Choosing an Opponent

Gotcha.  Since I have reintroduced myself to chess via Chessmaster 10th edition I have learned a lot from the program. Enough at least to see what is meant by "throwing pawns." Granted there is still much to learn, but that program has helped me a lot. I thank my girlfriend for it as a gift last year.

Hmm. I don't recieve many challenges, and so far I have accepted those challenges which have come to me. I think I would be willing to play anyone who challenges me unless I already have a lot of games going at the time.

Sorry, obviously I should have clarified what throwing pawns meant, I mean random pawn moves with no point. I don't mean my son chucking pawns around the room at his ninja turtles

Hah! Turtle Power!

I use several critirias when shosing and opponent

1. 'he' needs to be rated no lower than 50 point beneath my rating

2. if 'he' does better than 80% chances are I will try to look for a different opponent

3. if his worse lost is a much more lower rated player than 'himself' chances are I won play him since it does not make much sense to me that he could have made it that high on 'his' own (...then again my worse lost is still rated way lower than myself, but I know I don't cheat)

4.if 'he' has lost only a quoter or less of the total games he has played chances are i won play him

5. if 'he' has played less than 30 games chances are I won play him

6. if 'his' rating has reached above 220 or so points higher than his current rating chances are i won play him (this maybe somebody who sometimes try to play on his own but not all the time)

7. if 'he' had beatten a player who I can evaluate as to being much better player than he is I will have to do some additional research before I decide to play him

8. if 'his' average opponent is lower than 1670 or so chances are I won play him

 I use some other additional criterias when trying to chose who I play against, but I think the list of critirias I gave will give you an idea

note: this process for me chosing opponents might seem complicated, but I have gotten so good at it than it takes me seconds to go through that drill before deciding on playing somebody

 note: some cheaters still get to me even though I manage to stop most of them from doing so, the problem is that once you make it to 1800 and are trying to play non cheater players rated not more than 50 points lower than your own rating the task gets a little tricky 

 note: there is lot's of good chess player rated above 1770 at chess.com who don't cheat, but you have to create a searching technique to make sure that those are the ones you end up playing against

note: I might be suffering a little from cheaterphobia/ paranoid desorder

Obviously, the ratings under discussion is the chess.com rating which for me is a consolation and additional motivation for us to play a little bit harder. Its importance in choosing opponent largely depends on your reasons why you play chess which could be:

1.To improve your game. Most likely you will select players with ratings higher than yours.

2. To teach and share. You would probably prefer the young players with lower ratings!

3. To enjoy and have fun. Players with rating same as yours would be more preferable.

But i always play for a win to maintain a decent rating so that i could have a wide  variety of players to play with. 

Hehe, why thank you, I should either be commended of told to get off the computer. I'm not sure which, but I will take the commendation. I will also let her know you said that. hehe

I agree. When I challenge someone, they are usually within a hundred or more points in relation to my own rating. Also I have not had to turn down a challenge from someone yet and I have accepted them without consideration. No screening process there. Also, I will play real life friends on this site regardless of their rating.

How does one cheat on this website? Do you mean lie about their rating in some way?

You do have quite the selection process there if I do say. Does hair color ever filter in? Just kidding obviously. 

Thanks for the contribution to the conversation.

Oh using a Chess engine? That's messed up. I always use the game analysis board featured in the game info, but to use a complete outside source like a chess engine? I won't comment further... many thoughts and words want to be shared though.