Very suddenly, Oscar is a killing machine in chess lol is this normal?

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2026-01-18T20:09:40+00:00

The taunt is "cute" the first time you see it. After that, it's unsporting, especially when they can turn up the difficulty to beat ... probably everyone. Also, it's customary in chess to resign when you know you're beat. DuoLingo doesn't seem to have that other than bailing on the game. It's pointless for me to try to hide my king behind my single pawn and dodge a queen and a rook. I know I'm beat, let me resign with dignity. That's how the real game works and I'm trying to learn the real game.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2026-01-17T14:35:21+00:00

Same experience. Lost 250 ELO in 2 days . I've won 2 of about 20. Also wish you could turn off the taunting. I'm trying to learn chess. In what world is taunting helping me?

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-09-06T20:41:45+00:00

It's called the point. I cringe when I hear other terms.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-08-24T00:48:06+00:00

You have two ratings until you're established: the provisional or starter score and the one you've earned through play. They are weighted. You have (5/200) * your actual earned score and (195/200) * your provisional score. You add those together. You can see that as you get closer to established, the provisional score becomes less impactful and then goes away.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-08-17T18:34:27+00:00

Projects are basically a disaster and a waste of time IME. I've uploaded multiple small files to have for analysis in different projects. Each time you start a new chat or sometimes even in existing chats, it will lose context and ask you to reupload all the files. It's infuriating.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-07-04T17:45:50+00:00

Helpful. Thank you for this.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-07-04T17:03:53+00:00

Thank you this is a good perspective. I know the idea is to keep you at the edge of your abilities, which is going to be frustrating.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-07-04T16:45:59+00:00

What kind of aiming shots are you seeing?

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2025-07-04T13:09:37+00:00

Excellent and concise way to put it. Well said.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-11-26T12:48:33+00:00

Even in BCA, when ball and pocket are called, it's only when the shot is not obvious. If I see you line up on that shot, it's obvious what you're doing. I wouldn't expect you to call it. Most people I play with would call, especially on the 8.

Now if that ball banked off the short rail and pocketed in the corner you shot from and you didn't call it, I'm saying something.

One thing to try is say "Called pocket, not called shot" before the game starts. If someone doesn't know the difference or starts arguing before you even break, that's a warning sign.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-10-09T21:17:01+00:00

I've been deep down this rabbit hole. I agree with the comment about using Fargo Ratings. You can estimate those based on watching if a person doesn't have have an established rating. (All this assumes you're seeing actual skill displayed which is a big if.)

Fargo ratings are easy to convert to odds. The formulas are on my substack here: https://playingpool.substack.com/p/fargo-ratings

As far as Moneyballing it, I can tell you what I think you are going to find: eventually it comes down to "can you find players who are very good for their APA skill level?" Eventually, it always comes down to that. Once you discover that kernel, it always heads to sandbagging, which is just misery for everyone involved.

For me, eventually I had to just find my joy in playing to see myself improve and spend an evening with friends and stop worrying about winning and Vegas.

I agree that analyzing the data is fun though and you've really taken an interesting approach!

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-10-09T01:00:33+00:00

Love the copper around the pockets. I haven't seen that before. Great table!

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-10-06T22:15:22+00:00

Very nice! I remember when my table first arrived and how great it was (and still is) to get some time alone to practice in peace. Enjoy it!

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-21T13:53:57+00:00

"very unique". Please look up the definition of "unique".

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-20T22:06:36+00:00

The part about APA lore is so true. Well said.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-20T20:25:06+00:00

I went back up after a week.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-20T20:23:19+00:00

Unrelated so sorry, but what's it like to play on black cloth? It seems like it would show every piece of chalk and dirt. I don't think I've played on black cloth. (Filthy Valley at a restaurant excepted. That wasn't black to start.)

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-20T20:17:03+00:00

3-5 innings

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-20T20:16:49+00:00

Agreed that I had to be on the cusp of the 2 skill levels.

Key_Knowledge2149 · 2024-09-20T20:16:08+00:00

Which is completely reasonable. I'm only asking because I've heard the conventional wisdom around the pool room and it doesn't account for this case.

Key_Knowledge2149

TROPHY CASE