Patrick wrote:
I guess I was kinda hoping for a computerized "mentor" to take me by
the hand and walk me step by step through what all I need to do to
play better and enjoy the game even more.

Computers can't do that for you: that's what you get from a human
coach.


Or maybe some advice on how to best take advantage of the database
of famous games. I mean, if they're so poorly annotated, what's the
point of running through them?

They can be useful to find out what moves strong players play in the
opening and what kind of middle-games and endgames these openings tend
to lead to. If I want to get a feel for an opening, I'll often whizz
through ten or twenty GM games (only a couple of seconds a move) just
to see what happens in that kind of game.


Half the time I have no idea why a certain move is being made.

Again, computers can't explain that, except in the really basic cases.
(Dude, he's just taken your queen with his. If you don't recapture,
you're gonna lose.) To develop your understanding of why moves are
made, you need a book of well-annotated master games and/or the
guidance of a human coach. Another approach is to ask here
(rec.games.chess.analysis would be more appropriate for that kind of
question.)


And if you give yourself and the computer the same amount of time,
you'll be mercilessly clobbered every game.

But I suppose that with all these rated AI players in CM9000, the
program dumbs itself down enough that a 1300-rated AI player does in
five minutes about what a 1300-rated human player would do in five
minutes. Is that right?

Not quite. What you'll probably find is that a 1300-rated AI player
does in five seconds what a 1300-rated human player would do in five
minutes and then sits around doing nothing for four minutes and
fifty-five seconds to make it look more even. The effect is the same,
of course. (At least, that's what Fritz does.)


IOW, I don't need to monkey with the time controls in order to
balance the game?

Correct.


Dave.

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