(20/06/2010 08:48 PM)Assassinator Wrote:  First 8 moves is just opening theory.  Can't really tell if someone is lets say a 1000 rated player or a 2000 rated player because they're both probably just going to follow the book.  (Unless you play some very uncommon opening).

Unless you mean really bad players who just play random moves, then yeah.

Yes, that was what I meant, basically. The first 8 moves or so will likely dictate the entire game, and if he doesn't know proper opening theory, he can get into quite a bit of trouble, such as against the Trompowsky, or against a solid Sicilian Dragon player. That is just the first part of sizing him up. Obviously it is once you've left book that a player's unique style starts to shine forth. I have met plenty who, once you leave book, they fall apart because they only memorized beginning moves, but not the theory behind each move, or have not given thought to the purpose of the opening as a whole.  

On the other hand, sometimes a decent player will do something extremely corny to size me up, like attempt a Scholar's Mate, along with the eventual g4 push to dislodge my knight from f6. I can see it working just enough times that he thinks it is a safe all-in move, but because he weakened his kingside with that g4 push, and has lost a tempo with an extra queen move, he usually falls behind mid-game, and eventually loses due to an inferior pawn structure endgame.

Of course, there are lost of little traps in the opening, but that doesn't necessarily define a good player. Of the random people I play on this app, I normally respond with sound play, occasionally playing something controversial, such as King's Gambit as white, or the Levenfish Attack against a Sicilian Dragon.  It all depends on how I feel they understand the opening.

Later, once I've sized them up more, I play my more interesting openings according to their abilities.

(20/06/2010 08:48 PM)Assassinator Wrote:  Waste of time, unless you're playing against your friend and you want to brag about how you killed them with a pawn.  But in that case, I'll prefer doing something a bit more extravagant... Lets see, how does nothing but 6 knights sound?

I've done pretty much every unique finish I can think of. I've gotten 3 bishops and slowly pushed his king to one corner, or I have done 4 knights, or I'll sac all my pieces except 1 rook. Or I might put all my pieces in a corner, while my rook and king finish off his lone king. Or it depends on how creative I'm feeling. If they don't have the decency to resign in an obviously lost endgame, I might be feeling a bit creative. Always fun to finish someone off with a knight, pawn, and king vs king.