chess@home

In attempt to both help me stay focused and try to improve my “planning ahead” skills, I started playing chess again. I love the game and any victory against a strong opponent is extremely satisfying.

I recently discovered this site called chessathome.org. They have built an online chess game within the browser whereby you play against a purely javascript AI. The game is touted currently as “play against 33 computers”.

Well, I gave it a shot, playing as white. I miss the “take-back” button.

So in this game, it is blacks turn. See how many moves it takes white to be officially fucked. Currently, white is only mostly fucked.

The answer in my estimation: the game is a draw!!

For reasons beyond my control, the website chess@home froze up after I made my move. I sat there waiting for the 29 computers to do something really smart after I moved my queen to B3, but nothing happened. Maybe someone was working on the site? Maybe the javascript realized I am smarter? Maybe I am supposed to put another quarter in the slot after 57 moves??

Either way, it was an ugly game for me. The AI was superior. Look how he convinced me to allow TWO BLACK PAWNS so deep into enemy territory!! Perhaps I allowed it out of kindness? Well, there are too many unanswered questions. We may never know the truth.

I enjoyed the game, and it’s a neat idea. Not sure I will spend anymore time on the site until I know it can finish a game (this is a cheap shot). But props to the people building new stuff and paving the road.

See how quickly you can lose at chess against lots of computers: chessathome

Cheers,