Chess…and Philosophers

Mikie January 26, 2023 at 04:57 5350 views 68 comments
Unpopular opinion: I think anyone who considers themselves a philosopher should know how to play chess, and should play well.

That said— I challenge anyone here to a game.

Comments (68)

180 Proof January 26, 2023 at 07:29 #775925
So do you think either of the AlphaZero or Stockfish programs might become "the next Aristotle"? :smirk:
Mikie January 26, 2023 at 12:47 #775992
Reply to 180 Proof

Nope. Only works in one direction.
praxis January 26, 2023 at 19:49 #776143
Quoting Mikie
I think anyone who considers themselves a philosopher should know how to play chess, and should play well.


True in my case. I don't consider myself a philosopher and don't play chess very well.
180 Proof January 26, 2023 at 22:05 #776212
Reply to Mikie Can you name a philosopher who was an avid chess player or who recommended chess as prerequisite to doing philosophy?
Agent Smith January 28, 2023 at 05:28 #776586
Reply to 180 Proof I suspect the OP is trying to correlate the (possibly imaginary) high IQ of chess players (amateurs and pros) with the superior (post-training) analytic skills of philosophers (neophytes & veterans).


Hanover January 28, 2023 at 22:31 #776766
Reply to Mikie I'll play you. PM me however you want to set it up.
Mikie January 28, 2023 at 22:39 #776769
Quoting 180 Proof
Can you name a philosopher who was an avid chess player or who recommended chess as prerequisite to doing philosophy?


I cannot.

Reply to Agent Smith

Nah— just having fun.

Reply to Hanover

Let’s do it. Chess.com is my preferred venue. I’ll set it up and get back to you…create a screen name on there in the meantime.
praxis January 29, 2023 at 00:19 #776782
Reply to Mikie

Post the link, if you please. I’d like to watch, or review if it’s a fast one.
Agent Smith January 29, 2023 at 05:19 #776814
Quoting Mikie
Nah— just having fun.


:smile:
Mikie January 29, 2023 at 05:20 #776815
Reply to praxis

Should be a slow one. @Hanover has yet to accept my challenge. :brow:
praxis January 29, 2023 at 15:29 #776910
Mikie January 29, 2023 at 16:23 #776928
Reply to praxis

https://www.chess.com/game/daily/472053209
praxis January 29, 2023 at 16:45 #776943
Reply to Mikie

Thanks. Which is which of you?
Mikie January 29, 2023 at 16:51 #776946
Reply to praxis

I’m Seinsfrage.
praxis January 29, 2023 at 17:16 #776958
Reply to Mikie

Sicilian defense, promising to be an exciting game.
praxis January 29, 2023 at 19:49 #776984
Accelerated dragon variation.

User image
Mikie January 30, 2023 at 21:17 #777306
Mikie January 31, 2023 at 04:55 #777455
This Ne5 move I’m not entirely sure about, but I’m going with my instincts
praxis January 31, 2023 at 20:45 #777730
Oho, Hanover blocks the castle.
Mikie February 02, 2023 at 18:12 #778205
@Hanover has dropped off the face of the earth. No move for over a day.

I’ll assume concession. :wink: :chin:
Hanover February 02, 2023 at 18:48 #778209
Reply to Mikie Sorry about that. I moved.

I like the kibitizing. Maybe it'll change the course of the game.
Hanover February 02, 2023 at 18:56 #778213
On chess.com, is there a way to go into analysis mode where I can move the pieces around?
javi2541997 February 02, 2023 at 19:22 #778215
Hanover February 02, 2023 at 19:28 #778217
Quoting javi2541997
Do you mean this?: Chess Analysis Board


And so how do I get that in the current set up of my board without manually moving the pieces into place? I was wondering if there were an option I could just choose that would put the current position into the analysis board.
javi2541997 February 02, 2023 at 19:53 #778221
Quoting Hanover
I was wondering if there were an option I could just choose that would put the current position into the analysis board.


You can use the tool "Set up position" (copy and paste your position) or save the game in your library and use the tool "Load from Library"
javi2541997 February 02, 2023 at 20:04 #778225
Mikie February 02, 2023 at 20:51 #778228
Reply to Hanover

:up:

Reply to Hanover

There's no easy way that I see to do so.
Mikie February 02, 2023 at 20:56 #778229
Pawn to g4.

My best move yet.
praxis February 03, 2023 at 18:42 #778427
The perfect countermove is for Hanover to kingside castle. Do it! :point:
Mikie February 03, 2023 at 21:51 #778453
praxis February 05, 2023 at 22:44 #778948
Hanover February 06, 2023 at 01:44 #778979
I moved and am awaiting my opponent.

I just wanted to be able to say that one time.
Mikie February 06, 2023 at 17:15 #779074
Reply to Hanover

We’ll all be DEAD before we finish this game…
praxis February 07, 2023 at 03:44 #779179
Nah, at this pace it'll be just a few short years.
Mikie February 07, 2023 at 13:34 #779243
:yawn:
Mikie February 09, 2023 at 04:07 #779607
Reply to Hanover

Your move buddy…
praxis February 12, 2023 at 00:35 #780201
Quoting Mikie
We’ll all be DEAD before we finish this game…


I’m beginning to think that that’s his basic can’t lose strategy.
Mikie February 12, 2023 at 00:56 #780206
Reply to Hanover

Your move buddy…

:yawn:
Mikie February 12, 2023 at 00:57 #780207
Reply to praxis

Yes…bore the opponent to insanity.
Hanover February 12, 2023 at 01:27 #780214
3 day time control isn't really all that long.
Mikie February 12, 2023 at 05:00 #780250
Reply to Hanover

It’s taken me no more than 2 or 3 minutes to move so far. I guess some people need a lot longer…

:cool:
praxis February 15, 2023 at 00:11 #781099
Hmm, no brilliant moves yet. Let's see some brilliant moves, guys.

User image

I know, what you need is the perfect cheer.

User image
Mikie February 15, 2023 at 01:14 #781109
Reply to praxis

Yeah but the game reviews are mostly bullshit.

Pawn to g4 wasn’t brilliant but it was definitely excellent, and exactly the kind of move the computer won’t understand.
praxis February 15, 2023 at 02:07 #781127
Reply to Mikie

Indeed, no machine mind could predict the best move against a mind like Hanover mind.
Hanover February 15, 2023 at 15:26 #781250
The analysis I think conclusively proves that neither of us are cheating.

One thing I don't like is the inablity to analyze the position by moving the pieces around within the program. I've had to download the position in FEN format and then find a program that would accept that, and I had to find one that wouldn't then start trying to computer analyze it.

It would seem the feature I'm looking for would be standard. If I lose, it will be because of the frustration caused by this cumbersome process.

I also think we should set up a live tournament with whoever wants to join in. I'm not sure how complicated that would be on Chess.com. I remember years ago I joined it and they were still using these dot commands where you had to put a period before a command and then it would do whatever, and you had to learn the lingo. All losses during that time period were also caused by frustration.
Mikie February 15, 2023 at 17:36 #781272
Quoting Hanover
If I lose, it will be because of the frustration caused by this cumbersome process.


Got it. :up:

If I lose it’ll be because of I’ve died of old age.

Quoting Hanover
I also think we should set up a live tournament with whoever wants to join in. I'm not sure how complicated that would be on Chess.com .


Not sure we’d have enough people, but it’d be fun if we did. We could simply set up brackets ourselves if chess.com is too cumbersome.


praxis February 15, 2023 at 20:30 #781304
Quoting Mikie
If I lose it’ll be because of I’ve died of old age.


:lol:
Hanover February 15, 2023 at 21:23 #781317
Quoting Mikie
If I lose it’ll be because of I’ve died of old age.


We've been playing for 17 days and we're on move 26, which is over 1 move per day, with a time control of 3 days per person per move, which translates into up to 6 days per move, so we're actually moving fairly fast with this time control.

You guys probably never played real postal chess (snail mail), where you'd have 5 days to make each move in addition to mailing times.

I consider this to be lightening chess.
praxis February 15, 2023 at 21:32 #781327
Getting more suspenseful now.

User image
Mikie February 16, 2023 at 00:39 #781378
Quoting Hanover
we're actually moving fairly fast with this time control.


I meant to pick 3 hours…
Mikie February 16, 2023 at 00:40 #781379
Reply to praxis

I like my position more than his right now…

I think the Vegas odds are on my side.
praxis February 16, 2023 at 01:22 #781388
Reply to Mikie

My money is on black at this point.
praxis February 16, 2023 at 19:25 #781598
Rooks would fit nicely into those open D & G columns.
praxis February 18, 2023 at 02:16 #781959
Hanover avoids the fork, threatens with a pawn on h5.

You know things are not going well when a pawn takes the lead. But perhaps it’s merely a diversion from a deeper sinister plan.
Mikie February 18, 2023 at 02:55 #781966
praxis February 21, 2023 at 23:44 #783109
Still no brilliant moves, guys. Let's see some magic!

User image
praxis February 22, 2023 at 04:34 #783167
Mikie baits the trap with c4. :gasp:
praxis February 22, 2023 at 18:54 #783261
Haha! Hanover takes the bait.

User image
Mikie February 25, 2023 at 14:13 #784036
Reply to praxis

No trap, just a mindless move. C4 was a blunder and most likely cost me the game. This is what happens when you spend less than a minute on a move. :roll: Credit to Hanover for not overthinking that one.
praxis February 25, 2023 at 21:37 #784103
Reply to Mikie

It seems that Hanover's strategy of boring you into complacency may ultimately prove successful. :broken: :lol:
Hanover February 26, 2023 at 01:21 #784149
Quoting praxis
seems that Hanover's strategy of boring you into complacency may ultimately prove successful.


I play a lot of online chess, and this game is being played relatively fast.
Mikie February 26, 2023 at 04:56 #784176
Reply to Hanover

That’s not the reason I blundered. You’ve played a very good game and deserve the win. I was just giving you shit because I’m used to playing 3-10 minute games. For the record.
Hanover February 26, 2023 at 12:05 #784237
Quoting Mikie
That’s not the reason I blundered. You’ve played a very good game and deserve the win. I was just giving you shit because I’m used to playing 3-10 minute games. For the record.


It's been a interesting game. C4 was obviously a blunder, which sucks. I hate slow games where I blinder and then watch the other guy grind out the advantage over the next month with defensive conservative play.

I think you really had me at one point, but it's not over yet, so I'll leave the analysis until then.

Mikie February 26, 2023 at 16:00 #784265
Reply to Hanover

I resign. I should have done so a while ago probably.

To add insult to injury, I get the comment from the computer basically saying that I blew it:

User image

Thanks, computer bot guy. :roll:

Good game.
Hanover February 26, 2023 at 16:16 #784270
Computer guy said mine was a good comeback win.

Good game!
Hanover February 26, 2023 at 16:30 #784273
Reply to Mikie Where I thought I lost was on move 27. You played Nf3 instead of Qf3 threatening mate and my rook on h1. Had I done a ridiculous looking castle, you could have checked with the knight and forked the other rook. If have lost the exchange no matter what it looked like.

praxis February 26, 2023 at 16:52 #784276
Interesting game. Congrats @Hanover :party:
Mikie February 26, 2023 at 22:51 #784414
Reply to Hanover

Yeah I just completely missed that one. Too focused on preventing castling, and moving too quickly. Even Rd8 would have been better now that I look at it.