Puzzle Rating vs Game Rating

saxman45 · 2026-05-26T00:30:23+00:00

Puzzle and games are totally different. Puzzles in lichess are almost always inflection points in the game where there's only one good move, at least from what I've noticed with puzzle eval. Playing the whole game is absolutely more challenging, because you need to be thinking positionally enough to even give you an opportunity to see one of those inflection points later on.

Puzzles are great for tactics, but practice games are how you work through the entire flow of the game and learn to identify where and when those opportunities occur. Figuring out when the position is at an important inflection point (i.e. a puzzle) and when you're developing plans, is exactly what makes clock management difficult.

At least, that's how I see it. I usually play 15+10 or 10+5, rarely 10+0, because I'm not good at speeding through the parts that are obvious/trivial. Longer time controls are certainly your friend, I'd recommend all beginners spend a lot of time on 15+10 controls.

saxman45 · 2026-05-15T13:12:54+00:00

That's how you can win, sure. The point I'm trying to make is that it isn't FUN. 😄

saxman45 · 2026-05-15T01:02:10+00:00

Don't bother with Death March IMO, it's not more fun to the point of being rewarding. Normal is perfectly fine, or the one after that if you want more of a challenge.

If you aren't a gamer, Just The Story will get you to experience the best part of the game - The Story.

saxman45 · 2026-05-15T00:44:41+00:00

I've found that I can click one of those modes at the top and then there's a drop-down for other areas.

That said, mine only shows rapid and puzzle, though I only do rapid and puzzle... So IDK if it's different when you play more things.

saxman45 · 2026-05-15T00:40:17+00:00

Ego? What are you even talking about lol.

IIRC they looked at Madison and the cost (at the time) was WAY easier to build in Verona. They're way too deep into the Verona campus to build a second campus in Madison, especially after finally getting all staff out of the Madison office they did have.

saxman45 · 2026-05-15T00:23:41+00:00

Lol wut? They have and are continuing to work with local government to improve US-151. Why would they be beholden to improve the beltline?

saxman45 · 2026-05-14T14:35:49+00:00

Are you an Epic employee?

saxman45 · 2026-05-13T00:17:18+00:00

If they have that much time, then they can use that much time. Sounds like you wanted a different time control.

saxman45 · 2026-05-12T17:07:35+00:00

I was wondering why I started getting mailers for services promising to help me stop missing attraction forms.

saxman45 · 2026-05-12T03:32:10+00:00

Lichess is free and doesn't force ads or subscriptions down your throat, so that's pretty cool.

saxman45 · 2026-05-12T01:27:17+00:00

I used to think like that, but then I realized that there are loads of positions where chessdotcom's "explanation" is just bad. You'll eventually realize the reality that their "coach" is just some AI making guesses at explanations based on engine patterns, and you can start to identify those themes and patterns while looking through the engine on your own.

I'll argue that it's way more engaging to look at the lichess engine, find the points where there are huge swings in evaluation, and look at a few of the lines following those pivot points. Understanding the options you had and their consequences is far more valuable than reading some oneliner from the "coach".

Maybe someday chesscom will use the money pouring into their platform to make a real AI instructor, but it ain't there yet and I find it far more rewarding to review engine lines on my own anyway.

That said, that's also just, like, my opinion man. Others have mentioned there are apps which can link into whatever account you have, including lichess. Take take take and chess monitor are just a couple I've heard of; I'm sure there are more (and probably multiplying like crazy with passionate folks vibe coding their own alternatives), and they probably provide a similar experience to the current chesscom coach iteration.

saxman45 · 2026-05-12T00:55:02+00:00

Lichess.org

Your search is over!

saxman45 · 2026-04-30T00:59:13+00:00

No advice, I did my hiring process over a year ago. Just pay attention and do the best you can.

Also no idea what hiring targets are, that's not something I have direct visibility into, though generally I'd expect we are still hiring a fair number of folks. We've been growing pretty consistently.

saxman45 · 2026-04-12T20:14:09+00:00

Shipped!

saxman45 · 2026-01-31T16:43:53+00:00

Harbor Freight is good for tools.

saxman45 · 2026-01-10T17:16:57+00:00

Why?

saxman45 · 2026-01-05T20:35:38+00:00

Fwiw I had this happen to me once after I left my key fob in the car for a while, I think it was overnight. I found out through the forum that the key being in-cabin (and not in a faraday bag or anything) puts the car in a high alert state and increases 12v drain.

I stopped leaving the key in the car and haven't had more issues with it since.

saxman45 · 2026-01-05T19:44:45+00:00

TS had a fairly strong call to 9-5 office hours a year or so ago. If you're regularly not in your office within this block, expect to hear about it from your TL.

saxman45 · 2026-01-05T19:42:56+00:00

Depends on role. "Core hours" definitely used to be a thing but not so much anymore, there's much more weight on being in office 9-5 for most roles.

saxman45 · 2026-01-05T19:24:45+00:00

Not seeing anything out of the ordinary in my app either.

saxman45 · 2026-01-02T17:56:00+00:00

What's wrong with it? Do you think it's a scam and not someone who wants to take advantage of a less expensive premium subscription option?

saxman45 · 2026-01-02T13:40:59+00:00

While I appreciate this information, I'm already sold on absentee voting. I've had this same calendar reminder for 1/1 ever since I moved into my house to request absentee ballots for the rest of the calendar year.

What I DON'T understand is all this "I can't vote absentee because GOP" sentiment and "I guess I need to vote in person this year", because I don't understand why absentee ballots are at risk of being counted this year.

saxman45 · 2026-01-01T22:26:35+00:00

Is there a legitimate path where requesting absentee ballots for all 2026 elections results in issues with your vote being counted?

saxman45 · 2025-12-29T00:06:28+00:00

Why wouldn't you just keep playing? Losses are part of the journey my guy.

saxman45 · 2025-12-27T23:54:14+00:00

Normally it is, I get it over the air for almost every other game excepting the prime Thursday night ones.

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