"Any lower and it's just throwing pieces"

April 2, 2017 3:57 PM

After an April Fools' day post about an “Instant Chess” feature (playing with 0 seconds on the clock, essentially pre-move only), Lichess implemented “Ultrabullet” Chess: ¼ + 0 (15 seconds per player with no increment).
Watch 17-year-old International Master Andrew Tang (aka penguingim1 on lichess) play the two-hour Ultrabullet tournament (games start at about 4:50... and spoiler: he's really fast).

Tang recently became the youngest ever to win Minnesota State Champion.

posted by starman (15 comments total)

If watching the glacial pace of g 3/0 is more your speed, I recommend Funky Chess, home of insomniac French GM Thal Aubergal.
posted by thelonius at 4:04 PM on April 2, 2017

Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick, I've never seen someone move that fast for so long (only watched 30 minutes of it). He's really good. I HATE losing on time when I'm winning, so I stick to 5/5 games...and it still happens.

Question: why were some of the games only 8 seconds (while most were 15)?
posted by whatgorilla at 8:43 PM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

"Question: why were some of the games only 8 seconds (while most were 15)?"

It appears that the arena has a "berserk" option, in which a player can give up half their time in exchange for more tournament points.

(People in the chat on the video question why it's not 7.5 seconds; perhaps they didn't design the implementation around such short times?)
posted by Shmuel510 at 8:50 PM on April 2, 2017

I discovered lichess in December and it has been ruling my life pretty much since then.
posted by leibniz at 12:24 AM on April 3, 2017 [2 favorites]

holy shit
posted by fleacircus at 1:03 AM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

I like how penguingim develops a little 8s berserk rivalry with Meneer, and the surprise attack Meneer does on the fianchetto opening that penguingim keeps using.
posted by fleacircus at 2:09 AM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

I quit playing online blitz for years, after deciding that I was simply practicing playing blunders faster.
posted by thelonius at 2:24 AM on April 3, 2017 [2 favorites]

I only know enough about chess to appreciate it. I'm terrible at the actual game, but I find it kind of interesting anyway.
posted by fleacircus at 2:47 AM on April 3, 2017

If you ever start thinking you're good at it, play an IM......
posted by thelonius at 3:11 AM on April 3, 2017

He's great to watch. His games versus Hikaru are also great viewing.
posted by rider at 5:49 AM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Holy shit, he's interacting with Twitch chat too!?
posted by ODiV at 8:22 AM on April 3, 2017 [2 favorites]

If you play this you should try the Bongcloud Attack. I'd never laughed at chess before this opening.
posted by graymouser at 10:24 AM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Jeez, when I read the description I thought it was 15 seconds per move. I wasn't expecting the chess version of pro-level Starcraft.
posted by neckro23 at 2:40 PM on April 3, 2017

15 seconds per move.

Time limit per move has mostly fallen out of use - it used to be called "lightning chess", and required a stopwatch and a referee. The famous and beautiful game Edward Lasker - George Thomas was played this way.
posted by thelonius at 2:46 PM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Annnd now he's playing with invisible pieces (starts at about 1:27:00... via /r/chess)
posted by starman at 11:14 AM on April 5, 2017 [1 favorite]