Welcome to New Hampshire Scholastic Chess
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Simuls ExplainedIn a simul, a really good player -- let's say an expert -- plays many people at once. It is a good opportunity to play against a really good player. Usually what happens is the expert walks around the room making a move at each opponent's board. He takes just a few seconds at each board, makes his move and then goes to the next board. He will be back a few minutes later to make his next move after you have made yours, so you get much more time to think of a good move than the expert does. "Simul" is short for "Simultaneous Exhibition." Itıs an exhibition of the expert playing many people simultaneously, or at the same time. Simuls give the ordinary player a better chance to win against an expert because the expert has to concentrate on many other games and move faster than you do. With a smaller number of opponents, the tables are arranged in a square, with the expert standing in the middle and all of his or her opponents sitting on the outside. The expert gets to choose whether you will play black or white. Once everyone is ready, the expert walks around, stopping at each board, making a move, and then moving on. When the expert walks up to you and your board, you are expected to move. After your move, the expert will take a few moments to deliberate and then move. Then the expert moves on, giving you time--more time to think than the expert gets--to think of a strong reply. Because the expert has to consider many positions while you have only one to consider, you have a better chance at beating the expert and at a fraction of the cost of entering the open section of an adult tournament. I once played against a former U.S. champion, Arthur Bisguier, in a simul. I lost. However, the player next to me, a student, won. Pretty exciting stuff. Simuls often follow a lecture by the expert. You should expect to spend an hour and a half or two hours playing your simultaneous game.
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Questions, comments or suggestions about this site? E-mail the webmaster [email protected] This page was last updated December 23, 2006 |
