I have only played a couple of games of dark chess and would concur with WM ... and most certainly agree that skills in Poker would be particularly useful. It would be interesting to play physically opposite your opponent so that you could also read facial expressions ... another supreme skill of the great poker players.

Thought I would mention that in one game I played up until about move 10 I could locate all my opponent's pieces by deduction but after that it deteriorated as more space became available on the board. I enjoy it but have enough things to do without "seriously" learning how to play this variant. Just like many of the other variants I believe that it has its place in strengthening normal chess play as it makes you think through how your opponent may play and what options are available to them without being distracted by their actual movements. Obtuse i know but I am sure someone understands what I am saying.

Can I suggest any further dicussion be undertaken on the Dark Chess DB.

Cheers WQ:)

Everyone bite their tongue j/k

Will you please get off the "time to move" topic. This has been done to death and that is where it should stay. If you don't like the time limit don't set it or only play where it has been set to your liking. To start to list people who may use as much of the time as they like is being dictatorial and an abuse of their rights. You are the ones in the wrong (remember ... you chose to play by those time limits) just as they did so go away and get a life. If you want OTB then play somewhere else or wait till BK2 where I think Fencer intends to impliment more time options. You are the ones who need to change your attitude so stop showing disrespect to other legitimate BKers.

Enough is enough ... WQ

Like Everest .. you play in the tournament because the tournament exists ... I play in all the Tank Battles, Atomic Chess, Tablut and Maharajah Chess comps I find that are 3 days or more, never know, might win one :) I don't go looking for other ones but if invited will consider them.

Who can resist the challenge?

Fair enough IMCK ... although it looks like someone has stuffed up, maybe Fencer didn't send you a list, he plays so well that it takes me nearly all my time to work out his next devious Tank Battle plan only for it to be even more intricate than I had imagined. LOL

Maybe, the interpretation of the time frame as you expressed it (and I have no problems with what you say) is something that the tournament creator could put in the header so that there is no misunderstandings later when someone who is habitually slow gets the hurry-up :)

Sorry IMCK, but I think you have missed the point. Not everyone thinks the way you do or wants to play "immediately" ... I enjoy taking my time, I do not do it to slow others down, nor do I do it to deliberately drag out games to see others "suffer". I enter a tournament which gives a time limit with the full intention of using that full time limit on each move if I choose to. It seems like Steve will now ban me ... sad, but that I guess is his perogative. You seem to think people do it to spite you, well that, at least with me, is not the case. I do not enter a 4 day tournament, expecting to move every day and be hounded if I don't. I deliberately do not (usually) enter 1 or 2 day tournaments because I do not enjoy them. Please do not make me, or anyone else, play to a hidden agenda ... there are enough of those on disucssion boards without taking them into the game arena!

This has all been said before ... so why continue ...

This is a turn-based site. Games have specific time limits. There are rules about timing-out. Fencer has indicated that shorter time frames and OTB games may be a future feature, but right now they are not.

Some people do not come here to make as many moves in as many games as possible with the objective of just completing as many games as they can (I am one of them), but rather they come to play a bit, read a bit, enjoy themselves and relax. What you talk of is trying to turn this site into a high-powered "move-or-lose" pressure cooker. If that is where Fencer decides to take this site then I will probably move on ... the (current?) very relaxed nature of this site is one of the main reasons I stayed and paid. Maybe those who want to change the nature of the site (and that is what I believe you are trying to do) can either be patient until other formats are introduced, go elsewhere (where there might be the speed but I am yet to find the atmosphere) or set up there own (and Fencer can tell you all about that!)

I, too, like Kitti's idea that a tournament creator can declare a section when the result is definitely known. This idea should be posted on the requests board, I will do it next.

As to the determination of a game, I am generally against it. There are situations where it is not easy to make a decision and with the wide differences of abilities on this site, a good player maybe behind (somehow) but may still win with good endgame play. And this would put more pressure on Fencer but that could be solved by the appointment of panel of trusted good players ... of course, we might then have a great debate on who should (or shouldn't) be on it!!!

Are you calling me a "loser" IMCK?

I will not give a reason for moving at a speed which suits me, I just do ... W:)

I'm a dummy but not allowed to play ... how sad :(

Sorry Lythande ... the "n" jumped off the keyboard at the wrong time ... that should have been "no good", but I will be thinking of you all. (I think sLaMMie'S new fellowship has effected my keyboard sUmTiNk chronic ... LOL)

1800 would still be o good for me ... have fun :)

Love to make up the fourth in your tank battles but my BKR cuts me out :(

oh well ... happy maiming anyhow :)

Awwwh shucks Rose ... I don't mind if you talk about me ... even if it is negative :)

Harley ... you and me both are on the "low doubles" and "difficult splits" lists ... didn't you get Fencer's PM (j/k) W:)

I think we should all remember that we are not all here for the same reasons. There are some who come to win and have high BKRs (but we are not all geniuses, irrespective of how long we think about our next move); there are some who come for the friendship where BKRs mean nothing; and some may come to just play and pass the time. None of these reasons are better than any other, they are just different. If they do not match your reasons there is still no justification for being critical.

If people play by the rules and within the time limits, so be it, leave them be! Please :)

I think it was farce but they couldn't count the asterisks :)

At least you will get to deduct the cost of the new server(s) from your Swreg income (LOL)

And I am in Australia which is 9-10 hours ahead of Europe and probably 15-18 ahead of the States. The Tablut tournament I will start soon had a last entry date of 3 June, so I will wait until the end of the 4th (just past the end of the 3rd in the good ol' USofA) before I start it ... which will obviously be well into the 4th for some.

You see that there are no tournaments of a particular type and so decide to make then suddenly off they go ... well here is the one that started the trend ... this is your last day so sign up now at:
Tablut - Black + White #1 (Tablut)

NEW SUBJECT YAHOOOOOO

There is a new tournament for all those budding Tablut players out there. Come join the fun at:

Tablut - Black + White #1

danoschek: Don't worry, you will find that there are unsportsmanlike players here too (well, at least one) ... no reflection on Fencer (and his team?) who has been most helpful although, in this case, his hands where pretty much tied.

You know who oyu are!