Rational Chess
Submitted by on Mon, 09/08/2008 at 2:52am.
More than 2 weeks ago, I tried a Live Chess game against a member of
Chess.com. I intended to accept an open challenge with a duration of at least 10 minutes but inadvertently clicked a
Lightning game (I guess it's 2 minutes per side). I was a bit surprised and I even forgot about the
abort button, and I continued on. I have to admit that that was the very first lightning game I did and I was off-balanced! I guess you have to see the diagram (I was Black) here to understand my point, about how irrational chess becomes in these "types" of fast games.
The game is the Open Game: Patzer/Parnham Opening (C20), which is otherwise known as the Terrorist Attack. I knew about this opening but I was left totally surprised! I had the position where I can be checkmated in one move! But the greater surprise is the fact that my opponent didn't do it! The rest of the game is not that significant, although the randomness of the game is obvious, similar to watching an average football (soccer) game where there's a lot of kicking but no points.
What is the lesson? Well... if you want stupid moves, try Lightning or any fast chess. Chess is the philosophers' game, and not the idiots'. The standard game is the way to go. Of course it depends on each person--to each his own (no offense to lightning players). But for me I have to maintain the rational in chess. 