English Chess Forum

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:19 pm

I would have thought "tiny" would normally be smaller than the other two.

Right you are, but how about looking at it another way...

Elsewhere on the forum there's been talk of 'centipawns'...

So, just for the sake of argument, could we say something like - a tiny advantage = 10 centipawns, a slight advantage = 20 and a small advantage = 30?

The evaluation of advantages in chess positions is a very fine art for humans, but a massive calculation for machines. How to reconcile the two?

Thanks. What does 'possibly' mean in:
Black has a lot of attractive con­tinuations at his disposal, but not all of them can possibly be good.

What does As a matter of fact mean in:
Thus, in this position White can claim a slight plus, as he controls more space and his pieces are nicely centralized. As a matter of fact. Black's last move was more or less forced, since White was ready for a central e5 breakthrough.

You use the phrase "as a matter of fact" to introduce a statement that gives more details about what has just been said, e.g. -

It's not that difficult. "As a matter of fact", it's quite easy.

soheil_hooshdaran wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:29 pm

Thanks. What does 'possibly' mean in:
Black has a lot of attractive con­tinuations at his disposal, but not all of them can possibly be good.

It means that it is impossible for all of Black's moves, and subsequent continuations, (presumably from a given position) to be good.

Normally there's a choice of good, indifferent and bad possible moves/continuations in a position.

Although, it has to be said, in a bad position all moves are bad.

Any difference between
he had accurately evaluated the re­sulting endgame as better for him.
and
he had accurately evaluated the re­sulting endgame with his advantage?

Not really any difference.

The first version reads better and the second is less clear.

As a matter of fact, I'd replace 'with' by 'to' in the second version.

John McKenna wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 10:28 am

It means that it is impossible for all of Black's moves, and subsequent continuations, (presumably from a given position) to be good.

Means it is logical that they can't be all good?

Any difference between
his position is still far from enviable.
and
his position is still not enviable.
and
his position is still not enviable at all.

?Thanks in advance

Yes, there's a similar difference in "not enviable"/"far from enviable"/"not enviable at all" to bad/worse/worst.

soheil_hooshdaran wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 8:54 pm

John McKenna wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 10:28 am

It means that it is impossible for all of Black's moves, and subsequent continuations, (presumably from a given position) to be good.

Means it is logical that they can't be all good?

More like factual than 'logical'.

In the given(?) position Black cannot just play any move and subsequent continuation (variation) and be guaranteed that it will be a good one.

In other words, "the position will not play itself " Black still has work to do in choosing between the good/indifferent/bad moves and their continuations.

Thanks.
What's an enviable posiion?

An "enviable position" is one that is so much better than yours that you wish you could have for yourself.

Next time you are playing a game, and find you are in soon in difficulties, you may notice some other games around you about to end in quick victories.

At such a time you may envy the victors their winning positions and wish you had one of their excellent "enviable positions" instead of your rubbish one.

If Black succeeded in exchanging the a­ pawns and the queens, then he would be able to reduce White's advantage. 22 lIxd5 ? �xd5+ 23 �f3 �xf3+ 24 �xf3 a6 would not be much for White.
What does be much for White mean?

It simply means - after the given continuation - that "White's advantage would not be much" having been reduced.

Thanks. What's blindness?

Unable to see.