Answers.Body: <p>The different presentation (2d vs 3d) and the different mechanics (actually moving a piece and pressing the clock instead of clicking with the mouse and having the clock operated automatically) will definitely need some time to adjust and probably will affect your play.</p>
  <p>On the upside the effect will only be temporary as you will get used to playing OTB quite quickly and the effect will also be very small: bigger, maybe, if you play fast time controls like blitz (5+0, 3+2, 3+0, ...) because the handling of the clock takes a bit of time to get used to. Perhaps almost unnoticeably, though, if you play tournament time controls because the speed with which you operate the clock will make no real difference.</p>
  <p>One thing you should practice beforehand: OTB tournament play - at least with longer time controls - involves writing down your moves and you need to practice this a bit. Just play online a longer time control (30min and upwards) and practice writing down the moves.</p>
  <p>Notice that you need to <em>concurrently</em> write down the moves (you are not allowed to pause the writing for ten moves and then write them down at once) and that (see FIDE rules) you are not allowed to write your own move down before making it.</p>
  <p>My suggestion is you practice that online and then compare your notation with the computers. It is quite common that one makes a lot of errors first and only practice straightens them out.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-09-20T07:42:46.517Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2024-09-20T07:42:46.517Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: bakunin
Answers.Body: <p>Longterm it shouldn't have much impact - vast majority of players today play majority of their games online after all.</p>
  <p>In first few games/events you should expect to play a bit worse than you are used too though. You will need to get used to your opponent sitting in front of you, to handling the clock (lots of players beginning their otb chess focus on their clock too much - more than on the position in front of them!), to writing your moves by hand.</p>
  <p>Biggest hurdle will be getting used to longer time controls - most of online chess is very quick, while serious otb chess has way longer time controls. You will need to seriously adapt your time management.</p>
  <p>In short, some beginning difficulties are to be expected, but after you get few events under your belt you should have no issue playing otb just as well or better as online.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-09-20T07:41:03.870Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2024-09-20T07:41:03.870Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Matija Sirk
Body: <p>I mostly play online. I am rated 1300 chess.com rapid and since I only play online I’m very used to the 2d layout, the shape of the pieces, etc.</p>
  <p>Would this impact my playing strength OTB? Or is it not impacted?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-10-01T23:30:14.577Z
Comments.Text: It should not impact OTB games.
Comments.UserDisplayName: ChessRookie007
Tags: <online-chess><otb-chess>
Title: If I’m very used to online chess, am I a worse player OTB?
ThreadText: # If I’m very used to online chess, am I a worse player OTB?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-09-20)
  
  I mostly play online. I am rated 1300 chess.com rapid and since I only play online I’m very used to the 2d layout, the shape of the pieces, etc.
  
  Would this impact my playing strength OTB? Or is it not impacted?
  
  **Tags:** online-chess, otb-chess
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: It should not impact OTB games.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2024-09-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  The different presentation (2d vs 3d) and the different mechanics (actually moving a piece and pressing the clock instead of clicking with the mouse and having the clock operated automatically) will definitely need some time to adjust and probably will affect your play.
  
  On the upside the effect will only be temporary as you will get used to playing OTB quite quickly and the effect will also be very small: bigger, maybe, if you play fast time controls like blitz (5+0, 3+2, 3+0, ...) because the handling of the clock takes a bit of time to get used to. Perhaps almost unnoticeably, though, if you play tournament time controls because the speed with which you operate the clock will make no real difference.
  
  One thing you should practice beforehand: OTB tournament play - at least with longer time controls - involves writing down your moves and you need to practice this a bit. Just play online a longer time control (30min and upwards) and practice writing down the moves.
  
  Notice that you need to *concurrently* write down the moves (you are not allowed to pause the writing for ten moves and then write them down at once) and that (see FIDE rules) you are not allowed to write your own move down before making it.
  
  My suggestion is you practice that online and then compare your notation with the computers. It is quite common that one makes a lot of errors first and only practice straightens them out.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2024-09-20. Score: 1
  
  Longterm it shouldn't have much impact - vast majority of players today play majority of their games online after all.
  
  In first few games/events you should expect to play a bit worse than you are used too though. You will need to get used to your opponent sitting in front of you, to handling the clock (lots of players beginning their otb chess focus on their clock too much - more than on the position in front of them!), to writing your moves by hand.
  
  Biggest hurdle will be getting used to longer time controls - most of online chess is very quick, while serious otb chess has way longer time controls. You will need to seriously adapt your time management.
  
  In short, some beginning difficulties are to be expected, but after you get few events under your belt you should have no issue playing otb just as well or better as online.
  
  
  ---
  
  