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Online Vs. OTB

Online Vs. OTB

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A

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I wanted to do a survey on this matter. Do you find that you perform better OTB than online? If so, what reasons would you give for this? Personally, I think that I play better OTB, perhaps because it's a 3-dimensional space, or that it seems more "real" to me. What are your findings for yourself?

d

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I play better OTB because my opponents aren't using databases.

Edit: I guess I'm playing just the same and my opponents perform worse.

A

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I must admit that it's irritating to see a 1400 play 3 and 400 points higher than what I would expect. But, also, I find that I make careless moves at times that when OTB I would have taken longer to ponder the consequences. I suppose I take OTB more seriously.

R

Edmonton, Alberta

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OTB, better atmosphere and there pressure is always there. Big crowds watching.

Plus there are prizes, and people to nag you to perform better.

What incentives do you have to play better online? Hardly any and if you are losing big deal.

Otb, it's all different. Everyone has to try it at least once!

g
NSB

Ohio

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OTB unless my oppenent has 40 fritz bathroom vists

Very Rusty
Treat Everyone Equal

Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Originally posted by AlphaAlekhine
[b]I must admit that it's irritating to see a 1400 play 3 and 400 points higher than what I would expect.
I Agree !!!

Very Rusty
Treat Everyone Equal

Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Originally posted by RahimK
OTB, better atmosphere and there pressure is always there. Big crowds watching.

Plus there are prizes, and people to nag you to perform better.

What incentives do you have to play better online? Hardly any and if you are losing big deal.

Otb, it's all different. Everyone has to try it at least once!
Ummmm....here you can play in your underwear, and eat, and drink, without getting dirty looks from your opponent....OK, ok, I have never been to a tournament in my underwear 😛

I

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I think I play better online than OTB. You could try and put that down to books/databases but I think that would only partly explain it because I play better at FICS too.

I think the main reason is being more relaxed. I often feel stressed playing OTB and I think that sometimes breaks my thought chain and leads to mistakes. It's usually much worse in team matches when I don't want to let side down, so it's annoying that the consequence is that I sometimes do.

R

Edmonton, Alberta

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Originally posted by Very Rusty
Ummmm....here you can play in your underwear, and eat, and drink, without getting dirty looks from your opponent....OK, ok, I have never been to a tournament in my underwear 😛
Well you can eat and drink in OTB also. Don't do it at the table and no dirty looks.

If you like playing in your underwear do that, but this time you will get a lot of dirty looks. The choices you gotta make in life 🙁

W
Angler

River City

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I make more mistakes under the pressure of the clock and when I'm tired; so do my opponents. I play somewhat more accurate chess with online correspondence; much worse with online blitz. However, OTB is real chess; all else is practice.

s

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Originally posted by AlphaAlekhine
I wanted to do a survey on this matter. Do you find that you perform better OTB than online? If so, what reasons would you give for this? Personally, I think that I play better OTB, perhaps because it's a 3-dimensional space, or that it seems more "real" to me. What are your findings for yourself?
Did you mean online as in cc or all online (i.e. incl live games online)? I play much better CC because I work much harder at it (to an extent that would not be possible otb) and use databases (about to change), the analyse board feature which allows you to look deeper and far less likely to miscalculate a combination, there is far less chance of the dumb blunder move and I don't get tired. However I still play better in live online games which is confusing I think its because of either pressure and/or I seem to be able to read the board better on a screen than in real life.

TheGambit

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Originally posted by Wulebgr
However, OTB is [b]real chess; all else is practice.[/b]
I think that about sums it up, I never play any otb, I have had two years of practice now so maybe it's time to play some! I think if you play correspondance chess without databases/books/websites/analysis board then you are just about simulating real chess. But all the aforementioned help a great deal with learning so it depends what you want to get out of correspondance chess I suppose.

v

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I am much better online on all the sites...maybe the reason is that I played thousands of games online, and just a few OTB. I see better the board online in 2D and I can also manage the time much better.

J
Trainee Party Animal

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Originally posted by TheGambit
I think that about sums it up, I never play any otb, I have had two years of practice now so maybe it's time to play some! I think if you play correspondance chess without databases/books/websites/analysis board then you are just about simulating real chess. But all the aforementioned help a great deal with learning so it depends what you want to get out of correspondance chess I suppose.
I think TG has hit the nail on the head. It is what you get out of it.

Personally I perform much better in CC than I do OTB.
Some enjoy the pressure that OTB brings and I do to a little extent. Though that same pressure can be reproduced by a big challenge and an active forum.

Even in CC, I am finding that I perform better at 7day or 14day TO's than 3day TO's. Its about getting your optimum level.

FL

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I much prefer OTB. I don't use databases or books when I'm playing correspondence chess, which makes it difficult to get a good position out of the opening.

The intensity of an OTB game means that I get a lot more into it than even the most exciting correspondence game and I get a real high when I win.

Another part of OTB chess which doesn't carry over that well into correspondence is team play. Clan matches make up for this a bit, but the problem is that a clan match can last for months. In OTB matches all the games are finished in the same evening so you can celebrate or commiserate with your teammates there and then!

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