Play Games in Google Talk

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Play Games in Google Talk

Google released a realtime gadgets API for Google Talk that's especially useful if you want to play games with your friends.

"gadgets.realtime and the APIs built on top of it allow gadget developers to write applications that communicate asynchronously with another endpoint, whether that endpoint is another instance of the application (on another machine, or in another browser, for example), the container hosting the gadget, or an application hosted in the cloud. The obvious application of these APIs is 1:1 gaming -- at its most basic a Tic-Tac-Toe game between two users. However there are many other more complex (and arguably -- depending on your thoughts about games -- more interesting) scenarios that these APIs enable; for instance, a chat application that translates text as participants type it, or a shared whiteboard, or an application that lets a couple choose the best flight for their upcoming vacation."

For now, the APIs are only available in a developer sandbox, which includes a special interface of Gmail Chat. Here's how you can play chess with one of your friends:

* Go to the sandbox and send this link to your friend: http://talkgadget.google.com/talkgadget/sandbox .

* When your friend started to use Gmail Chat's sandbox, click on "Options", select "Start application", paste the following address:
http://code.google.com/apis/talk/examples/chess.xml
and press Enter.


If you don't know how to play chess, try two other applications:

* a very simple rock-paper-scissors game:
http://code.google.com/apis/talk/examples/rps.xml

* an automatic translation application:
http://code.google.com/apis/talk/examples/interpreter.xml

{ via Google Talk Blog. Thanks, Niranjan. }

Civil War Chess Games

With civil war chess, one can enjoy a classic chess game with a historic bend. The civil war chess games bring famous figures of the American Civil War into your home or workplace. Civil war chess games represent the war fought between the Union troops and the Confederates. Strategy is a clear element in any battle field situation. There is no better game than chess to teach this strategy.

A civil war chess set features a beautiful civil war dimension. It explores an important event in United States history. The chess pieces are the images of great leaders from both sides of the Civil War. These figures include Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and many others. The commanders come in historically accurate dress, expression and even stature. The rules of civil war chess games are the same as those of conventional chess.

In civil war chess, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davies are selected as the kings and General Robert E. Lee and General Ulysses S. Grant as the queens. The two bishops symbolize General Wall Jackson and General Sherman with Union and Confederate Calvary as the knights. The castles are the Stars and Stripes as well as the Stars and Bars. The pawns are the Union Drummers and Confederate Buglers.

The civil war chess games are equally good for both chess game lovers and history lovers. It brings the value of real history into a normal game. When the board is totally set, it looks like a real battle field. Every game gives the feeling of a new civil war, and regardless of actual history only the finest standard moves decide the outcomes.

Many dealers offer civil war chess sets in a variety of styles and sizes. Almost all sets contain highly detailed hand-painted statuettes, which provide brilliant artifact value of the many aspects of the US Civil War. Civil war chess sets are perfect gifts for collectors of commemorative items or reproduced relics.

Chess Game provides detailed information on Chess Game, Free Chess Game, Online Chess Games, Free Chess Game Downloads and more. Chess Game is affiliated with Glass Chess Sets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

Medieval Chess Sets

The Middle Ages (or medieval) was a period in history which lasted for approximately a millennium, dated from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the Early Modern Period in the 16th century, with the division of Western Christianity in the Reformation, the era of humanism in the Italian Renaissance, and the beginning of European overseas expansion.

Fantasy by definition is 'the free play of creative imagination'. Fantasy chess sets allow you to play this game with your imagination giving live to some characters that push the limits of 'reality'.

No one said you always have to have a knight that looked like a horse, what about a dragon with the opponent being a skeletal dragon representing the dead? While these may sound a little 'freaky' they are really bold and colorful and fun. Another selection could be the signs of the Zodiac or even an army of adorable little magical winged Fairies! Skeleton slayers and figures from a mythical kingdom with the players from Hades and the Ocean depths are offered as well. The vibrant colors and details make this fantasy series one of the most exceptional collections offering some very unusual and unique sets of chess figures.

A popular design for the fantasy chess fan is medieval chess sets. These types of sets often include dragons, knights, castles, wizards, and horses. Pieces are often made of resin or pewter and often feature accents such as crystals and even gold or silver. These types are some of the most beautiful and stunning and make great displays as well as add excitement to the game. Medieval chess sets are some of the most popular types of board games and are easy to find in a variety online sites.

Medieval chess sets Fantasy chess sets Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lindy_Smart

Marble Chess Sets

Marble chess sets are made up of individually handcrafted chess pieces with the utmost attention to detail. These chess sets come in a variety of colors and the character of this beautiful stone is brought out in the fine grains, and swirls of brilliant colors. A marble chess set can add an element of style and class to a home's décor if the right color is chosen, allowing the chess fan the joy of this wonderful board game as well as displaying an excellent piece of craftsmanship. These classic board games are also very durable and weighted to give each chess piece a superb feel and controlled balance.

For centuries marble has been a choice in fine construction from our monuments to the palaces for royalty. Since it can be carved into a variety of shapes with great attention to detail, the design is only limited by the imagination of the artist working with this elegant stone. Marble has become a favorite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects; this elegant stone has become a cultural symbol that reflects tradition and refined taste. In folklore, marble is a symbol of the astrological sign Gemini. Pure white marble is a sign of purity. It is also associated with immortality, and an insurer of success in the field of education.

Another stone that is very similar in feel and texture is alabaster and it is also beautiful stone that makes a very appealing chess set. So if you are a fan of chess and like the feel and look of stone alabaster or marble is an excellent choice.

Marble chess sets Alabaster chess sets Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lindy_Smart

Applying Chess Strategies

Applying chess strategies is not a straight forward case. This process appears to run on a more intuitional subconscious level. This can be safely assumed, because many so-called chess kids have outstanding tactical and strategical grasp and they seem to know instinctively what a chess position requires.

Of course they had to practice a few years to learn the rules and get a basic understanding of the game, but after that the truly gifted will develop on their own merits and soon reach astounding levels of playing strength. Some even become grandmasters at fourteen or younger.

At this level chess kids think at lightning speed and do not force themselves to go through each move like a tortoise as some lesser talented players do and the ones who learned the game at a later age. When you learn the game at twenty, your calculation speed is clearly diminished and you can never catch up to the speed at which a chess kid evaluates a chess position, who learned the game at the age of six.

Chess kids memorize and retain chess strategies fast and when you play them, and have learned chess at a later age, then you have a hard time unless you are much older and have the advantage of having more playing experience. But this might not be enough as they have the advantage of superior calculation speed an they can work out more variations within the same amount of time and this might prove decisive.

Chess has a lot do with looking and seeing. Thinking is mostly overrated. Chess is not only about thinking. Either you see the good move or you don't. Thinking alone often doesn't help much. Real talents look and see in a split second. This is applied logic at lightning speed.

You don't have to study to get that. Either you got it or you don't. If you don't have it, you never will catch up and if you study a few hundred years, it won't help much. All good players study chess, this is normal procedure.

Of course you can improve in Chess but only to a certain personal level. The real question is: Where is your personal invisible wall that you can't surpass. The problem with Chess is, that you must be able to find ordinary moves, that don't lose outright or that don't worsen your position.

Only seldom an ingenious move can be played, as this situation doesn't occur often enough. It will not help if you have memorized all the crucial moves of the masters in chess history if you have no routine and can't even play a normal move without giving away slight dynamic or spatial advantages. Those little mistakes add up and soon you will find yourself in a hopeless position and don't even understand how it happened.

All those special crucial moves, which you have embedded in your mind for years will not help you much as the majority of moves are ordinary moves. And it is hard playing an ordinary move without giving away anything.

I was waiting fifteen years to play a certain variation in the Scandinavian defense to play a crucial move. How long will you wait to play a crucial move that you have memorized? Or play something like the Legal's Mate or else...this position might never occur in your life.

Learn Chess using general principles, that can be applied all the time in every game. You can, of course, memorize chess variations but don't expect them to be played. They just should help you to understand a certain opening better and to grasp the ideas behind a certain setup, but don't expect more.

In Chess a lot is left to chance as you cannot work out everything over the board. This is the reason why even in high level Chess surprize moves are bound to happen. No human mind can work out everything over the board. Chess is far too complex for that.

So, the better player will win, as always.

Learn Chess at http://www.expert-chess-strategies.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Norbert_Thomas

Chess Game Pieces

The game of Chess contains two sets of 16 pieces, made up of one king, one queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks, and eight pawns -- all having distinct positions on the board. Chess pieces have always been crafted in various styles and materials, giving them not just game value but also a decorative worth.

The latest traditional pieces are very are beautifully carved with intricate and elegant details. These chess pieces are triple weighted, providing a rich feel with excellent balance. The extra wide and oversized profile makes them amazingly striking and excellent for play. They are made in various types of woods such as rosewood and boxwood, red sandalwood and boxwood, ebony and boxwood and even bud rosewood and boxwood.

There is outstanding range of chess pieces in metal and brass. These chess pieces are eloquently sculptured, and beautifully combined with wood. Chess pieces in metal and brass are marvelously crafted, in patterns of different themes such as Egyptian Chess pieces, Samurai Chess pieces, Lansquenet Chess pieces, Napoleon chess pieces, Roman emperor chess pieces, Small Carnelot chess pieces, and Barbarians chess pieces. The theme chess pieces are also hand painted, making them look exquisite and awe-inspiring.

The latest chess pieces are made in plastic that are used for tournaments. These chess pieces are available in combinations of black and ivory, red and ivory, black and caramel and burgundy and caramel. The plastic chess pieces are made from a durable solid plastic and are virtually indestructible. The chess pieces are single weighted and padded with green field paper for balance. These pieces are predominantly used in high-end chess clubs and for international tournaments.

Special Chess pieces are made with a magnetic base, mainly used during travel. Creativity and art has reached its reach peak as far as making of chess pieces are concerned. Many chess pieces are sculptured so finely that they are treasured as family heirlooms.

Chess Game provides detailed information on Chess Game, Free Chess Game, Online Chess Games, Free Chess Game Downloads and more. Chess Game is affiliated with Glass Chess Sets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

Chess Games for Kids

Studies carried out in different countries have clearly shown that chess games build up concentration, perception, self-discipline, planning and much more. In other words, chess games for kids combine developmental thinking and enjoyment.

Kids' chess games undoubtedly raise the intelligence quotient (IQ) scores of kids. They strengthen problem solving skills and the ability to make difficult and abstract decisions independently. Chess puzzles teach children to think logically and efficiently. As they learn advanced techniques from chess books and tutorials, children also pick up the good habit of reading.

Chess games are won or lost due to a tactics mistake. Identifying frequently-occurring tactical ideas is very important to success. Online chess games, chess instructive books, chess puzzles, etc, help kids practice and learn the game. An online chess game is one of the fastest and most enjoyable ways to improve at chess. It provides interactive chess lessons, quizzes, games and puzzles for kids. The kids can play chess against the computer with a variety of chess software packages.

Kids of all levels, from beginners to advanced tournament players, can find many instructive books in the market. In a simple, easy-to-understand format, these books explain different topics such as how to play, basic strategies and advanced tactics. Players can select from these sections according to their needs. For beginners, the first two sections are helpful to understand basic concepts, such as how to utilize a fork, pin, or skewer. The advanced tactics section gives additional information on opening, middle game planning, endgame strategies, piece activity, pawn structure and weak squares.

Many parents are beginning to learn that chess helps to develop the latent skills in children. Every piece on the chess board has a value and some have greater value than others. Losing stronger pieces for lesser ones may cost a player the game. Thus chess brings into focus ideas of mathematics for kids. Chess games for kids thus boost reading, memory, language and mathematical skills.

Chess Game provides detailed information on Chess Game, Free Chess Game, Online Chess Games, Free Chess Game Downloads and more. Chess Game is affiliated with Glass Chess Sets.