Answers.Body: <p>The bots do have a lot of variance, especially the weaker ones. I just tried playing Oliver and he hung his queen on move 3. If that happens you're obviously going to have an easy game.</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>and started to get stuck around the 1100s with having to take time with my games to get past them</p>
  </blockquote>
  <blockquote>
  <p>although rushing the openings, I haven't been able to consistently beat him.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>So when you play the stronger bots, you take your time, and when you play the weaker ones, you don't? That explains it. It's pretty easy to get into a losing position fast if you aren't taking the game seriously enough, even against a weak opponent. This can happen both against computers and against real players.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-03-07T02:08:37.110Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-03-07T02:08:37.110Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: D M
Body: <p>I've recently started playing chess again and am training against the chess.com bots.</p>
  <p>I've been able to blaze through the lower rated bots and started to get stuck around the 1100s with having to take time with my games to get past them and recently beat a 1500 bot.</p>
  <p>However, I've found an old page open with a 550 bot (Oliver) and, although rushing the openings, I haven't been able to consistently beat him.</p>
  <p>Is this variance in being able to beat 1500, but still have challenge with much lower ratings normal?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-03-06T17:59:48.817Z
Comments.Text: What is it that causes you to lose against the lower rated bots? Are you dropping pieces? It could be that the lower rated bots are playing more "chaotic" and that the higher rated bot you faced played more solid without creating a need for you to calculate concrete lines.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Scounged
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-03-06T18:17:49.387Z
Comments.Text: @Scounged Yes, at times, I'm down a little bit of material going into the midgames and mostly get myself into a worse position reacting to chaotic openings and in some bizarre positions I'm not able to capitalise on.
Comments.UserDisplayName: StuperUser
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-03-06T18:38:50.643Z
Comments.Text: Although the variance may be in the bot? I just trounced it.
Comments.UserDisplayName: StuperUser
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-03-07T12:23:16.497Z
Comments.Text: Also, playing style. The chess program of an ancient ATARI STF (ELO 1500, at maximum) mostly won against me (FM, 2300 waaaay back then) since it punished any tactical blunder without mercy. If I didn't blunder, I easily won positionally.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Tags: <engines><rating><training>
Title: Why does my ability/rating against bots vary?
ThreadText: # Why does my ability/rating against bots vary?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-06)
  
  I've recently started playing chess again and am training against the chess.com bots.
  
  I've been able to blaze through the lower rated bots and started to get stuck around the 1100s with having to take time with my games to get past them and recently beat a 1500 bot.
  
  However, I've found an old page open with a 550 bot (Oliver) and, although rushing the openings, I haven't been able to consistently beat him.
  
  Is this variance in being able to beat 1500, but still have challenge with much lower ratings normal?
  
  **Tags:** engines, rating, training
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: What is it that causes you to lose against the lower rated bots? Are you dropping pieces? It could be that the lower rated bots are playing more "chaotic" and that the higher rated bot you faced played more solid without creating a need for you to calculate concrete lines.  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 Yes, at times, I'm down a little bit of material going into the midgames and mostly get myself into a worse position reacting to chaotic openings and in some bizarre positions I'm not able to capitalise on.  
  > **username_0**: Although the variance may be in the bot? I just trounced it.  
  > **username_2**: Also, playing style. The chess program of an ancient ATARI STF (ELO 1500, at maximum) mostly won against me (FM, 2300 waaaay back then) since it punished any tactical blunder without mercy. If I didn't blunder, I easily won positionally.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2021-03-07. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  The bots do have a lot of variance, especially the weaker ones. I just tried playing Oliver and he hung his queen on move 3. If that happens you're obviously going to have an easy game.
  
  > and started to get stuck around the 1100s with having to take time with my games to get past them
  
  > although rushing the openings, I haven't been able to consistently beat him.
  
  So when you play the stronger bots, you take your time, and when you play the weaker ones, you don't? That explains it. It's pretty easy to get into a losing position fast if you aren't taking the game seriously enough, even against a weak opponent. This can happen both against computers and against real players.
  
  
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