"Curt Seefeldt" wrote ...
This whole thing about computers....I cannot understand why anyone would
want to "mimic" a computer. Nor do I want to envision a world where a
stupid
computer is placed higher than human ingenuity, egad! About 10-12 years
ago
I was quite active in club play, as well as playing in tournaments. Then I
sort of lost interest, today I have regained that interest. Sadly, it
seems
to me that chess today is not what it was then. I fail to see what is so
dammed wonderful in playing a computer and then transfering that knowledge
to a otb situation. I feel that in doing something like that, one is
merely
parroting what the computer so to speak "taught", not what the player had
to
pick up on his own.

I find playing against a computer has helped me improve my game for
the simple reason that it is the only way I can play slow chess. If I try
to play a game of chess at 40 moves in 2 hours against a person, (online
or offline), I invariably get interrupted by something, (I have a six year
old son). I find that having a handheld computer opponent that I can
turn off and then pick right up where I left off allows me play slow
chess games in pieces. My otb ratings, (online), have increased
dramatically since I started focusing on slow chess with the handheld.
Even though I'm still playing fast chess online, (nothing slower than game
in
20 minutes), the practice at 40 in 120 minutes has really helped.
So in my case the convenience of the computer has helped with no
parroting involved.

Patrick