I personally don’t think it’s beneficial to play chess against yourself. Let me explain why.
Firstly, when you play against yourself, you already know your weaknesses and where you are lacking. This means that you may not challenge yourself enough or push yourself to improve in those areas. It’s like practicing a skill that you’re already good at instead of focusing on areas that need improvement.
Secondly, one of the best aspects of playing chess against another person is the element of surprise and unpredictability. When you play against yourself, you know both sides of the board and can anticipate your own moves. This takes away the excitement and challenge that comes with facing an opponent who has their own unique playing style and strategies.
However, there can be some benefits to playing chess against yourself in certain situations. For example, if you are trying to learn a specific opening line or study a particular position, playing both sides can help you understand the moves and strategies from both perspectives. It can be a useful tool for analysis and learning.
In my personal experience, I have found that playing against real opponents, whether in person or online, has been much more valuable in terms of improving my chess skills. The variety of playing styles, the strategic decisions made by other players, and the need to adapt to different situations have all contributed to my growth as a chess player.
To summarize, while playing chess against yourself may have some limited benefits for studying specific positions or opening lines, it is generally not as valuable as playing against real opponents. The unpredictability and challenge of facing other players are crucial for improvement and growth in the game.