Solving Problems in Chess
July 30, 2010
Tags: Learning Chess Articles
Written by guest author Greg Delaney for Wholesale Chess.
One thing I have come to learn about chess is that every game, first and foremost, provides each player a series of problems to solve. In the broadest sense, every single position during a game is a problem solving opportunity. The winner of the game is the player who more successfully deals with the difficulties created during the contest. Challenges during a chess game range from general (“how can I get my queenside pieces out?”) to very specific (“How can I prevent my opponent from placing his knight at d5?”). There may be great urgency (“she threatens mate in one – what should I do?”) or a lull in the action (“no threats in his last move – how can I better my position?”). I think that chess is like life in this regard. Each day brings a new set of challenges and problems to overcome, with some being minor, some major, and some needing immediate attention.
It makes sense, I think, to look at how we solve problems in “real life” as a way
Solving Chess Problems
to improve our chess-related problem solving and, thereby, our game. I think it quite likely for many players to notice that their play at the chess board parallels their problem-solving skills in real life. Let’s say, for example, that I am the kind of person who overreacts to life’s difficulties and who acts impulsively when confronted challenges in life. I don’t think it is unreasonable to believe that I would tend to overreact to threats and attacks, moving impulsively without proper consideration of the position. If I am very deliberate in my problem-solving methods in life, looking over all the data I can gather before even considering a decision as to what I should do, odds are that I try to examine as much of the position as possible and calculate many variations numerous times to make sure I pick the right move. Odds are that as a player I get myself into time-trouble, too.
During my years of playing chess, I have read about and seen many different problem solving methods. Many players, like myself, are familiar with Kotov’s chess book, “Think Like a Grandmaster,” in which the author describes his “tree-like” method of selecting candidate moves and resulting variations. I played against people who clearly thought that the best way to solve the problems of chess is to throw everything including the kitchen sink at the opponent in a blistering attack. Some players pay little attention to what the opponent is doing, remaining focused solely on their plan and its execution. Others seem to solve problems at the chess board by playing very quickly, while still others think and think and think. I believe that we can gain a great insight into our chess playing by examining how we solve problems in our non-chess lives to see if these patterns repeat themselves during our games. We may also find that there is a better way to handle chess difficulties, with improvement being the result.
Greg Delaney is Life Member of USCF who returned to chess in 2005 after a three decade hiatus from the game he loves. He is an educator, club player, and student of IM Yelena Dembo. For fun, he blogs about chess and his work to improve as a player.
