Analysis of Card and Board Games

General Information:

I played chess this week.  The digital format that I played is on a site entitled Pogo, found at http://www.pogo.com/games/online-chess#game. 

Chess is a board game played by two participants, in which each side is given 8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, a queen, and a king.  There are precise rules that regulate exactly how each type of piece may move.  You may only move to an open square or to one occupied by your opponent, in which case you capture his piece and remove it from the board.  The object is to checkmate your opponent. This is done by getting your pieces in position so that the opponent’s king is unable to move or is captured. 

Comparison of Two Formats: Digital vs. Non-Digital

1.     Game Components

I have defined a game as something which is freely chosen, is played for fun, has a set of rules, has a clear goal or obstacles to overcome, and makes up a closed system apart from “reality”.  I believe that all five components are clearly present in both the digital and the non-digital forms of chess.  However, one game component, as I have identified them, can be affected by a change in format—the set of rules.  I say “can” because it is not necessarily so.  When playing online against the computer, there are a variety of options that are made available to a player that can make the rules very lax and flexible.  For example, she may take back a bad move, have her last move highlighted, be shown potential moves, and may even choose to practice different moves in different situations.  Of course, she may also choose to play by the official rules of the game, in which case there are no real differences concerning game components.

2.     Interaction

Communication between players: Clearly there can be a huge difference here depending on formats.  When playing against the computer, there is no communication between players, but often this is also the case between individuals playing at higher levels.  Personally, I prefer playing with friends and engaging in quite a bit of conversation and socializing during the game, so the format does affect my enjoyment of the game.  However, one may also play against actual persons online, whether they be friends or strangers, and there is the option to open up communication with them.

Cooperation between players: There isn’t much cooperation in the game of chess.  Players do cooperate to the extent that they must agree to certain rules at the outset, such as whether to play with a clock, how much time to put on the clock, and whether a move is irrevocable once the hand is removed.  These agreements can generally be made online as well.  There can also be some cooperation if there is a great disparity in talent or experience between players, such as when parents are trying to teach their children the game and therefore offer suggestions, point out options, and inform them when a piece is in threatened.  There probably is more flexibility to do this in person than online, though I think this can probably be said for most games.  In general, the game of chess, whether digital or not, is not one that involves cooperation between the players.

Engagement to the games: Outside of individual preferences for the three-dimensional physical look and feel of the board and pieces, a player’s engagement with the game should not be much affected by the format.  Once the game starts, and one is mentally into it, the difference between the two formats is minimal.

Motivation to play: Here, I think, there can be real differences depending on the format chosen.  If one is motivated to play because one enjoys the camaraderie of a particular friend or family member, then playing online won’t give him or her the same satisfaction as playing face-to-face.  On the other hand, if one’s motivation to play comes from the mental challenge involved and the desire to improve, then the digital format gives the player the opportunity to play against the desired level of competition, which might not be otherwise available.  Likewise, the digital options of practicing different moves in different situations, the highlighting of possible moves, and the recording of all the moves made during the game might provide, to those desiring to improve, motivation to play chess in this format.  Finally, it is not always easy to find someone to play against.  The computer is there waiting, 24/7.