Chess.com

I decide I’m tired and start distracting myself by playing chess.com. This turns out to be addictive. I start to regret it. I justify it by saying the course told me to distract myself.

I think about the feedback mechanisms. You can play with feedback: a power balance meter gives you an idea of who has the stronger position, and best moves, blunders and so on are pointed out. I try this. I can reverse my blunders and try again. Eventually I beat virtual compatriot Wally on this level and earn two crowns.

I think it’s false. I want to make my own mistakes. I play in challenge mode: no help. I can’t beat him. I work systematically up from the easier players. I beat them all on challenge mode. Wally is still the obstacle. What next?

I google “how to beat Wally on chess.com”. People describe their games and tactics. It generally concerns abstractions such as Vienna openings. I don’t speak this language. I don’t have the structures. But I realise these people have skills I don’t. I respect them, even if I don’t want to play the same game.

I try iterating the same opening variation, hoping to learn compentence in defined boundaries. I think somehow it’s more honest to learn to see my own mistakes. Sometimes I do. Again easier players I learn to make checks before moving: what did the opponent do? why? what is threatened? What can I threaten? Where are there tensions on the board? This is a perceptual question: can I perceive things when they are not pointed out to me?

I think the visual feedback is useful, but still I have to internalise the process. I’m not sure I want to do the work to become good at chess, but analysing the value of feedback and the need to get rid of it at times is useful.

Who are these virtual opponents? Useful crutches to installing a chess board as street furniture, or just a diversion from fleshy reality?

Later I try the mode with all tools for assistance. It shows arrows for threats and possibilities. It gives scores to the possibilities. So you can win by following the path of maximum score. The possible moves are reduced to a set of a few.