12 Feb 06
Originally posted by WulebgrI'm not sure what your talking about. You need reasonable marks to go through high school and college.
I earned a high school diploma, a college degree, and acceptance to graduate school before producing evidence that I was good at school. 😛
Edit: I also thought about law school, but didn't think I could make an honest living as a lawyer (I wanted to do civil liberties work/criminal defense). The OJ trial put those ethical objections to rest, but by the ...[text shortened]... ect the police as much as the criminals, perhaps more. Tainted evidence is [b]not evidence.[/b]
Times have changed(Not dissing you or anything), you need good marks now, I'm not sure of your age Wulebgr 🙂 I got into Engineering from high school with a 82% average because my English was 77% compared to my other marks of 90+% . The lowest person that year to get into engineering was 79%. That's saying something no?
BTW, you can buy degree's online now, not reason to go to school. Doctor degree's, Lawyer whatever you want, and they deliver overnight! 🙂
12 Feb 06
4 edits
Originally posted by RahimKWell, in my country (the United States of America), you can make an almost 'B' average in undergraduate school and then have a 3.15 in graduate school, and end up on the street homeless if you majored in English like I did. hehe But, if you really get right down to it, I look around me and see all these guys who got better marks and have degrees in something more useful, and they're out of work just like I am. And, they're living a nomadic existence I have often lived. What's wrong? Don't let these college professors and bureaucrats fool you! Education does not make you any money. Education is simply a cultural experience to broaden your understanding of the world - especially in the areas of the ladies. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard and he's the wealthiest man in America. Look at Rockefeller? My grandfather had a 9th grade education, and started his own air-conditioning refrigeration business. He made a lot of money for his time on top of his pension from being a World War II veteran.
I'm not sure what your talking about. You need reasonable marks to go through high school and college.
Times have changed(Not dissing you or anything), you need good marks now, I'm not sure of your age Wulebgr 🙂 I got into Engineering from high school with a 82% average because my English was 77% compared to my other marks of 90+% . The lowest person tha to go to school. Doctor degree's, Lawyer whatever you want, and they deliver overnight! 🙂
But, you can write all of the past off for our generation. I'm talking anyone right now who is presently 18 - 40 years of age. If you don't already have a career, forget it! The economy in America is shot! We sold are souls to the Federal Reserve in the USA. We print up money we don't even have. Gold keeps rising out the roof! World War III looming in the distance. Iran, Syria, America, Arab Nations, Israel... it's all coming to an end. And, chess is my only solice. The American dollar is what everyone else's money system is based on, but it's ironically declining in value behind Australia and the Euro. The Euro - the one world money system - right around the corner. And, a lot of countries are dependent on America for their own economies. They buy our debt! Now, the world is going to be in sad shape in just the next 20 years. So, I suggest you save every ounce of gold you can get, because eventually it will be worth $80,000 an ounce. And, I suggest physical gold. Don't let these guys talk you into a gold investment on paper? You think you'll get anything when the whole world economy collapses? Heck no! They'll tell you you should have read the fine print and be laughing you out of the bank. So, grab your gold, your chess set and a few necessities, and get ready for no home and no future. Because, that's where the world is headed. Only thing I'm counting on is my Messiah, Jesus Christ.
12 Feb 06
Originally posted by RahimKMy point is that decent marks are not necessarily evidence of being good in school. School success in America is mostly a matter of obedience--the willingness to perform endless meaningless tasks upon demand, often for teachers who don't understand much about the subjects they teach. I was never good at this kind obedience, but was able to attain a B average through HS and College. In graduate school, nearly all my professors were teaching subjects upon which they had developed some expertise, and they expected the same from us (development of expertise). Occasionally, there was still some busy work (90% of literary criticism is utter nonsense, and we had to produce reams of the drivel in English graduate courses), but it was interesting most of the time. In graduate school I had more As than Bs. Of course, anything below a B was failing at that level, but you still had to do the work to get the B.
I'm not sure what your talking about. You need reasonable marks to go through high school and college.
Times have changed(Not dissing you or anything), you need good marks now, I'm not sure of your age Wulebgr 🙂 I got into Engineering from high school with a 82% average because my English was 77% compared to my other marks of 90+% . The lowest person tha ...[text shortened]... to go to school. Doctor degree's, Lawyer whatever you want, and they deliver overnight! 🙂
Of course, much of what I've spewed in this thread is a bit tongue in cheek. I didn't get to and thru college, and then into graduate school without at least something close to average intelligence, or perhaps a wee bit above average. My standardized test scores were always good.
14 Feb 06
Originally posted by WulebgrI consider B decent marks so i'm not sure why were are having this conversation. I was talkign about people with D's and F's in school being good at chess.
My point is that decent marks are not necessarily evidence of being good in school. School success in America is mostly a matter of obedience--the willingness to perform endless meaningless tasks upon demand, often for teachers who don't understand much about the subjects they teach. I was never good at this kind obedience, but was able to attain a B average ...[text shortened]... telligence, or perhaps a wee bit above average. My standardized test scores were always good.
I know they have done studies and kids who play chess do better at school then others who don't. Someone mentioned any logical game would help the kids and doesn't have to be chess. I agree with that.
But i'm just saying generally chess players to me are decent in school. I never met a good chess player who is failing school.
14 Feb 06
Originally posted by powershakerAh you americans! Well at least your open minded and your admitting the truth.
Well, in my country (the United States of America), you can make an almost 'B' average in undergraduate school and then have a 3.15 in graduate school, and end up on the street homeless if you majored in English like I did. hehe But, if you really get right down to it, I look around me and see all these guys who got better marks and have degrees in some ...[text shortened]... the world is headed. Only thing I'm counting on is my Messiah, Jesus Christ.
20-30 years from now, when China, India and other eastern countries catch up in techonology and become industrialized, the power will shift to the east. They will be the new leaders of the world if we western countries don't shape up.
Look at japan for example, driving the american car companies out of business.
Also, i'm not sure how many of you guys go to Univ, but check out the Graduate students if you live in Canada or the States. You'll notice a lot of visa students. We complain that our TA's don't speak english but really it's our fault. After getting our Undergrad, we don't go to grad school much but people all our the world want to get into our grad schools. Our teacher said if he had a choice between picking a student with lower marks but spoke good english he would pick him to TA compared to someone with high marks who had trouble with english. But honestly, open your ideas and see whats going on in the world. More and more Visa students are going to our Universities, infact in Grad school there's more Visa kids then non -visa kids.
Once the east catches up in eductation and stuff, down goes our economy. It will happen.
14 Feb 06
Originally posted by welsharnieI understand where you're coming from, but that's a pretty cliched response. Basic principles aside, he must play something; it's not possible to skip the opening and go right to the middle game.
basic principles are the most important at this stage, more so than learning lines.
I'd say 1. e4 is the best opening for a beginner, since it usually leads to sharper positions that will help him improve his tactics. Play the Giuoco Piano against 1... e5 and go for the main/sharpest lines against other defenses. Play 1... e5 or the Sicilian as black and the Nimzo/Queen's Indian against 1.d4.
These might not be the best choices if you want to get good results, but they're certainly among the best if you want to improve. You'll lose a lot, but you'll certainly learn quite a bit from each defeat. Once you reach 1800 or something you can start working on a repertoire that suits your playing style better.
14 Feb 06
Originally posted by Heroic MetoolI basically agree, hence the rec.
I understand where you're coming from, but that's a pretty cliched response. Basic principles aside, he must play something; it's not possible to skip the opening and go right to the middle game.
I'd say 1. e4 is the best opening for a beginner, since it usually leads to sharper positions that will help him improve his tactics. Play the Giuo ...[text shortened]... or something you can start working on a repertoire that suits your playing style better.
I teach the Spanish opening to the beginners I work with, but for the most part avoid teaching openings. Tactical motifs, checkmate patterns, and endgame principles are the oreder of the day.
Players much better than me have said that beginners should play 1.e5, and learn to meet it with 1.e5, and play 1.d4, and learn to meet that with 1.d5. They should play these openings lots (years) before trying other openings.
16 Feb 06
I would avoid thinking about offensive/defensive and concentrate on improving your position all the time. Each move you make ask yourself , is my position stronger as a result? If you keep doing this the attacks will come on their own. Try and figure out what makes for a good position. The good players know how to create a win from tiny advantages. Patience is a virtue in chess! I wish I had more of it!
16 Feb 06
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Originally posted by knightmeisterAlso ask your self this question:
I would avoid thinking about offensive/defensive and concentrate on improving your position all the time. Each move you make ask yourself , is my position stronger as a result? If you keep doing this the attacks will come on their own. Try and figure out what makes for a good position. The good players know how to create a win from tiny advantages. Patience is a virtue in chess! I wish I had more of it!
Why did my opponent play that move
and how can I stop my opponent from improving his position.
16 Feb 06
Originally posted by Heroic MetoolI am not trying to be cliched. That's what I believe to work best. I didn't learn much opening knowledge other than through games for 2 years when I started playing. I opened with 1. c4, and then just developed sensibly, and started playing what seemed right.
I understand where you're coming from, but that's a pretty cliched response. Basic principles aside, he must play something; it's not possible to skip the opening and go right to the middle game.
I'd say 1. e4 is the best opening for a beginner, since it usually leads to sharper positions that will help him improve his tactics. Play the Giuo ...[text shortened]... or something you can start working on a repertoire that suits your playing style better.
When I said 'learn principles, not lines', I meant that you should not be memorising lines of theory, although maybe the basic ideas of where the pieces go, and any obvious trap or motif that is common (although I would say these are principles of that opening rather than lines too).