Taking Notes

On this site, and most others, you have a place where you can record notes. I find this helpful.

Is it legal to take notes on a sheet of paper as a game goes in USCF play? I doubt it is, but I thought I'd ask.

No is not legal, the only thing you can write down is the move that you and your opponent have made.

I sometimes make line drawings of a knight urinating on my opponent.

That is a stupid rule. Oh well, there goes that thought.

Well, it's so you can't aid your analysis by writing it down, basically.

Well then it seems to me that playing online by using analysis boards and taking notes would not be good, as you can't do it in OTB play. Shouldn't you train under competition conditions?

that is up to you

 That depends. If your goal is to train for OTB tournaments, then you should probably do without notes (and play slow live chess?). If your goal is to win your online chess games, or improve your knowledge about certain openings, types of middlegames, endings -- in general play the very best you can, then you should use analysis boards and notes.

Online chess here is definitely very different from OTB chess. Here we can look up opening books, write notes, move pieces around on the analysis board, and use databases.

Really Online Chess here is more useful as a tool to improve your analysis, as you have the time to go deeply into positions.

If you want to have realistic conditions, Scarblac's suggestion of slow live chess games is the way to go.

If your primary goal in chess is to become a better otb player I would recommend you NOT use the analysis board feature here as its a "crutch" that will hurt your ability to analyse complex variations in your head without such aid, which is what you have to do OTB.  

Let's not forget that if you are playing "slow" games, it is worth it to write down your times.  It's amazing how often I find I make epic errors after spending too much time working out something that just simply isn't there.  Try it and see -- oh and i don't think there's anything against that in the rules...at least I've never been taken to task over it.

(And for writing analysis...that's a definite no-no, bad form, and as Reb pointed out a terrible crutch.  IMO, If you want to improve, write your thoughts about the game (lotsa details!) as soon after the game as is possible.)

Good luck!

ZV

Play the Correspondence and the Live Chess! The live Chess will keep you from depending on Time and the 'Crutchs' mentioned. The Correspondence Chess will enable you to do analysis and develop a deeper understanding of the Game, it is especially handy to develop a repertoire.

You are allowed to makes notes about the time, I believe. Which is the one exception to the general rule about no notes.

Well, that presumes everyone here is interested in tournament play. I'm not. I just like to play. We play at coffee shops and stuff. It's an excuse to go be social. Tournament play is a whole 'nother animal that frankly, I don't think is very fun.

No one talks, they all stress out, it's srs bsns, and they're a bunch of nerds (cope).

Not everyone here is trying to be the next Bobby Fischer. Some of us just think it's fun.

Also in turn-based I recommend thinking about your moves on a real 3-D board. If you use a 2-D board all the time I find it can be annoying switching to OTB conditions all of a sudden..

And this is obviously a forum for those who take it seriously.

I merely meant that if one intends to play in tournaments, one should not grow dependant on things one cannot use in the tournament hall. If you do not intend to play in tournaments, then obviously, do whatever you like.

you can also write down clock times on your OTB score sheet , next to yours and opponents moves - many GM's do this  e.g Kasparov.

Some of you really do talk rubbish on these forums!

Ever played on your name?

Gee, no. I never even thought of that. It's not like I intentionally chose this as my name on here or anything. I just randomly typed in letters until a word came out; kind of like a monkey during those tests for literacy.