NationStates Jolt Archive

Which do you prefer to play, Chess or Checkers?

My favorite is definately Chess. I feel Chess is better excercize for the brain compared to checkers. Checkers can be fun but I feel that Chess can be more challenging (pending the opponent, that is).

What are your thoughts?

(Poll coming Soon to a Forum near You) :p

Backgammon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backgammon).

Chess, because it has better graphics and gameplay.

Also the storyline is more involving.

I don't like either chess or draughts. Chess is more challenging though.

Chess clearly. There's actual strategy involved in that game, as opposed to Draughts where you're pretty limited in your moves (especially if you play that idiotic 'if you can take it, you have to take it' rule).

So yeah, Chess over Draughts any day. Except a day where I only have a few minutes to play a board-game, or a day where I am playing against my dad, who never really learnt Chess but is wickedawesome at Draughts.

(In my neck of the woods we call 'Checkers' Draughts, and, hell, even if we did call it 'Checkers' we'd probably spell it with a 'qu'.)

Dead arm.

Chess clearly. There's actual strategy involved in that game, as opposed to Draughts where you're pretty limited in your moves (especially if you play that idiotic 'if you can take it, you have to take it' rule).

Pff. That rule is part of checkers, and part of the strategy.

Checkers is fun, Chess is engaging.

Chess.

Where I live, we play draughts on a chequer board.

Chess clearly. There's actual strategy involved in that game, as opposed to Draughts where you're pretty limited in your moves (especially if you play that idiotic 'if you can take it, you have to take it' rule).

So yeah, Chess over Draughts any day. Except a day where I only have a few minutes to play a board-game, or a day where I am playing against my dad, who never really learnt Chess but is wickedawesome at Draughts.

(In my neck of the woods we call 'Checkers' Draughts, and, hell, even if we did call it 'Checkers' we'd probably spell it with a 'qu'.)You don't like the 'if you can take it, you have to take it' rule? That's that one that makes it makes draughts interesting. It forces you to think about every move you make, and not just the here and now.

The maddest rule I've played draughts with is that the king piece can move like a bishop - from one side of the board to the other and take a piece. Crazy. I played that version of the game in Central Asia. They also had a different version of backgammon as well. I think I remember that the version they played originated in China. edit: the closest approximation to what I played seems to be called Gul Bara, but with normal doubles rules http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gul_bara.

I think I tend to prefer chess, though I only tend to play alright at the beginning, after that I tend to get bored and not look properly.

Backgammon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backgammon).

Yep I love Backgammon too. I'd still pick Chess, though.

Chess. Mainly because there's so many variations. Ballistic chess, suprise chess, diagonal chess, double chess...

Backgammon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backgammon).

i totally agrree.

The maddest rule I've played draughts with is that the king piece can move like a bishop - from one side of the board to the other and take a piece. Crazy. I played that version of the game in Central Asia. They also had a different version of backgammon as well. I think I remember that the version they played originated in China.

I remember checkers in Elementary school. Kids came up with the craziest things for kings to do.

Battlechess

Chess, I think. Even though I suck at it... For whatever reason, I'm bad at thinking more than half a turn ahead.

Definitely chess.:)

I remember checkers in Elementary school. Kids came up with the craziest things for kings to do.Maybe that was it... I seem only to remember playing checkers at the school where I was working as I played their version of Backgammon with the family I was living with. And I played Chess with an old guy who sat outside a metalsmith in the bazaar. Fun times. It took me and two friends working together to finally beat the guy. He was cool.

chess definetly.

bobby fisher is king.

chess is much more intellectually stimulating among other things.

Yep I love Backgammon too. I'd still pick Chess, though.

I hate it. Couldn't make a good move to save a life. Analysis of my moves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GNU_bg_screenshot.png) is filled with blue (bad) and red (very bad) annotations.

I simply suck.

However, a Chess game can be played by a computer via brute forcing through the concequences of all possible moves. In principle, quite simple. Backgammon, however, provides the element of random chance that makes such analysis far less straight forward (necessitating the use of neural networks, instead of just brute force/game trees as in Chess). Thereby magnifying greatly the strategy involved.

Which is probably why I never win.

Chess, because it has better graphics and gameplay.

Also the storyline is more involving.

roflmao!

I'm going to go with Backgammon as well, even though I'm not very good at it.

I am a very good checkers player, but I don't really think that's much of an accomplishment.

And I was a founding member of the chess club at my junior high school in 1986. I was the best 11 year old chess player around. And I can still beat most 11 year olds at chess, but anyone with actual chess skills kicks my ass.

you call that a poll?? where is the joke option?

To the backgammon players:

Does anyone actually use a doubling cube? I personally fail to see the point.

To the backgammon players:

Does anyone actually use a doubling cube? I personally fail to see the point.
If you're in a tournament where each round is the best 2 out of 3, the doubling cube makes a lot of sense. Or if you're playing for money.

If you're in a tournament where each round is the best 2 out of 3, the doubling cube makes a lot of sense.


But I should think that the purpose of tournament play is to find the most skilled player. The doubling cube allows a player to take greater advantage of favorable luck. Thus, we have biased the results in favor of finding the player who was throwing the better dice, but not necessary who can move the checkers in the most intelligent fashion.


Or if you're playing for money.


I've tried to read books on playing backgammon for money, but they always try to reduce the game to only considering the odds of the throw of the dice; the focus on strategic checkerplay gets lost somewhere. This is what gamblers do after all. The extent of the "skill" involved is minimizing loses while waiting for that one lucky shot. Besides that, risking money over a game has always struck me as rather foolish.

I'm far from the greatest chess player but I remember this one guy talking all kinds of trash about how good he was at chess, this and that.......Then he wanted to play against me so I agreed.......I ended up putting him in checkmate by the use of a pawn. It was awesome. I think he learned his lesson about running his mouth...I still think it's pretty funny.

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Now I'm okay at chess but I will definately admit I prefer not using a timer or bell thingy......That is definately my weakness, It's like my brain scrambles. Even in school during those pop math quizzes.......Man did I hate those....I just suck under timing......

I love backgammon.....I think I'm a pretty vicious backgammon player. I attack....It's cool :D

I would have to go with Chess. I even spent I nice amount of money on a neat chess set. I'm not a bad player but I can't stand using the none standard boards. The ones which don't use the conventional peices, I just lose trake of whats what. With A conventional one its easy to see at a glance what you have where.

Pff. That rule is part of checkers, and part of the strategy.

Checkers is fun, Chess is engaging.

Its hardly strategic, it just limits the possible moves the player can make. Instead of letting the players use their head and decide what move to make they are stuck in a deterministic pattern of decimating each others' pieces for mutual disadvantage.

But I should think that the purpose of tournament play is to find the most skilled player. The doubling cube allows a player to take greater advantage of favorable luck. Thus, we have biased the results in favor of finding the player who was throwing the better dice, but not necessary who can move the checkers in the most intelligent fashion.

I've tried to read books on playing backgammon for money, but they always try to reduce the game to only considering the odds of the throw of the dice; the focus on strategic checkerplay gets lost somewhere. This is what gamblers do after all. The extent of the "skill" involved is minimizing loses while waiting for that one lucky shot. Besides that, risking money over a game has always struck me as rather foolish.
Backgammon's more a game of skill than a game of chance. Especially in a timed game. My wife plays in online tournaments, and in those timed games she routinely wins because the other guy runs out of time. Her style isn't designed to win so much as to frustrate her opponent and make him play in a way he wasn't expecting.

Chess is by far one of the best games ever devised by mankind, and is an excellent way to learn tactical thinking.

Checkers is for the French. :p

I like Chess, never learned how to play it though. Does anyone know how I can get started in learning how to play Chess?

Chess is, IMO, a lot better than draughts. Never learned Backgammon.

I’m quite partial to a game of Go, though I couldn’t say I’m any good.

I like Chess, never learned how to play it though. Does anyone know how I can get started in learning how to play Chess?
Like most good games, sit down with someone and play it. The basic rules are simple enough to pick up in your first sitting. Once you've got the basic mechanics, you'll see for yourself how deep a game it can be. There's a multitude of books, and I'm sure sites on the net, that'll tell you the more fine-detailed strategies, manoeuvres, etc. Get to know the game before you get bogged down with 'expert' thinking.

Chessbots might also be a good place to pick up the game if you're Billy-no-mates, or if none of your friends will sit down long enough. However I've found a lot of the Chessbots are either ridiculously hard or far too easy to play against.

Checkers.
Man, that game is INTENSE!
I feel like I'm doing tae-bo when I'm playing that thing.
:eek:

Chess - and I get really competitive when I play it. I think that stems from me learning it at the age of 5 by playing my brother, who I want to beat at anything, then continuing to play competitively until the age of about 13. When I started playing again at uni it was for the chess club in a league - so again it was competitive.

I do enjoy it. When you've lined up an attack for a half dozen moves ahead and then it falls into place, the sense of satisfaction is so good.

Teehee! (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Three_dimensional_chess)

chess! I'm currently preparing myself for my first tournament next week ;)

Backgammon, I like the way that you have to use your skill to not only deal with the opponents skill but also the spanner that the roll of the dice so frequently throws into your best laid plans. Also using the doubling cube makes for a more exciting game as you have rate your own judgement on the how well the game is going to go and how the other player perceives it. Also quite like Bridge as well.

Chess. Mainly because there's so many variations. Ballistic chess, suprise chess, diagonal chess, double chess...

Spastic chess is meant to be furiously awesome. It's just like regular chess but you don't have to take turns.

I like chess, though I'm not very good at it.

Chess is by far one of the best games ever devised by mankind, and is an excellent way to learn tactical thinking.

Checkers is for the French. :p


Ahhah and what makes you think we invented it? It is soooo obviousey Martian, it aint even funny!:p

Spastic chess is meant to be furiously awesome. It's just like regular chess but you don't have to take turns.

That just sounds like you'd end up knocking all the pieces over.

I prefer chess. Draughts (Checkers) bores me.

That just sounds like you'd end up knocking all the pieces over.

I prefer chess. Draughts (Checkers) bores me.

Well you're not allowed move the same pieve twice in a row.

Oh, and apparently it's better known as kung fu chess.

That just sounds like you'd end up knocking all the pieces over.

I prefer chess. Draughts (Checkers) bores me.
That's the best way to end a game of chess - sit there thinking for 5 minutes, lift your hand as if to move a piece, then sweep your arm across the board.

That's the best way to end a game of chess - sit there thinking for 5 minutes, lift your hand as if to move a piece, then sweep your arm across the board.

And a few times you have to pick up a piece, move it, then move it back without letting go.

chess! I'm currently preparing myself for my first tournament next week ;)

Chess tournaments are fun. I started late and I've never been good enough to win anything other than a gold medal (highest of the medals, but still below the trophies. At least that's the way they did it at the tournament I went to. Everyone was guaranteed at least a medal.) However, my brother won $35 at a chess tournament once.

Which do you prefer to play, Chess or Checkers?

My favorite is definately Chess. I feel Chess is better excercize for the brain compared to checkers. Checkers can be fun but I feel that Chess can be more challenging (pending the opponent, that is).

What are your thoughts?

(Poll coming Soon to a Forum near You) :p

Of the two, I'll take chess. However, Go/Weiqi/Igo/Paduk is far, far superior, being a purer, very simple, and superbly elegant game that is able to produce a truely horrendous amount of complexity. The usual comparisson between go and chess is that chess is a single battle, while go is the whole war.


(It's noteworthy that the best chess software can beat grandmasters, but the best go software can be beaten by a mid-range amateur.)

Of the two, I'll take chess. However, Go/Weiqi/Igo/Paduk is far, far superior, being a purer, very simple, and superbly elegant game that is able to produce a truely horrendous amount of complexity. The usual comparisson between go and chess is that chess is a single battle, while go is the whole war.


(It's noteworthy that the best chess software can beat grandmasters, but the best go software can be beaten by a mid-range amateur.)

I'll second this. I loved chess and actually got fairly good at it to the point where I only knew one person who could occasionally challenge me. Then I played Igo against a kid who'd been playing for about 2 years and had my arse handed to me. It's so much more complex and you need to have so many threads running through your head at the same time it's mindboggleing.

Chess!

I'll second this. I loved chess and actually got fairly good at it to the point where I only knew one person who could occasionally challenge me. Then I played Igo against a kid who'd been playing for about 2 years and had my arse handed to me. It's so much more complex and you need to have so many threads running through your head at the same time it's mindboggleing.

I had a similar epiphany in college. I played at a local chess club in high school. (not the HS club). Then in college, I met some guys who were putting together a Go club, with the sponsorship of the cultural affairs office at the japanese consulate in Houston (a multiple master of several Japanese arts - kendo, aikido, tea, flower arranging, etc., as well as a seriouisly high ranked amateur go player). :eek:

I had a similar epiphany in college. I played at a local chess club in high school. (not the HS club). Then in college, I met some guys who were putting together a Go club, with the sponsorship of the cultural affairs office at the japanese consulate in Houston (a multiple master of several Japanese arts - kendo, aikido, tea, flower arranging, etc., as well as a seriouisly high ranked amateur go player). :eek:

It's surprising isn't it? You start off thinking 'this should be easy, no different movements to worry about, it's just some discs and a board' and then about 10 minutes later you're sat trying to work out what the hell just hit you.

I've been playing for a couple of years now and I'm still not that good at it.

It's surprising isn't it? You start off thinking 'this should be easy, no different movements to worry about, it's just some discs and a board' and then about 10 minutes later you're sat trying to work out what the hell just hit you.

I've been playing for a couple of years now and I'm still not that good at it.

This Go stuff sounds terrifying. I must unleash the google upon it and learn more.

This Go stuff sounds terrifying. I must unleash the google upon it and learn more.

Wiki has a good article on it.

Chess But i prefer chinese chess better, games are equally challenge but with more room and more tatics, for example there is a piece in Chinese chess that can only eat when it jumps over another piece

Chess by a fricking mile.

And who the hell voted for checkers? I want names...

Chess Definately!

http://usera.imagecave.com/Kormanthor/kingarthur_medievalicon700.jpg kingarthur_medievalicon700

http://usera.imagecave.com/Kormanthor/star_trek_3d_chess_set_with_rules_140.jpg star_trek_3d_chess_set_with_rules


http://www.chessgames.com/

It's surprising isn't it? You start off thinking 'this should be easy, no different movements to worry about, it's just some discs and a board' and then about 10 minutes later you're sat trying to work out what the hell just hit you.

Indeed. I played weekly at a regular club here in Osaka. There were three teachers who earned the titles in my mind the nice guy, the bastard, and the evil bastard. :)

I've been playing for a couple of years now and I'm still not that good at it.

Going on 17 years here, and I won't say I'm any good.

This Go stuff sounds terrifying. I must unleash the google upon it and learn more.

Some cool features of go: there's a cool handicaping system - weaker players get a certain number of pre-specified advanced strong placements/moves relative to the difference in strengths of the players; and there's the "komi" point system designed to even out the "luck" advantage of playing first.

Here's the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)
And probably the most well known online tutorial: http://playgo.to/interactive/


Chess But i prefer chinese chess better, games are equally challenge but with more room and more tatics, for example there is a piece in Chinese chess that can only eat when it jumps over another piece

Xiangqi.

Shogi, the Japanese chess variant, has some cool features too, like various odd pieces (the lance, that can only move forwards, for example), the "drop" (captured pieces "turn traitor", and can be used by the capturing player), and a nice handicaping system.

Well you're not allowed move the same pieve twice in a row.
That's an important rule. I've never played the game, and I'd already figured out how to exploit consecutive moves to make rooks insanely powerful.