Answers.Body: <p>Engines do not make tactical or blunt mistakes. However, their calculation range is given by their predefined strength.</p>
  
  <p>People behave differently. In general, their game is rather stable. But they can make big mistakes, or on the contrary, excellent moves, when you don't expect it. </p>
  
  <p>Also, when playing against people, there is a certain level when psychology comes into account. Stress is generally higher than against an engine, which won't feel any emotions when playing against you.</p>
  
  <p>That's one beautilful part of the game too, emotions are confronted. Good players know how to keep control.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-06-27T09:00:50.053Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-06-29T07:30:55.790Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2016-06-29T07:30:55.790Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Blue_Elephant
Body: <p>When I initially started playing chess I used books and board. Later, when I started using chess software, I think my game improved a lot for a time, and I got a rating of 2000 at <strong>chess.com</strong></p>
  
  <p>But I am now faced with the following problem: when I recently went to a tournament I was completely blank over the board, and I was feeling that this is a bit different.
  I was not able to calculate moves.</p>
  
  <p>The question is: how should I maintain balance between engine practice and over-the-board practice?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-06-30T02:07:59.047Z
Comments.Text: Are you just referring to the visual aspect? If so, the obvious answer is to make sure you own a board, and mix in some OTB analysis at home (perhaps with computer at your side)
Comments.UserDisplayName: M.M
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-06-30T05:01:51.313Z
Comments.Text: Yes, also a visual aspect. I was expecting some practices as a solution to the problem.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Abhijeet Kumar Srivastava
Tags: <engines><tournament><best-practice>
Title: Practicing against an engine vs practicing over the board?
ThreadText: # Practicing against an engine vs practicing over the board?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-27)
  
  When I initially started playing chess I used books and board. Later, when I started using chess software, I think my game improved a lot for a time, and I got a rating of 2000 at **chess.com**
  
  But I am now faced with the following problem: when I recently went to a tournament I was completely blank over the board, and I was feeling that this is a bit different.
  I was not able to calculate moves.
  
  The question is: how should I maintain balance between engine practice and over-the-board practice?
  
  **Tags:** engines, tournament, best-practice
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Are you just referring to the visual aspect? If so, the obvious answer is to make sure you own a board, and mix in some OTB analysis at home (perhaps with computer at your side)  
  > **username_0**: Yes, also a visual aspect. I was expecting some practices as a solution to the problem.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2016-06-27. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  Engines do not make tactical or blunt mistakes. However, their calculation range is given by their predefined strength.
  
  People behave differently. In general, their game is rather stable. But they can make big mistakes, or on the contrary, excellent moves, when you don't expect it.
  
  Also, when playing against people, there is a certain level when psychology comes into account. Stress is generally higher than against an engine, which won't feel any emotions when playing against you.
  
  That's one beautilful part of the game too, emotions are confronted. Good players know how to keep control.
  
  
  ---
  
  