bxf3 Nxf3 b4 exf6 bxc3 f5 Qb6+ Kh1 cxb2 Bxb2 Qxb2 fxe6 fxe6 f7+ Kd8 Nd4 Nc5 Rb1 Qxa2 Qf3 d5 c4 Qxc4 Qe3 Rc8 Rbc1 Qb4 Nxe6+ Kd7 Nf4 Qe4 Qh3+ Kc7 Ne6+ Kb8 Rb1+ Nb7 Qb3 d4 Rf4 Qc6 Rxd4 Be7 Rc4 Qd7 Qg3+ Ka7 Qe3+ Kb8 Qf4+ Ka7 Qf2+ Kb8 Rxc8+ Rxc8 f8 Bf8 Nf8 Qd3 Qb2 Qb5 Qa1 Qd3 Ne6 Qc3 Qa6
and draw after 43...Qc1+ 44.Qf1 Qxf1+ 45.Rxf1 g6. For some reason now the site doesn't accept the move "43...Qc1+" (nor "43...Qc1").
============
Contributors : Telmo Escobar
Normajean Yates (1858)
e4 e5 Nf3 f5 Nxe5 Nc6 Qh5+ g6 Nxg6 Nf6 Qh3 hxg6 Qxh8 Qe7 Nc3
Any thoughts on this line? Someone played this [8. Nc3] against me at another correspondence-chess site, and I am ie Black is already in serious trouble after 8. Nc3 fxe4 9. Be2 Nd4 10. O-O. I don't see any counterattack by black!
I mean latvian-fraser is supposed to be in crisis, but is the old main line [ie until black's 7th move] so bad? Or did I blunder? No, I didn't blunder - except by choosing this line [or, except by playing the latvian ;) ]
PS: I (black) managed to win that game because it was no-engines and white got overconfident, but that's another story :) ] For the curious, here is *that* story:
NN v Normajeanyates
chess.com corr no-engines 2008
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Qh5+ g6 5. Nxg6 Nf6 6. Qh3 hxg6 7. Qxh8 Qe7 8. Nc3 fxe4 9. Be2 Nd4 10. O-O Nxc2 11. Rb1 Nd4 12. d3 Nxe2+ 13. Nxe2 exd3 14. Nf4 Kf7 15. Nxd3 Bg7 16. Qh4 Qe4 17. Qxe4 Nxe4 18. Be3 d6 19. Rfe1 Bf5 20. Red1 Re8 21. Rbc1 c5 22. b3 Nc3 23. Rd2 Bxd3 24. Rxd3 Ne2+ 25. Kf1 Nxc1 26. Rxd6 Nxa2 27. Bxc5 Bf8 28. Rd7+ Ke6 29. Rc7 Bxc5 30. Rxc5 Rd8 31. Ke2 Rd5 32. Rc7 Rb5 33. Rg7 Kf6 34. Rd7 Rxb3 35. Rd2 Nc3+ 0-1
============
Contributors : Normajean Yates
Tano-Urayoán Russi Román (1880)
d4 d5 Nc3 e6
============
Contributors : Phil Cook
[Event "Single game, E4EC"]
[Site "http://gameknot.com/"]
[Date "2008.04.22"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Morales, Rafael (rafafallo)"]
[Black "Cook, Phil (Kiwi)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1078"]
[BlackElo "1170"]
[TimeControl "10/30"]
1. d4 {(D 00 Queeens Pawn,Chigorin varation) 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 } d5
2. Nc3 {(D 00 Queeens Pawn,Chigorin varation) 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 e6..not
commonly played } e6 {(D 00 Queeens Pawn,Chigorin varation) 1. d4 d5
2. Nc3 e6..not commonly played}but after e4 we have a standard french defence 3. a3 why? {3.blocking ..Bb4} h6 why? 4. e4 a6 why?
5. g3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nf6 {3. ....... h6 4. e4 a6 5. g3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nf6 attemps
white into another exchange} 7. Bg2 {7.Bg2 defends } Nxe4 8. Bxe4 c6 9.
c4 Be7 10. d5 {7. Nxe4 8. Bxe4 c6 9. c4 Be7 10. d5 (white here,trying
to open the middle up) so black attacks} cxd5 11. cxd5 O-O 12. dxe6 {12.dxe6,,(black
gives up a pawn or does he)} Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rd8+ 14. Bd2 fxe6 {12. dxe6
Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rd8+ 14. Bd2 fxe6(wins the pawn back,has white in disarray
here)} 15. Nf3 Bf6 16. Rb1 Nd7 17. b4 Ne5 18. Ke2 Nxf3 19. Bxf3 {15. Nf3
Bf6 16. Rb1 Nd7 17. b4 Ne5 18. Ke2 Nxf3 19. Bxf3 (note whites black bishop)}
Rb8 20. a4 b5 21. a5 Bb7 22. Rbc1 Bxf3+ {19. Bxf3 Rb8 20. a4 b5 21. a5
Bb7 22. Rbc1 Bxf3(white lost contol and game from here,yet plods on)} 23.
Kxf3 Rxd2 {22. Rbc1 Bxf3+ 23. Kxf3 Rxd(loss of bishop)} 24. Rc6 Rd3+ 25.
Ke4 Rbd8 26. Rxe6 Rd3d6 27. Rxd6 Rxd6 28. Rc1 Rd4+ 29. Kf5 Rxb4 30. Kg6
Rg4+ 31. Kf5 Rc4 32. Rd1 Rc5+ 33. Ke4 b4 34. Rb1 Rb5 35. Rb3 Bc3 36. f4
Rxa5 37. f5 Ra3 0-1
, Tano-Urayoán Russi Román
FICGS : site , Wikipedia : site , Dmoz : site , Google : site , Yahoo : site
I look one move ahead... the best ! (Siegbert Tarrasch)
Human affairs are like a Chess game: only those who do not take it seriously can be called good players. (Hung Tzu Ch'eng)
Examine moves that smite! A good eye for smites is far more important than a knowledge of strategical principles. (Purdy)
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