Hows everybody going?

Well, I have a little chess board at home, and I was wondering if it is healthy for your chess game to play against your self? As in, you are white and black, and you take turns playing for both sides.

I ask this because I play a lot of chess against different computer personalities (Chessmaster 10th edition), and when I get the chance, I do play against real players, but at the moment with my busy life style, I can't find the time to go out and join chess clubs around my area. I know I will very soon, but for the moment, I just wanted to get more experience playing in real life!

I am currently doing the 'Academy' section of Chessmaster, and oh boy, I am learning a lot! It showed me a whole new big chunk of what chess is really about!

So is it OK to play your self in chess? Does anybody here do it? What are the strengths and weaknesses of playing your self?

Just like a few comments.

Thanks!

Actually i have tried playing a couple games of chess by myself and have only gotten through one full game. It is just kind of frustrating because you say that you have a plan going on one side then you turn the board around and mess up the plan and so on and so forth.

plus you always lose

When I first started to learn how to play, a more experience player told me to play some games against myself. I think it was good advice!

Copilot,

You've got to assume that they person you are going against has a say in the game too. As you play better competition you are going to have to change your plans.

I think this is one of the best things that you can do by playing against yourself. You find ways to counter what you know you are trying to do, then you think of ways to counter the counters. That's the nature of the game. Against good competition that's exactly what you are going to have to do.

I agree, the one major drawback is that I can't enjoy my victory because I've just lost!

I've done it a lot, but I often think "I want white to win" or "I want black to win" and end up playing one side differently. Though playing yourself is helpful when you are trying to figure out how to refute something. For example, if an opponent you play a lot always plays a specific line of an opening, you can sit down and find some way to refute it.

When I play myself, I don't switch sides every half-move, but sit on the one side the entire game.

Thats exactly what I do (if you mean that you turn the board sideways, and play from the side, instead of playing from either white or black side). Well, the responses have been very informative. I just wanted to know if it is OK to play your self, to know that it is not 'unhealthy' for your game. And I got a lot more than that! Thank you so much!

It's true that you learn to come up with plans that can't be easily ruined even if your opponent sees them. But on the other hand, you never have to deal with moves that you didn't see coming from your opponent. I'd rather play against a computer program or internet games against real people any day.

--Fromper

Sometimes when you play both sides of the board you just might discover a new line.
In a Chess Review in the late 50's or early 60's, a game was printed on the first inside page. The game was by David Bronstein, using your language playing against himself.
As far as I know everyone does it. So what is the big deal?

I think it's a good exercise, because you learn to think from both sides, as though you have an opponent who can read your mind, which is exactly the case.

Obviously the worst part of chess is losing..and I can't stand that, so I don't do that anymore.

Though to play chess against myself, I would instead, go get a GM game, get into a few moves, then start covering the moves and guessing their moves, then correcting it and justifying my moves, and their moves.

i sometimes play myself, iv gotten through games, thing is i usely want one side to win.

I think it's a great idea ...

But the thing you have to do is really be honest. The point is to learn how to play aggressively but not relying on your opponent missing something.

At a certain level, chess becomes a battle of ideas - is my attack more valuable than your extra pawn? I say yes. You say no. We find out by playing. It's not about me hoping for a "mistake" from you, for you to miss something. We're trying to determine the truth of the position.

You will learn a lot if you can play yourself honestly. I wouldn't do it exclusively - do the playing-over-a-gm-game, guessing-the-moves thing, too.

But it's a good exercise.