When using an actual board and pieces, I have always performed captures by picking up my piece, then picking up the captured piece with the same hand as I place my piece on the square. In a torunament I would do this carefully, not letting the pieces touch; but in casual or blitz games, I am likely to let the pieces smack together.
I have seen many players who pick up the captured piece first, then pick up their own piece and place it on the capturing square. It seems to me that this is an extra motion, and wastes time (which would be important in blitz chess). Also, with the touch move rule, you would be committing to capturing that piece, where if you picked up your own piece first, you could still decide mid air to place it down somewhere else.
Which way do you execute captures and why?
(There is extra credit for dropping your piece onto the edge of the opponents piece which causes their piece to slide sideways into the palm of your hand.)
In blitz I use one hand to move my piece and pick up the captured piece in one movement and then hit the clock with either the piece or my hand if it is a touch sensor clock. In slow games I try to pick up the captured piece first and then move my piece, with the same hand of course.
Grab your piece with your thumb and forefinger, move it to the square the capture is occuring on, as you place your piece use your other three fingers and palm to pick up the opposing piece.
Once you touch both pieces, you are obligated to capture that piece with that piece, regardless of which you touched first.
If you touch your piece first, you are obligated to move that piece. The obligation to capture occurs only after you have touched both.
If you touch the opponent’s piece first, you are obligated to capture that piece. The obligation to do so with your piece occurs only after you have touched both.
I always use one hand to execute captures. No particular reason, I suppose, other than that is what the people I first learned chess from did. Maybe the only advantage of capturing with one hand is that you get an extra split second to see the hemlock dripping off that tasty pawn you are about to grab.
I take care to not let the pieces touch. I consider letting them touch to be a breach of etiquette; because (a) it damages the fine wood pieces that my opponent brought for us to enjoy, and (b) it makes a noise.
My impression is that few people agree with my assessment about etiquette in this area. In the past I have considered lugging a cheap plastic set to tournament games along with my nice wood set, and assessing the age and attitude of my opponent before choosing which to setup.
In the last couple tournaments I played in I just decided to accept that some opponents are going to damage the pieces, and that I could eventually buy another set.
Also, carrying chess pieces compactly as a compressed bunch rubs them together a lot. But I am not going to buy a bulky holder that protects them from each other.
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I changed back to plastic for the reasons that you gave above. My nice set is a gift and I am not so willing to just replace it. I appreciate the occasional game on a nicer set when another player brings better equipment. Perhaps I should purchase a nice “replacement” set now and use it.
Back on topic, I sometimes remove the opponent’s piece first. When I don’t do this the pieces may touch but I do not “chop” the pieces together.
