Another place I will be playing is on the Free Internet Chess Server ( FICS ). They have been around since 1998. A spinoff from the Internet Chess Club ( ICC ). You can read the history HERE.

FICS: Free Internet Chess Server

Over time I'll publish some different ways to connect and play. You can play from their website or through a Graphical User Interface. Babaschess is one such GUI. You will find links to this and other GUI on the site. Look for me  user name rwmerrell.

ChessKnot One Place I Play

 

Play chess online

One place you can find me playing chess online...

Chessis Full Featured Analysis For Your Android Phone or MS Windows

 Chessis

Between rounds at a tournament, in the doctors office waiting room, at an airport. Analyze your games, play against the computer. This is one versatile chess program.

Here are some screen shots. Look at all the features this program has. It's free! ($9.99 Lifetime access to pro features. When I paid in the phone app it did not activate on the PC.). Chessis in the Playstore.

Chess Compass

 Chess Compass

A full set of analysis tools online. If you have a Chromebook or just like working online you should checkout Chess Compass.

It analyses using Stockfish NNUE. The interface is clean but has plenty of features and customization hidden in pop-up menus.

Zen mode hides all the distractions and just displays the board. Explode brings an explosion of arrows as it shows every legal move.

You can analyze, solve problems, study openings, and just play. Import pgn games, or bring them in from Lichess or Chess.com.

It's not free $1.66 a month after a 7 day free trial. Get two months free with a yearly subscription. I think it is well done and could be the online study tool you're looking for.

Please comment below. Let me know what you think of this post or my blog in general.
 

Comparing Analysis (Part3) Lichess

Comparing Analysis (Part3)

Most big websites have an analysis feature. Chess.com and Lichess are two of the most advanced. Here another game given to me on Chess.com. This one ends with an explosive tactical combination! Lichess running Stockfish NNUE analyzed the whole game in seconds and does a pretty great job of annotating it. Still you will learn more by annotating it yourself first. Then refer to the computer analysis and see what else was there that you missed. 

Important: Convert what you find into your own terms of understanding. You are much more likely to remember what you learn. Also review your losses as well as your wins.

Comparing Analysis (Part 2)

 Comparing Analysis (Part 2)

This was an exciting game between two strong players. Much stronger than I am. Still I did my best to analyze the game. Remember the point of these posts isn't that your analysis be perfect. It's a learning exercise. You have to understand in human terms what makes a move good or bad. You can use the computer to aid you in not missing something, but you can't mimic the computers play but it can help you understand in human terms. Please consider becoming a follower of this blog and leave a comment if you find it useful. Also look back through past post to see if something looks interesting there. 

Thank you.

Human Analysis

Computer Analysis by Fritz 19

Here is another game. Computer Analysis by Stockfish Lite on Chess.com. The annotation is very human like, but it still isn't like the players themselves doing it. Remember the most important lesson is in the part you miss in your analysis.

White's first real error is move 10. Ba3? when Nd2 would have brought the pressure on e4. 

Take a look at how sparce Stockfish comments on this game within SCID vs PC interface. This is still useful to spot errors in the game and what you might have missed in your own analysis.

Comparing Analysis (Part 1)

 Comparing Analysis (Part 1)

This is an amazing game sent to me on Chess.com. First I analyze as best I can. Then the powerful Stockfish analysis is presented here. What I want you to see is that while computers can tell you exactly where the game was won or lost, and give the exact correct moves. They may not lead to a good understanding of the position, and flow of the game. Analyze your games yourself with your best understanding of what is happening. Then use the computer in improve your understanding. That is much better than trying to memorize a great move from the computer that has no meaning to you. 

Human Analysis

Fritz 19 interface running Stockfish 16.