Do you want to play a game of Chess?
by Teddy David Mills, chess rating ~1650

May 2002

"Chess is ruthless. you've got to be prepared to kill people"
                       -- Nigel Short British Chess Champion 
							
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I love the line the WOPR speaks from the movie "Wargames".
(As a reminder, view my Favourite movies for my War Games review.)


Chess players have the reputation of being geekish or weak.
The exact opposite is true.  Actually its the people that dont 
know chess at all that have that opinion.  




To play chess, you have to think like a Samuari. 
The famous Ancient Art of War, is useful even 
centuries later in military strategy.




Obviously logical thinking a great memory, visual and spatial skills, 
and imagination help a lot. People who excel at finding patterns
and superb logical thinking make great chess players.




If your passive or weak-minded, you better take up some other sport, 
cause chessplayers aren't exactly known for mercy or taking it easy
on others. 
 
 
Chess is not a team game. Maybe thats why I like it so much. 
No one else to blame or rely upon. Only me, my imagination 
and brainpower.


Playing chess is like life. To be at your most effective in life, 
you need to balance offense and defense. 


If your playing defense all the time, your just delaying the inevitable.
If your playing offense all the time, your just speeding up the inevitable.
Play with balance. When you move, move with purpose and understand everything
that will happen several moves ahead.


Another important lesson I have learned is sacrifice. To get something,
you have give up something. I call it "taking one for the team"
 
 
Chess is like art. All artists, writers create their paintings and 
writings from their imaginations. Chess is no different. 
Once in a while you create a masterpiece!




Vanquishing an arrogant superior opponent with your masterpiece chess game, 
well life doesn't get much better. Respect is never given, you have to take it.








British chess players were recruited to do cryptography in the second world 
war and had to  break the German code called 'Enigma'. The codename of the
latest Redhat 7.2 is also called Enigma. Obviously if you have your opponents plans, 
its game over.
 When the British cryptographers/chess players cracked the code, 
it was the start of the end for the Germans. Then again the Germans decision to 
attack the Russians, British and Americans essentially all at the same wasn't 
the wisest idea either.
 


After Pearl Harbour, the United States also had chess players employed as 
code crackers in Hawaii. The fate of the Pacific Fleet war was very dependant 
on breaking the Japanese Imperial code.  They did crack it, and were able to 
ambush the Japanese at Midway, who at the time had the superior 
Pacific navy fleet and were lulled into a false sense of security from that.




In chess your job, is to met your opponent at Midway and catch them with all 
their bombs on the flight deck. 


Your allowed to try every trick in the book. Even cheating like illegal 
moves!. We had  one player who used to put pieces one the line, so that
he could argue that his piece was on white or dark, depending on the situation. 
In retrospect, I can now see he was just trying to win at any cost, even cheating.
All is fair in war.




In fact some chess players in serious games use psyschological warfare. 
One of Gary Kasparovs tricks wa when it was his opponents turn, stood up, 
walked behind him and looked over his shoulder and made snide or snickering 
sounds when the move was made. 


I found that a little hate for your opponent is good. It gives you an edge. 
After the game is over of course, the hate shouldn't linger.


The Japanese samuari swordsmen and chess players are similar. 
Both are basically trying to kill each other. Almost always the more experienced, 
will win, but  the less experienced samuri does not have to resign himself to just 
delaying death.  He can use unconventional attacks, try crazy things and maybe 
catch his opponent offguard. 


The chinese smybol ying/yang symbolizes balance. 
Karate Kids Mr. Migayi was right when he said you need balance. 
You need to remember ying/yang in whatever it is you do. I use it in every chess game.


This I have learned. No matter who your enemy is, you fight the same way. 
The only thing that changes is your balance between offense and defense.


Chess is also like boxing. 
You can play chess likes Mike Tyson boxes. Almost no defense and attack like crazy. 
Your chess matches will be quick. Or you can be like Lennox Lewis and just jab and 
box your way to a win. Nothing flashy or spectacular, just get the job done.


The chink in Mike Tysons armour was found and exploited. All you had to was box him.
Mike wasn't a boxer. The reason Mike Tysons method worked so well, is that he 
instilled fear and intimation into his opponents even before the fight began. 
At the opening bell, he came running across the ring like a madman.  


One thing I can say is that no matter what sport or competition you decide to enter, 
if your new, they are going to beat the shit out of you with no mercy until either 
you get better or quit.


/teddy