Do Humans Naturally Play Better OTB vs Online? • page 1/1 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

Hello All,

I've seen plenty of topics about the advantages/disadvantages of playing online vs OTB. But I'm specifically interested in opinions and data that supports whether or not humans inherently play better OTB simply because our vision and geometric awareness has been developed over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution living exclusively in a 3D world?

In other words, do we naturally play better OTB because it reflects the real world visually or is it a learned thing and depends solely on what you where exposed to the most or first?

Personally, I seem to grasp what going on better OTB.

Is there any data or evidence that suggests masters and amateurs alike, play better OTB?

And I'm talking mostly about slow/long games where random errors are less likely.

Thanks

Hello All, I've seen plenty of topics about the advantages/disadvantages of playing online vs OTB. But I'm specifically interested in opinions and data that supports whether or not humans inherently play better OTB simply because our vision and geometric awareness has been developed over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution living exclusively in a 3D world? In other words, do we naturally play better OTB because it reflects the real world visually or is it a learned thing and depends solely on what you where exposed to the most or first? Personally, I seem to grasp what going on better OTB. Is there any data or evidence that suggests masters and amateurs alike, play better OTB? And I'm talking mostly about slow/long games where random errors are less likely. Thanks

batilogski

in my case. i play better online. because im good at mouse as comapred with my hands. (speed factor)

CM Sarg0n

Normally people play longer periods otb which should result in higher quality.

Irishman964

@Sarg0n Precisely, my friend. You have identified the confounding variable.

LeoHoward1

When I play against my dad on a computer he slaughters me. But when I play against him OTB i beat him... Not sure how this works but... I play a lot better OTB.

LeoHoward1

OTB I play at like a 1500 rating level. on here like a 1200.

ZbrizkanTsar

edited

I'm among the minority (it seems) of people who play better online. I guess I find I can survey the position much quicker on a 2D plane, rather than in 3D. Besides being able to play faster online, I can also analyze a lot deeper, I'm not exactly sure why. So while my USCF rating is in the 1600s (and I'm probably ~mid-1700 strength on a good day), my online ratings are definitely quite a bit higher than that.

FreePawnHunter

if your background is in online play then your online play will be better, if your background is in OTB play then your OTB play will be better... board vision is a matter of experience which takes awhile to get accustomed to

FreePawnHunter

there are many players who are much better online then OTB and see tactics much quicker because they rarely play OTB. once you play many more games online then it will even out

tpr

I know some elder people who have a vision problem over the board: it is too far for their reading glasses and too close for their normal glasses. Some have a special pair of glasses for over the board play.

Vasily Ivantchuk is notorious for looking at the ceiling, not at the board while playing. In fact he plays like blindfold and this is said to stem from reading chess literature without a chess set on long train rides.

I know some elder people who have a vision problem over the board: it is too far for their reading glasses and too close for their normal glasses. Some have a special pair of glasses for over the board play. Vasily Ivantchuk is notorious for looking at the ceiling, not at the board while playing. In fact he plays like blindfold and this is said to stem from reading chess literature without a chess set on long train rides.