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Introduction
to ICC
The
Internet Chess Club (ICC) is one of the most popular commercial
chess server in the world. ICC allow members to participate
in games and tournaments over the internet in real time play.
Members of ICC are comprised of players of all calibers and skill
levels -- from absolute beginners to grandmasters!
Aside
from being able to select opponents who are suited to your skill
level, players have a wide range of time controls they can choose
from for their game. Players who enjoy slow, well-thought
out chess moves may play standard chess games which have longer
time controls (e.g. 30 minute games, or longer). Those who
enjoy fast paced games have the option of playing blitz or lightning
chess. In blitz games, players are allotted between 3 to
10 minutes each to complete the game. In lightning games
players must complete the entire game within 1 or 2 minutes!
It is chess played at heart-pounding, break-neck speed!
There
are tournaments held many times daily on ICC. Some of the
tourneys over ICC that are sanctioned by United States Chess Federation
(USCF) or World Blitz Chess Association (WBCA) -- that is, players
who participate in such tournaments receive a USCF or WBCA rating,
respectively.
ICC
provides daily lectures on the chess openings, middle games, and
endgames. These lectures are usually presented by very strong
masters.
ICC
also provides full coverage of major chess events. During
such coverage, grandmaster and internationalmaster games (such
as games of Grandmasters Karpov, Kasparov, Kamsky, Krammnik, and
other super-gms) from major chess tournaments are viewable in
real time over the internet as the moves are relayed over to ICC.
Strong players provide commentary and analysis. Beginners
and intermediate players have the opportunity to ask questions
while observing the games.
International
masters and Grandmasters give simultaneous exhibitions over ICC.
Beginners and intermediate players have an opportunity to beat
strong players and learn from them also.
Bughouse
on ICC
Users
are able to play bughouse
on ICC. In fact, it is considered to be the second best place
to play internet bughouse after FICS.
Here
is how to get started playing bughouse on ICC:
- Download
a graphical interface either from the downloads
section of the ICC website
The Thief Interface is highly recommended for playing bughouse.
However, as of this writing, only paid members are allowed
to use Thief on ICC.
If
you are unable to log on to ICC:
Email
zek@chessclub.com
for help on getting started.
- Register
for a 7 day free trial account on ICC
-
After obtaining your graphical interface and successfully
logging on to ICC, type:
1) '+channel 24' (without the quotes)
2) Then type:
'tell channel 24 Someone please help me get started playing
bughouse'.
Many of the bughouse players on icc are very helpful and
will help get you started.
-
Below is more detailed information on how
to get started playing bughouse. Most of the text is taken
from the Bughouse section of the ICC Helpfiles.
Don't let the text overwhelm you, once you get the hang
of the commands, playing bughouse on ICC is quite simple.
It is definitely worth the small effort to learn.
How
to Play Bughouse on ICC (from the ICC Helpfiles)
Bughouse (Siamese
chess or double speed chess) is a chess variant with four players
and two chess sets. Players partner up in teams of two, and then
two teams play each other. When your partner captures pieces on
her board, she passes them to you. On your turn, you may either
make an ordinary chess move, OR place a piece your partner has
given you on any empty square (except no pawns on the first or
eighth rank.) Ending the game on one board (by flag or checkmate),
ends the game for the other board too.
Bughouse on ICC is wild variant 24. Use channel 24 and "bugwho"
to search for prospective partners and opponents. Use the "partner"
command to form a team (see the example below.) To place a piece,
type <piece>@<square>, e.g. N@h5 (case is not important.)
If you are using BlitzIn, your reserve pieces will appear on the
side of the board. To place them, simply click and drag the appropriate
piece onto the square you want.
An example of how to play bughouse on ICC: suppose Alice and Bob
want to be partners. Alice should type "partner Bob",
and likewise Bob should type "partner Alice". Alice
types "bugwho" to list the current bughouse teams and
sees that Carol and David are a team too. Alice can then issue
match Carol 5 0 bughouse
and if Carol accepts, a bughouse game begins; Alice plays Carol
on one board, and Bob plays David on the other.
Prior to the game, each player should probably "follow"
their partner and "set unobserve 0" so that they can
observe their partner's game as well.
Notes:
- Bughouse
matches can be rated if all participants are registered.
- Piece-drops with check (or even checkmate) ARE allowed.
- It's not checkmate when there's the possibility of interposition.
- Repetition draws are disabled; you can draw only by agreement.
- Takeback and adjourn are disabled.
- If you disconnect during a bughouse game, your team forfeits.
This policy is unlike to change because resuming adjourned bughouse
games would be extremlely difficult.
- "ptell" can be used to talk to your partner.
- "prefresh" displays your partner's board.
- "say" will go to the other 3 players involved.
- "kib" will go to all 4 players, plus anyone observing
either board.
- "bugwho" lists individuals, teams and games
- Promoted pawns revert to pawns upon being captured.
- Bughouse half-games can be examined, with piece holdings not
shown.
- Bughouse ratings are in fingers, and in "best w".
- Bughouse ratings are adjusted based on all four players' records.
The rating formula compares the average rating of each team.
- "wildrank" shows your rank on the wild and bughouse
rating lists.
- If your client can display two boards at once, you might want
to "follow" your partner, and "set unobserve 0".
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