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Does that link work? Some terrible mistakes I'm sure but a very satisfying denouement 🙂
There is 3 spare places for anyone who didn’t enter STW T5 but wants in this tournament.
Invite accepted if there’s still space.
Cheers
In so far for T6 are
chessron99
Django2357
Aide46
dannybgoode
vince2638
@Richwales you are showing as a pending invitation. Try going to
https://www.chess.com/tournament/stw-t6
and clicking "join".
Still spaces for anyone else that missed T5 and wants in.
If it's possible to enter both (given I'm getting a kicking in T5) I'd be in. But no worries if not.
Tried to join but it says it's invite only?
I'm in T5 but would join T6 if poss am getting the same invite only msg as kennyp.
Chess.com username is JeremyDog
It’s kprook.
Invited. Thought you were kprook but your "getting a kicking" comment didn't square with your slight positional advantage (IMO) in your game against me!
Leaves 1 place for anyone not currently playing in STW5 or STW6 who wants a game.
Had a great game against @dti (dtcaban on chess.com) in the STW round. Thought I had a fairly quick checkmate then he escaped that and gave a really good runaround! Looking forward to the second game.
May be a bit slower moving in STW5. Have ended up with 31 daily games ongoing. As new rounds started and tournaments I joined started faster than expected. Having a few 'mares with higher graded players.
@irc - yep, the initial flurry of moves on the Championship tournament got a bit OTT but it's calmed down a bit now. There's a few people in the round who are going to time out, I'm sure.
I've set a small block of time each morning and evening to have a look and move but I've turned off the notifications and I'm not going to respond to each individual move immediately, I'd be on the phone all day!
Aye I am in the big tournie also. Luckily the grouping gods have been kind and I may win a game or too. My lot seem keen though - no one in danger of timing out I don't think...
EDIT - loks like 3 or 4 maybe will time out in my group in the early stages. Could be fun though - nice mix of ability in mine...
Same here. I've maade a move in every game. Not looking at them again until I'm at work tonight.
Invited. Thought you were kprook but your “getting a kicking” comment didn’t square with your slight positional advantage (IMO) in your game against me!
Are you just trying to lull me into a false sense of security? (-:
Okay the "kicking" thing was a bit premature but it will happen I'm fairly sure. I quite often get into this situation where I reach a position that should give me a small advantage. However I'm rubbish at coming up with plans to press home that advantage. All the while I'm wondering what fiendish cunning moves my opponents are plotting. Which I guess is one of the things that makes chess such fun.
Is that place still open in T6, no worries if not.
Thanks for this. The table is visible, but the games greyed out - should I be able to make moves yet? Apologies for my ignorance.
The games shouldn't be greyed out. Having had a google it looks like there is sometimes server issues at Chess.com that cause stafrting problems. If it doesn't auotstart overnight I'll cancel all players and create a different tournament for the current players + Crewlie.
Thank you irc. I’ll let you know if things change for me.
Yeah I got the message saying the tournie had started but can't see any games at all...
The server is massively overloaded. Took nearly 3hrs for all my Tournament games to appear and then the moves were sometimes not registering, it would say "server unavailable".
I think the Daily Play Championship thing going on at the moment is far and away the biggest tournament they've ever held and it's noticeably slowed it all down. Even the timed-out games weren't showing for ages - the clock would be on zero but it took another hour for the notification to come through saying I'd won on time.
Give it a bit, it'll work eventually!
Thanks crazy-legs. Makes sense.
All good now for me and I’ve made the moves I can. No marks for creativity, originality or bravery however!
we're playing both colours /double the matches simultaneously. Was that intentional?
Apologies to those that I was playing against in the last tournament, when I had to abandon unexpectedly and was unable able to warn/update. I'm sure the results weren't any different than they would have been...
we’re playing both colours /double the matches simultaneously. Was that intentional?
Nope. Default is one game at a time for each opponent. Either I changed that in error when setting up other parameters or is was to do with the chess.com server problems yesterday.
we’re playing both colours /double the matches simultaneously. Was that intentional?
Agree with your opponent which one to concentrate on and play that. So long as you make at least one move per 24hrs in the other one, it'll sit there with no issues until you've finished Game A and are ready to start properly on Game B.
It does get confusing playing both colours at once, I've messed up more than one move in the past by thinking I'm in one game and not the other!
I’m in for t6
Thanks
Dtcaban on chess.com
I have a tournament with both games at once. To make it potentially more awkward it is a prescribed opening. IE you start with a couple of moves already there. Scandanavian in this case.
I make a point of branching off fairly soon rather than keep both games close together. Then there is 4 other players. So I had 8 games with the same opening starting at once! Three days per move though which helps.
Not sure what’s going on in T6 but I’ve got 13 games ongoing and have already lost one as it timed out after 5 times?
I am thoroughly enjoying tournament 6 at the moment. The level seems pretty consistent in each game, which appears to help. I’ve made some outrageously dodgy moves, and got myself into so many tortuous positions - great fun.
Being the only chess I play, I’d be happy with continuous STW tournaments 😀
Being the only chess I play, I’d be happy with continuous STW tournaments 😀
The general manners on STW seem better than other tournaments. This big one I'm in at the moment, I won 4 games on time-out without the other person making a single move, 4 games on time-out after the person made a few moves, realised they're losing and just wandered off and I'm playing someone who is nominally about 800 and is playing like a grandmaster which is quite suspicious.
STW players have a better class about them I think. 🙂
Last game against @nosedive (T5) was good. The analysis really doesn't like gambits, it always rates them very low so the opening position based on a Stafford rated me as having blunders before it all turned around later on.
I take it all back. Chess is shit!!
Apologies to whoever I’ve timed out against - it’s not intentional
I've just won another two games on timeout. Shame, I was enjoying them - one I'd actually considered resigning in when my opponent made a genius move to capture my queen which I'd completely missed. I was a fair chunk of material down in that game, just hanging on and now I've won because he didn't come back to it?!
There is a tournament parameter for timeouts. Default is at 10% which seems high to me. I'm at 2.5% timeouts. I lost a few games when I was at a bothy with no wifi.
Anyone can have stuff happen that means they miss moving in time. Timing out from a lost position instead of resigning is just bad manners though.
I think no grading points are awarded with lessthan 4 moves. So if someone signs up for a tournament and never makes a single move, a per a current one of mine, nobodys grades are affected.
Crazy legs I really enjoyed that last game thanks, for a couple of moves in the middle I thought I was almost going to be able to counter. Apologies in advance if I am a bit slow moving until the weekend
Just lost the r2 games to nosedive and JLyon. It’s brutal at this level - no margin for blunders at all.
Probably should spend more time for each move , I’m used to playing 5min games.
Just lost the r2 games to nosedive and JLyon. It’s brutal at this level – no margin for blunders at all.
@dti - you were doing very well until the queen move - I can see you wanted to force a queen exchange but you missed the knight fork. I actually felt a bit embarrassed making the move, sorry about that! It was a very good game up until then. I've had similar games turn on a single blunder so I know how you feel. If you're up for a 15 or 30 min game anytime, drop an invite.
The Championship tournament is quite embarrassing too, I've won the majority of my games on timeouts. One game I should have lost and the guy just abandoned. One game the other guy should have finished me off a while ago but he doesn't seem to know his endgames so I've clawed my way back to level pegging. And the 800 level player who was suspiciously good has vanished, I'm assuming someone reported him for cheating.
The Championship tournament is quite embarrassing too, I’ve won the majority of my games on timeouts. One game I should have lost and the guy just abandoned. One game the other guy should have finished me off a while ago but he doesn’t seem to know his endgames so I’ve clawed my way back to level pegging. And the 800 level player who was suspiciously good has vanished, I’m assuming someone reported him for cheating.
Which is the advantage of playing games with people here on STW that you sort of know. Nobody is going to be a dick. Though to be fair the worst I have had on Chess.com is people joining a tournament then not playing any games and one bit of vacation abuse.
Though to be fair the worst I have had on Chess.com is people joining a tournament then not playing any games and one bit of vacation abuse.
This Championship Tournament clearly states that it's a demanding schedule, lots of timeouts etc, please don't enter (or please withdraw) if you don't think you can handle it etc.
% timeout at the moment is 85% ! That's insane. I've just won another game after 59 moves each, the guy didn't make it back in time - whether he abandoned intentionally or not I have no idea although he might have been feeling pissed off after I blundered, he had the advantage and should have won but had no idea how to finish it off and I managed to crawl back to level pegging. Maybe he got upset at that?
I've only got 4 games left in this first round and so far I've won 12 games on timeout and only 6 games through checkmate/resignation. Based on everyone's rankings I'd have expected about a 2/3rds win rate, not an 80%+!
I’ve only got 4 games left in this first round and so far I’ve won 12 games on timeout and only 6 games through checkmate/resignation. Based on everyone’s rankings I’d have expected about a 2/3rds win rate, not an 80%+!
The only issue with too many games being won on timeout (where you weren't clearly ahead) is grade inflation. Which matters if you are entering tournaments with an upper grading limit close to your grade.
Lost my first game in the Championship tournament today (albeit against a higher ranked player). I'm winning the other game against him.
Out of 22 games, it'll be 20 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss. That isn't as impressive as it sounds - a majority of those wins were simply timeouts.
Anyway, STW T5 is drawing to the conclusion of it's current round, looks like the next round will be starting in a couple of days or so. Should give a final round of 5 of us I think?
Tournament 6 is ticking along nicely 51% complete now. I do like the format of playing both as white and black concurrently.
In one of my non STW games my opponent has offered a draw. We both have Kings and 2 rooks. But I am 5 pawns up!
Hmm. Need to think
@irc 's favourite, the mighty Stafford Gambit got me a win against @2bit in STW T5.
I actually feel a bit bad on this now, I've progressed a fair bit since the start of the STW tournaments so I might bow out of any more since my rating is now 1600 which is rather unfair on everyone else. However, huge thanks to everyone who's played, I've learnt loads. Looking forwards to the final couple of games. 🙂
Quite amazingly, I'm through the first round of the Championship tournament too. The only guy who could have got a higher score overall timed out a couple of his games. See how I go next round...
In one of my non STW games my opponent has offered a draw. We both have Kings and 2 rooks. But I am 5 pawns up!
Hmm. Need to think
An act of desperation ;-0
And another draw offer. Same game.
6 moves later. About to lose his rook when my pawn queens. Expecting another draw offer any moment.
Has anyone else encountered cheating on Chess.com? I've played there for a few years now and never really thought about it but a few recent games have changed my mind on the matter.
I can't say conclusively that opponents are cheating but post match analysis shows very high accuracy (these are low ranking games too ~700 rapid rating) with very little time taken per move (30 min games)
Has anyone else encountered cheating on Chess.com? I’ve played there for a few years now and never really thought about it but a few recent games have changed my mind on the matter.
There was an 800-ranked player I was paired with in the Daily Championship tournament that's going on at the moment who was suspiciously good. He disappeared about half way through so I'm guessing someone else reported him for cheating.
That said, ranking doesn't always tell everything, it can be artificially inflated if for example a lot of your opponents time out and it can be artificially deflated if you intentionally lose games (which people do, it allows them to enter lower ranking tournaments and "win") or if you time out a lot of your games.
There's a good YouTube channel from a guy called GothamChess who quite often exposes cheaters - worth a watch to see how it's done.
Obviously it's open to cheating. I mainly play daily chess. I have the theory that as there is no time limitation anyone who wanted to cheat would be operating at a higher level in the 1900 upwards bracket.
Short games can have very high accuracy because much of the game can be following opening theory. As using theory is allowed. Once a game goes into the middle game and up to 40 - 60 move territory players in the 1000-1600 range will always have errors or a blunder or two. If they don't I'd be suspicious but I can't think of any near perfect games apart from short games.
Tournament 6 is nearly complete. I for one, am keen to be in tournament 7 if anyone is considering arranging it : )
Me too (JeremyDog)
Me too (JeremyDog)
Ooh, another tournament where you can beat me ; )
Count me in (kprook) for T7 when it starts. Really enjoying these.
I've been playing in some Blitz tournaments on chess.com - there's some going on all the time. Usually 3, 5 or 10 min time per player.
It's quite frustrating, there's been a few games where I've been way up, maybe a couple of moves away from checkmate and then run out of time. 🙁
Yes I have found that the 10 minute games are the best balance
gauss1777
Free Member
Me too (JeremyDog)Ooh, another tournament where you can beat me ; )
2 crazy games! Skin of my teeth in both. I have really enjoyed playing people of a similar level.
How about a specific opening tournament? Perhaps a traditional opening like a French or Caro-kann?
Not the Petrov though... that just leads to draws right... :p :p
2 crazy games! Skin of my teeth in both. I have really enjoyed playing people of a similar level.
Indeed, I've enjoyed all the STW tournaments I've been in, but this has been especially good. It might be good to see if the same people want to go again, with anyone else interested free to join in.
So T5 and T6 are well on their way to finishing.
For the next STW tournament. Same as T5? Everyone in one tournament. Then after Round 1 the losers into another tournament. As per T6.
Count me in for T7 please (KevinPhilipsBong) 😊
So T5 and T6 are well on their way to finishing.
For the next STW tournament. Same as T5? Everyone in one tournament. Then after Round 1 the losers into another tournament. As per T6.
Sounds great, thanks irc. Please include me: Django2357
Personally I liked the two games against each opponent being played concurrently, as in T6.
Can you add me to T7 please ?
I am doing so badly at the moment. So so badly. But count me in anyway 🙂
Count me in please-Chessron99
Congratulations chessron I couldn't get the W against Danny 😭. Happy with 2nd & looking forward to the next tournament.
ctk/JeremyDog/Tom
@ctk - That was an epic end game battle and the king v king + pawn ending is something that I've been running through endless lessons in Chessable.
Decent accuracy from both of us as well - 80+ (think you were 83.something and I was 81.something).
Yeah was fun. Just wish when I started getting my king involved I moved it up and across the board rather than just across.
OK. STW T7 set up. I've invited everone who started T5 along with CTK. Anyone else who wants in reply to this thread with Chess.com username.
Same idea as T5. Losers in Round 1 go into new tournament - T8. So everyone gets more than one round of games.
24 hours per move but vacation option open for anyone who needs extra time.
1 game at a time for each opponent. I've 20+ games in various tournaments just now. Another 10 becomes a stretch.
https://www.chess.com/tournament/stw-t7
Its an invite only tournament you may need to click the link in your chess.com messages to join.
Just seen the invite pop up. I'll decline if that's OK - partly because I feel bad winning most of my games in STW tournaments and partly cos I've already got a few other games on the go.
Having said about the winning, that's only in Daily Play which I wasn't great at initially. I've been playing the 10-min Blitz games a lot and quite routinely getting annihilated. Stupid mistakes, missing moves. My rating tumbled by about 200 points in a succession of defeats the other night. 🙁
and thanks for organising again