SOME CLASSICAL CHESS
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Do I have to play rated games?
A: Not at all; it's not a requirement that you ever play a rated game using
Chess King. Be aware, though, that your rating will remain at 800 until
you play some rated chess. Note, too, that you can always play unrated
games with electronic opponents of various skill levels to “try them out”
before playing rated games.
Q: I'm an officially rated chess player. What would be a good rating
choice for a computer opponent?
A: In Part One of this book, I offered a suggestion for six game “minimatches” against electronic opponents, and I think that suggestion
works well here. Start by playing several games as both White and Black
against a computer opponent set fifty points higher (rounded up to the
nearest multiple of fifty) than your own Elo rating; a six game “match”, in
which you alternate between the White and Black pieces each game, is
ideal. If you win the match, bump the slider upward another fifty points. If
you lose, slide it down fifty points. If you draw the match (3-3), keep the
slider at its current spot.
Q: I don't have an official rating – how do I know where to set the slider?
A: If you have a friend who is a rated player and with whom you feel
you're relatively evenly matched, set the slider for fifty points higher than
his rating. If that's not the case and you don't know anyone who is a rated
player, set the slider for 1000 and play a few games. You'll know after
a few games whether you should adjust the slider up or down. If you
need to adjust the slider, try 100 point increments until you settle in to a
comfortable level.
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