Lightning and Blitz Time Controls

  

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Robert Mueller    (2007-06-18)
Lightning and Blitz Time Controls

Question: Let's say I subscribe to a lightning or blitz time control (30 min or 2 hours) match and I am the first one, when does the game start? As soon as another player signs up? That could be hours or days later. I could be asleep and lose on time. Or am I missing something here?


Thibault de Vassal    (2007-06-18 21:48:26)
Lightning and Blitz Time Controls

Well, as these tournaments are not popular yet, you'll have to wait for an opponent, but you may use the chat bar to announce you entered the waiting list or to find an opponent before to enter it. The game starts as soon as another player signs up.

The point is you can retire from the waiting list when you want, just by clicking on the arrow next to your name in the waiting list (you can try it by entering a Lightning bronze game).

It will take time but it will work :)


Also I'm to organize some "freestyle" advanced chess tournaments at lightning time controls, that should happen from time to time on saturday & sunday.


Thibault de Vassal    (2007-06-19 04:53:47)
Chatter robot

Well, you just gave me an idea : A robot will announce any entry (name + rating) for a blitz or lightning game in the chat bar. I hope it will help... :)


Thibault de Vassal    (2007-06-19 07:29:28)
Chatter robot

The robot works... You may try it by entering a CHESS LIGHTNING BRONZE tournament (1 game match). It should be a bit easier to find an opponent now...


Dan Rotaru    (2007-06-22 00:41:00)
Lightning and Blitz Time Controls

I am proposing the following idea to solve the problem of Lightning and Blitz Time Controls: the first person who signs up should be able to choose a date and time when the game should start (use server time to avoid confusion). The player who accepts the challenge should accept that he has to logon and play the game at the established date and time. Of course any of them can cancel the game or ask for a new date and time if for any reason they cannot play.


Thibault de Vassal    (2007-06-22 01:51:23)
Lightning and Blitz Time Controls

That's an idea, but I'm making some changes to help to find opponents more easily. I hope it will help...

First, experience shows that rating rules are still too hard IMO : A player winning or drawing against another one rated 350 points more most often means the lower rated player should be rated higher, not the contrary... A few games only are concerned, but with provisional ratings such results are still not fair, and many players rated 2100 to 2300 fear to lose points in the chess WCH, even if they win their groups. This rule should allow strong players not to fear (too much :)) to play against anyone in rated tournaments without rating restrictions, like blitz & lightning ones.

Consequently, the rule "In case of a loss or draw against a player rated more than 350 points less, the opponent's rating considered in calculation is : Elo - 350" will be changed to "In case of a loss or draw against a player rated more than 200 points less, the opponent's rating considered in calculation is : Elo - 200" in a few hours.

The entry fees & prizes (E-Points) will change also, most important is to attract more players to start more advanced chess games.


Garvin Gray    (2007-07-02 18:12:51)
suggestion for send button


Not really a time control suggestion, but it seems to be the closest related thread.

When playing lightning and blitz games on here, it would be helpful if the send move button was located directly under the game board, instead of having to scroll down quite a bit to send a move.

Having to scroll down when in time trouble can cost a few precious seconds, which adds up to quite a bit when done over many moves.



Thibault de Vassal    (2007-07-04 11:21:08)
send button

Quite true... It's a long time I have to think about this problem.

I'll try another display in a while.