0. Initial Configuration
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |bB.|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b | b.| b | b.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w | w.| w | w.| w | w.|

Any suggestions for what opening we should aim for?

Nah. I was just curious about the room. Didn't know it was brand new. I may look in from time to time, but I'm not a good enough player (or dedicated enough) to know the names of most openings anyway.

I'm not really an expert either, I just made this because I think it'll be cool.

1. e4
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |bB.|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b | b.| b | b.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w | w.|   | w.| w | w.|

@El'endiaStarman The blandness is overwhelming.

@PhiNotPi ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's my preferred opening move. :P

1... c5
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |bB.|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b |  .| b | b.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   | b.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w | w.|   | w.| w | w.|

I don't actually know how to play the Sicilian.

You don't want to when death is on the line anyway.

@PhiNotPi I actually learned how several weeks ago. Basically, you move the king knight's pawn up one space, move the bishop onto the long diagonal, move the knight towards the center, and castle.

2. d4
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |bB.|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b |  .| b | b.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   | b.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   | w.| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

room topic changed to Casual Chat Chess: A free-for-all chess game. Rules: (1) Post an updated board when you submit a move. (2) You can switch sides, but you can't play both halves of a single turn. (3) Feel free to discuss past/future moves. (4) No takesies-backsies. (5) You can use external resources, like opening books, but don't use chess engines/AIs. (no tags)

I think it's a good idea to keep this room bot-free until the need arises.

@El'endiaStarman I think you moved a piece incorrectly. (post a corrected version)

@PhiNotPi Whoops! Fixed.

2... e6
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |bB.|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b |  .| b |  .| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   | b.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   | w.| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

3. Pxc5
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |bB.|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b |  .| b |  .| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   | w.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

3... Bxc5
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |  .|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b |  .| b |  .| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

4. Be3
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |  .|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.| b |  .| b |  .| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   |  .|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |wB.|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

I wonder how many humans working together it would take to beat the top computer chess players.

Would a bunch of humans together be better or worse than the single best human?

Well, they'd have to have some knowledge and competence at chess, of course.

lol I assumed that

maybe voting one move, right?

It might be hard for a group humans to objectively score different moves, unlike a computer with a scoring function. I don't know whether that would be a hindrance or a good thing.

Well, humans do tend to be more efficient at evaluating better moves first (or, at least, they were), so I figured that multiple humans might be able to out-strategize a single computer.

I suppose one would also have to put a time/memory limitation on the computer and no such limit, or a much higher limit, on the humans.

I think one problem is finding the appropriate group size. Humans do all right with distributed computing, but only to a point ;)

Haha, yeah. At some point, a government would have to be instituted, and at that point, you've definitely lost. :P

Chess news: Government versus top chess player!

Anyway...would anyone other than Phi like to make the next move? :P

Has there been any issues with move trolls?

@RohanJhunjhunwala this game literally just started

@El'endiaStarman whose turn is it? and I don't know chess notation

@ConorO'Brien It's black's fourth turn.

Most moves can be written like /[KQRNP]x?[a-h][1-8]/. When it's a pawn, you don't have to include the P, and when there are two possible pieces to move, then you stick its starting board coordinate in between the piece type and ending coordinate.

when does x occur?

Oh, you put an x when you capture a piece.

oh, cool

So I write 4...?

Oh, also, O-O is king's side castling and O-O-O is queen's side castling.

Yeah. 4... <whatever>.

so moving a front-row pawn to location X, I just write X?

Yeah. Doesn't have to be a front-row pawn either. If you only write an ending coordinate, it's assumed that you moved a pawn.

oh, cool

4... b6
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |  .|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .| b |  .| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|   |wB.|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

Oooh, nice. Not a defense I would've expected, but it works.

I'm not too good at chess, but I'm better than anyone I know irl who cares to play with me, so there's that :P

That's fine, I'm in much the same situation. :P

5. Bd3
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |bN.|bB |bQ.|bK |  .|bN |bR.|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .| b |  .| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|wB |wB.|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |  .|   | w.| w | w.|

Hmm, I probably should've done Bc4 instead. If black then did ...b5 to threaten, white could have taken it with no risk since none of black's pieces attack that square. White would also have had a better range and set of options with that bishop.