For anyone having trouble with the Chess minigame who doesn't want to use a chess engine

[Cynical]

I'm an OK-ish chess player (rated 1600 rapid on lichess), and blew the initial mate-in-3 position with a misclick (oops) and had to play a full game, but if you're having trouble beating the AI in a full game, read up on the "Scotch Game" opening. That's what I played against it, and the AI had absolutely *no* idea how to deal with it; it was in a dead lost position by move 10, and it didn't offer much resistance against the conversion.

(On a side note, since there's been some speculation about how closely the rules of chess are followed, En Passant and castling *are* handled correctly, but you can't underpromote.)

[Steerpike3]

scotch is just 1e4 e5 @Knightt f3

[Cynical]

The Scotch is 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4. The AI in my game responded with 3... Nxd4, the Lolli variation, which is already considered inaccurate in modern practice (play continues with 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. Qxd4, and white is already better with a queen in the center that can't be easily kicked by black's queen's knight), but then the AI made its situation worse with 5... Bb4+, losing the bishop in one move.

[Steerpike3]

dude I had to look it up. Prbly better to defend with the knight than take the Pawn

[Cynical]

The pawn on e5 can't be defended with the knight; after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4, the only knight that could defend e5 is already developed to c6. The only move for black where they're not immediately worse is 3... exd4 (which can be met with either 4. Nxd4 [Scotch Game main line], 4, Bc4 [Scotch Gambit] or 4. c3 [Goring Gambit]). 3...Nxd4 fails for the reason posted above (active queen on d4 that can't be kicked), 3...d6 fails to 4. dxe5 Nxe5 5. Nxet dxe5 6. Qxd8 Kxd8 and now black has lost the right to castle, 3... d5 fails to 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. dxe5 dxe4 6. Qxd8 Kxd8.

[Steerpike3]

then it's a draw