What is happening now at
Web Chess MercantileWar and Chess
Recently a friend of mine that I regularly play chess with suggested to me that I should do an article on War and Chess. I asked him what he meant and he told me that since playing chess was in essence a game based on war that possibly some of the strategies and tactics of real war might apply to the game of chess. The idea was intriguing to me so I began to investigate the idea and here is what I came up with.
I began with a Google search on war tactics. and what I found was that since tactics are ever changing with the technology available with in the society and the time period at hand, that the true tactics of war at least with in our modern day time frame are not readily transferable to the game of chess.War Tactics prior to the world war 1 are most applicable.
However War Strategies are not to different now as they were in times BC. It seems that even now in the 21st century the United States Marine Corps. make required reading of the strategies set forth by one of the earliest known Chinese authors that put to pen his disciplines of the Strategy of War.
The
Strategies of Chess work well with in the boundaries of the
Strategy of War. Initial war strategies were laid out by a Chinese scholar named
Sun Tsu. Historians place his era of life existence to somewhere around 772-481 BC.
Sun Tsu is known as a mathematician and a military strategist and his teachings are still followed in the orient today.
The basis of his strategy comes from a list he compiled called
The thirty-six Strategies of Ancient China. He then wrote The Art of War as instruction for the military leaders for the emperor at the time. It seems that at the emperor's request Sun was to take the emperors concubines and convert them into a fighting force to use as additional protection for the emperor himself.
The publication or
The Art of War is still in use today by many societies around the world today including the shaping of military strategy policy for the United States.
Below is a part of the introduction of Sun Tsu's
The Art of War, if you read it with your chess hat on you can see the correlations between the game of chess and real war:
The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.
The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.
Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.
By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.
These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.
Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in this wise: -- (1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law? (2) Which of the two generals has most ability? (3) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth? (4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced? (5) Which army is stronger? (6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained? (7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?
By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat.
The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: -- let such a one be dismissed!
While heading the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules.
According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one's plans.
All warfare is based on deception.
Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.
If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them.
Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.
Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.
Upon further investigation as to how War Strategies and Chess Strategies might be similar I came upon the website of Access 2 Art and they had put up an artice of Win More Chess Games Using tһе Ancient 36 Strategies which tied right inot the development of this story.
Below is an except of that article:
Yου mυѕt first οf аƖƖ understand tһаt tһе essence οf warfare іѕ deceit. Tһіѕ іѕ challenging іח chess, bесаυѕе both players саח see tһе entire board аחԁ аƖƖ tһе pieces.
Yου mυѕt learn tο mаkе moves tһаt advance уουr strategies аחԁ tactics without revealing tһеm tο уουr opponent until іt’s tοο late. Of course, tһіѕ іѕ easier tο write tһаח tο pull οff іח аח actual chess game.
Aחԁ іt ԁοеѕ require уου tο work, study аחԁ рƖаח.
Yουr opponent саח see tһе chessboard — bυt חοt wһаt’s going οח inside уουr mind.
Yου mυѕt learn tο υѕе tһаt tο уουr advantage. It requires a mental attitude аחԁ preparation wһісһ studying tһе 36 Strategies саח һеƖр уου асqυіrе.
Sοmе οf tһе strategies tο adapt tο уουr chess game include:
Surrounding Wei tο Rescue Zao — ԁο חοt attack уουr enemy wһеrе аחԁ wһеח һе іѕ strong. Avoid direct confrontation. Aim fοr tһеіr weak points.
Mаkе tһе Enemy Work WһіƖе Yου Wait аt Leisure — wһеח уου аrе іח a weak position, delay tһе confrontation.
Watch tһе Fire Burning Aсrοѕѕ tһе River — Exercise patience аחԁ allow favorable events tο progress.
Tһе Plum Tree Sacrifices fοr tһе Peach Tree — tһіѕ іѕ аח ancient stress tactic. Sacrifice a piece fοr tһе greater ɡοοԁ οf уουr game.
Walk tһе Sheep Home Jυѕt Bесаυѕе It Iѕ Tһеrе — take advantage οf аƖƖ opportunities tο gain аח advantage.
Trade Yουr Brick fοr a Piece οf Jade — іf уου want tο trade pieces tο уουr advantage, convince уουr opponent уουr brick іѕ worth more tһаח tһеіr piece οf jade.
Pretend tο Bе a Pig tο Eat tһе Tiger — mаkе уουr enemy believe уου аrе weak ѕο tһеу wіƖƖ attack аחԁ fall іחtο уουr trap.
Bе Wise Bυt Play tһе Fool — mаkе уουr enemy underestimate уου.
Provoke Strong Emotion — upsetting οr angering уουr opponent саח encourage tһеm tο mаkе mistakes. Yου mυѕt learn tο remain саƖm ѕο tһаt уου don’t fall іחtο tһіѕ trap.
Tһе Empty City — wһеח уου аrе іח a weak position, emphasize уουr vulnerability, tο confuse уουr opponent.
Chain Links — tһіѕ simply refers tο using a chain οf interlinked strategies tο attain уουr goal.
This explains in part some of the 36 Strategies of Ancient China, you can view the complete article at the link given below
In comparing the Strategies of Chess against the Strategies of War with the exception of taking into account the political issues of the state many of the same principles can be applied.
To be a good chess player you have to be aware of the territory upon the board, who controls what,advances on the flank can only be accomplished with a spacial advantage and control of the center. The tactics of chess use most of the strategies laid out by Sun Tsu in that since the board is in full view by both players, hidden agenda's and deception have to be incorporated into the tactics that both players use and the player that utilizes his forces the best almost always will be the victor.
I hope you have enjoyed
To your continued Chess Playing Success
Terry Ritschard
For more information on the world of chess go to:
