Don't play computers if you want to improve.

I've seen some topics on this site this year asking for advice on how to improve your game when playing computers. My advice is to not bother with computers at all - play humans instead.

In my experience, computers are so annoying to play against. They can think way faster than a human can and make moves no human would even consider. One computer I played recently made completely random moves that make no sense whatsoever, even losing a piece for no reason. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, it started to play ridiculously well and beat me down a piece! So frustrating. Even when I do win (most of the time) I don't feel satisfaction, which I do feel for beating a good human opponent, especially over the board.

In 2016 I'm only going to utilize chess computers when I analyse my games.

i agree, you can work on tactical defense and some other aspects with them, but its weird to play someone where you know there is no chance of catching them in anything - it kind of changes the game and makes tactics, or the pursuit of tactics, not worth it - human games are more interesting for humans, in my opinion - but you can learn some stuff and drill certain things w computers

I almost never play computers.  I hate their relentlessness.  I like the fact that a human opponent may miss the best move just as I might (often will).  I'd much rather play a random human opponent.  No doubt on chess.com I've been playing a computer sometimes without knowing it against a supposed human player, but if I don't know then I don't care either!

Chess.com has computer players that we play against on the game search???

I didn't know. What is their nationality?  International?

I have seem some international players before and I was curious about that. 

While it's debatable whether playing computers will help you improve, playing against Computer1-EASY on chess.com is without a doubt a great way to win some trophies (a lot of them, actually)!

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/first-person-to-win-1000-games-against-comp1-easy-gets-1000-trophies

Actually funnily enough my chess improved loads after pretty much only playing against the Play Magnus app (age 11) for a while (was too busy with other stuff to play OTB). I think it forced me to play objectively good moves, as that's the only way you can hope to win. Also it was great tactics practice; you can't get away with missing a tactic as the computer won't miss it (as a human might).

Good endgame practice too, as it defends worse positions/endgames very resourcefully.

Once or twice, and a couple of draws as well. Lost countless (>150) times though!!

Often I play though I spend a lot of time on the game/each move, similar to a long time-control game; if I played at blitz speed I have no chance at all (which may be why I've lost so many games).

"You don't play against computers to become good"

My response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrM-XFPIEUk

I find playing the computer to be obnoxious in its programming.   Sure it's an algorithm,  but when it's in a position "it doesn't like" it will stamp back and forth like a child not getting its way forcing a draw / 3 fold repetition.  I'm not budging an inch either.  I will not foolishly sacrifice my piece or position to give into a computer program that acts like a child.

Most of lose games because we don't adequate protect our pieces rather than because of deep strategic issues and chess engines are fine for practicing not leaving pieces hanging, etc.

You can play chess engines that are dumbed-down to your level.  For example, the freeware (Windows) Lucas Chess lets you pick opponent chess engines, set their rating or make them play a little better, equal, or worse than you, and make them tend to be aggressive or defensive, and more

They still make stupid moves on occasion, but they're ok to practice making solid, threatening moves while protecting your pieces.

I play bots (sometimes) to get warmed up, or just to practice finding the best move. I still need to practice checking if my move will be a good one or just a Inaccuracy/mistake. Also thinking about the move to see if it do anything useful.  

Playing a strong engine is good to improve and to make you humble.

I myself think the computes are bad. These computers for some reason blunder their pieces, resulting in us getting the upper hand. Only the super higher level computers would sac a piece and then win the game out of nowhere. Bots like Wayne, Martin, Santiago… these computes don’t improve your play as they intentionally put themselves in a worse position. And this will make it harder for you to make your position better for yourself as you will be used to waiting for your opponent to blunder. And also, your opponent wouldn’t take his King out for a walk would we? 

They're good for beginners, because playing other beginners, you are playing people who don't know what they are doing. I play a CPU occasionally for this, and every time, I have a pretty novel game with them, and they do things, I or fellow noobs are too noob to understand. They show me more varied play than my opponents. Haha chess CPUs I imagine are very hard to program, no need to hate them

Also they make each CPU have their own strategies and tendencies, so when you play the same one over and over, you get to learn all the tactics in that CPU's arsenal, in a consolidated timeframe, where human opponent strategies are essentially random.  Me, a new player,, playing other new players, you see a lot of the same tactics OR just no tactics lol. I think clearly its better to play humans, if you had to choose one or the other, but a mix would be ideal I think, especially at lower ELOs since cpus show your more fundamentally sound play than noobs.

Before I got an account I played computers, my chess barely improved

(May also be bc I’m awful at chess imo)