Playing online versus playing in real life

[karaklis]

I suppose after enough times that nervousness would vanish,

YMMV, but I always feel nervous before a tournament game, i.e. really all gamnes without exceptions, and the first match a day even a bit more. But when the first few stones are on the board, the nervousness vanishes and gives way to a feeling like as if I were on an adventurous journey where I try to get out of it without major injuries.

[Ortho]

In person, it's more social and less stressful. Probably because almost everyone in my group is a raw newbie being coached, and only one other player is stronger than I am. Even when I get beaten, it's all fun, if somewhat slow. If I play really badly, we just laugh it off, and I swear to get revenge next time.

Online is much more emotionally intense and stressful. I am afraid of looking like an idiot when I play a bad game. I'm ashamed to have my rank go down, but feel like it's over-stated as it is, which is frightening, because I know people will expect me to play at that level. I find that I can often read the opponent's emotions in the way they play, which is interesting and surprising. There's an awesome variety of players to challenge and the room is never the same twice. Losses can be humiliating, victories are exhilarating. It's exciting, but not always in a good way.

It would be very hard to pick one over the other.

That's really funny--I am exactly the opposite! Online losses and even playing terribly doesn't bother me but I find live games rather stressful, especially when I am thinking hard and my opponent is replying instantly, I get mortified and my face turns red when I make a blunder etc.

But the (I hate using this word like this) "energy" the games when live is so much better--there is an extra dimension there that makes it into a game rather than just a mental exercise, which is what it feels like online.

For some reason my online rank feels "fake" to me, even though it is much more statistically robust, and my live rating feels more "real" even though I can see that there are huge problems with how my rating gets calculated at my level.

[ilFuria]

I like both, really.

In person, it's more social and less stressful. Probably because almost everyone in my group is a raw newbie being coached, and only one other player is stronger than I am. Even when I get beaten, it's all fun, if somewhat slow. If I play really badly, we just laugh it off, and I swear to get revenge next time.

Online is much more emotionally intense and stressful. I am afraid of looking like an idiot when I play a bad game. I'm ashamed to have my rank go down, but feel like it's over-stated as it is, which is frightening, because I know people will expect me to play at that level. I find that I can often read the opponent's emotions in the way they play, which is interesting and surprising. There's an awesome variety of players to challenge and the room is never the same twice. Losses can be humiliating, victories are exhilarating. It's exciting, but not always in a good way.

It would be very hard to pick one over the other.

Well... When I played live I was much more annoyed than stressed or anything else...
About playing online, after doing my best during 6 years and achieving only a 6k on KGS (it's impossible for me to improve reading, but that's another story) I just play for fun. Almost.
I think that online players can be safely divided in three categories

1. People that are obsessed by rank and play to win
2. People who enjoy playing well
3. People who play for fun

I think I'm in category 2. I like playing well, trying my best and not trying to overdo anything. Sometimes I'm much more satisfied by my losses than by my wins (it happens to play badly and still win, and to play well and lose to a strong opponent).
Sometimes I just play for fun.
I think that ranks should be considered (especially on online servers) just as "tools" to find a suitable opponent (ie not too strong nor too weak) to play an enjoyable game.
That's it!

[blindgod]

Playing in person (club games, as I haven't yet been in a tournament).

Pro:
Knowing and being friendly with everyone involved.
No official time limit.
Comfortable and occasional amusing setting.
I like having an actual board and stones. I enjoy the feel of putting the stones on the board.
Sometimes the music is good.

Con:
Seeing the faces of the other people when you make a bad move.
Stones moving around when someone bumps the board or table.
For whatever reason, I find reading harder with a real board.
Travel time and effort to go and come back.
Sometimes the music is godawful.

Playing online:

Pro:
Many people from many places with varying levels of skill and experience.
Easier to read (not that this helps much).
Stones don't move.
Games automatically saved for future reference.
Scoring is automatic.

Con:
Don't know the people I'm playing (for some reason, this is something I don't like)
Hard to find time when my family won't distract me.
I used to get bothered by the clock. This has been fixed by finding the right time settings (I tend to play slowly)
Get more nervous while playing for some reason.

For me, I find that I play better in person. This is a combination, I think, of the second and fourth points in the online con section above. I think I can get over most of the nervousness by playing more, but finding time is difficult during the week and essentially impossible during the weekend. When I go to the club, I'm not forced to engage in conversations while playing, which enables me to concentrate better. Unfortunately, the club only meets once a week. I wish it were more.

[hyperpape]

Con:
Seeing the faces of the other people when you make a bad move.

It's hardly novel to say these things are subjective, but it's funny just how subjective they are. I have played against players who conveyed that they just thought I was an idiot. But as you develop a rappore with people who are friendly, your reactions to a bad move can become part of the fun.

[jts]

Con:
Seeing the faces of the other people when you make a bad move.

It's hardly novel to say these things are subjective, but it's funny just how subjective they are. I have played against players who conveyed that they just thought I was an idiot. But as you develop a rappore with people who are friendly, your reactions to a bad move can become part of the fun.

I actually find it immensely satisfying to see someone's face when they finally understand why you made that "bad" move.

[Txewì]

I actually find it immensely satisfying to see someone's face when they finally understand why you made that "bad" move.

Reminds me that I'm told Bobby Fischer once said his favorite part of chess was the look on his opponent's face when they realized they'd lost.

[SmoothOper]

I was supper hyped about playing live games. I even bought a decent goban and stones. Then I realized most the go players are putzes that don't treat the equipment very well have bad habits like taking a bunch of stones out of the bowl then playing with them, or slamming the stones together. Not to mention a dearth of similarly ranked players and a rigid handicap system. Admittedly there are clubs that are more fun to play at than others. Though in general strategy game clubs(both go and chess) seem to attract a certain sort of player, and they aren't necessarily fun to play with. Playing on line I think I tend to pick up bad habits like hovering the pointer over my anticipated plays and using my fingers to read out moves, which could account for the easier reading others mentioned.

[bakekoq]

me too.
I more like play in real life than online.even though I think I'm better in reading online than on real board. lol..
the simulation in my brain is shallow (not deep), so my reading is better in online games.it's funny,right?

btw,I'll try to read as far as I can in the upcoming tourney in my country.I'll try to post my game's kifu on this forum (in improving session thread) after I'm done with my tourney.

[SpongeBob]

I find it quite different to look at a board with real stones compared to looking at the board on a computer screen. On the real board, enemy territories look bigger and somehow more frightening. Also, you get a little bit better of an overview on the computer board. Realized that during a tournament when I was looking at my iPad where I was recording the game.