storm_norm wrote:timed play encourages memorizing openings... gambits... endings, what have you.
the game then takes on a programmed feel.
so instead of chess being a game of skill on the board, it now has become a game of skill and time management. which for those who play chess online know all too well.
memorizing moves for a particular situation just so you can beat the clock??
does that make you a good chess player?
it does now.
Actually, I think that the worst problem with timed chess games is not the memorisation of openings etc, but that the result depends too heavily on that evil ticking thing. There has been many a time where an opponent of mine who should be in a resignable position plays for a win on time, and gets it. (Argh.) I have just lost 3 games all on time in the space of 30 hours. And one of these was losing on time by 30 seconds in a 30-minute-each match in which I was leading by two connected passed pawns when the annoying flag decided to fall victim to gravity on my side. I would therefore say that losing effectively won positions on time is the most annoying part of the evil nature of chess clocks.
Another concerning thing is that timed games are getting shorter and shorter these days. The original time control was 40 or 50 moves in 2 hours. I heard recently that 1-minute internet chess has just been invented, which is just testing the speed of your internet connection rather than your chess ability.
