Post by petejwatts on Aug 20, 2009 5:10:22 GMT -5
not wanting to bore you,I'll keep this as brief as possible.
This is a followup to my 'absurdities' post, but I decided to post under this new title to make the most important point: if people would adopt the Fischer (or Bronstein) timing methods the number of disputes would dramatically be reduced.
If unfamiliar, under the Fischer system, every move you make you get a bonus or increment added to your clock. So if playing Fischer 20min +10 sec increment, every time you press your clock 10 seconds is added to it. If you play your move within 10s, your clock will go up, and if you play fast enough, your time never runs out. Under the bronstein system, then instead of an incremement, you get a little "free time" for each move. So with Bronstein 20 min, 10 sec free time, if you play your move within 10 sec, your clock stays the same - it never goes backward. Again, if you play fast enough each move, your clock never runs out. I dont see Bronstein played anymore, but for some reason my clock provides it but not Fischer, so I use it when I can persuade people to play it without whingeing all day about it.
The important point is that with either method, you always have a minimum period to make a move. 10 sec in these examples, but it can be anything. A typical blitz Fischer setting is 3 min + 2 sec increment. If you make up to 60 moves, typical max for a game, the game will last up to 5 minutes, like an ordinary game.
Here's the biggie: Since you always have a minimum time to make every move, and if you move fast enough your clock will never run out, the farcical scrambles of pieces flying everywhere and battered clocks for which blitz is notorious, and the disputes that inevitably result, need not occur.
I have little doubt many reading this will say "But that's half the fun!". Really? Funny how it stops being fun when you feell you're opponent hasn't been moving properly and you feel ripped off by his win on time (or whatever).
I once read a proposal by a top sportsman to reform the handicapping rules for his sport that would assist weaker players and improve the quality of their games. Unsuccesful, he observed that his idea was "decried most by those who would most benefit from it". A world champion, he himself would be unaffected by it - he proposed it entirely to help weaker players improve their game. Fischer himself didnt used to get into time trouble, I expect Bronstein didnt eiither - their timing methods assist others, especially those much weaker than them, improve the game, and are also imo decried most by those who would most benefit from it.
The dilemma for me is whether I insist Bronstein is played on my board. It doesnt matter most of the time as I'm usually playing on someone else's, but if we are using mine and I do then the moaning starts. After all if I go to the trouble to bring a set and board I dont see why I cant say what system gets used. I never try to persuade anyone else to change what's on theirs. No-one has to play on mine if they dont want to and also, occasionally someone cheerfully gets their own clock out to use on my board, which I've made no complaint about - I've even gone along with it and played using their clock on my board myself - at least it's not my clock that's getting banged. If I solemnly promise to try to go along gracefully with whatever rules anyone else wants about anything else, I dont see why I cant ask to be humored regarding my one particular fetish.
I realize this has probably fallen on blind eyes, but if you agree then if you see me at Holland Park, let's play some chess worthy of the mighty Bronstein.
This is a followup to my 'absurdities' post, but I decided to post under this new title to make the most important point: if people would adopt the Fischer (or Bronstein) timing methods the number of disputes would dramatically be reduced.
If unfamiliar, under the Fischer system, every move you make you get a bonus or increment added to your clock. So if playing Fischer 20min +10 sec increment, every time you press your clock 10 seconds is added to it. If you play your move within 10s, your clock will go up, and if you play fast enough, your time never runs out. Under the bronstein system, then instead of an incremement, you get a little "free time" for each move. So with Bronstein 20 min, 10 sec free time, if you play your move within 10 sec, your clock stays the same - it never goes backward. Again, if you play fast enough each move, your clock never runs out. I dont see Bronstein played anymore, but for some reason my clock provides it but not Fischer, so I use it when I can persuade people to play it without whingeing all day about it.
The important point is that with either method, you always have a minimum period to make a move. 10 sec in these examples, but it can be anything. A typical blitz Fischer setting is 3 min + 2 sec increment. If you make up to 60 moves, typical max for a game, the game will last up to 5 minutes, like an ordinary game.
Here's the biggie: Since you always have a minimum time to make every move, and if you move fast enough your clock will never run out, the farcical scrambles of pieces flying everywhere and battered clocks for which blitz is notorious, and the disputes that inevitably result, need not occur.
I have little doubt many reading this will say "But that's half the fun!". Really? Funny how it stops being fun when you feell you're opponent hasn't been moving properly and you feel ripped off by his win on time (or whatever).
I once read a proposal by a top sportsman to reform the handicapping rules for his sport that would assist weaker players and improve the quality of their games. Unsuccesful, he observed that his idea was "decried most by those who would most benefit from it". A world champion, he himself would be unaffected by it - he proposed it entirely to help weaker players improve their game. Fischer himself didnt used to get into time trouble, I expect Bronstein didnt eiither - their timing methods assist others, especially those much weaker than them, improve the game, and are also imo decried most by those who would most benefit from it.
The dilemma for me is whether I insist Bronstein is played on my board. It doesnt matter most of the time as I'm usually playing on someone else's, but if we are using mine and I do then the moaning starts. After all if I go to the trouble to bring a set and board I dont see why I cant say what system gets used. I never try to persuade anyone else to change what's on theirs. No-one has to play on mine if they dont want to and also, occasionally someone cheerfully gets their own clock out to use on my board, which I've made no complaint about - I've even gone along with it and played using their clock on my board myself - at least it's not my clock that's getting banged. If I solemnly promise to try to go along gracefully with whatever rules anyone else wants about anything else, I dont see why I cant ask to be humored regarding my one particular fetish.
I realize this has probably fallen on blind eyes, but if you agree then if you see me at Holland Park, let's play some chess worthy of the mighty Bronstein.
