The new Assumptions

We want to move forward so lets see if these new assumptions has validity. Chess is a sophisticated game and so we need sophisticated players and sophisticated thinking. I said that technical is only a partial story.

Lets examine this closer. Last night Mark brought my attention to a strong IM. The comments in the book about his game was that he was unable to stop and re-strategise in the midst of a battle. He was unable to see when the battle has turned and so he remains an IM despite his strength.

When I say technical is not enough this is what I mean. Lets say we have 2 engineers. One works hard to earn his place to his cubicle. He has reached the highest level he can reach technically and the other starts to learn more about the nature of his business. He begins to learn about how to synergise with the other departments; finance, HR, corporate etc. Eventually when he has joined enough dots he becomes the CEO of the company.

Now these 2 also plays chess and they meet in battle. One will remain as IM and the other will become GM. I am sure I do not have to tell you who will become GM.

So this is a self apparent truth. Now ask yourself, why is this so difficult for our strong chess players to see? How do they manage to shield themselves from this apparent truth? Why the stoic defence of the pretence that a GM can come from just the technical?

The new assumption is we will not have a GM until we learn to recognise the other 3 components of chess. And the biggest component is self awareness. The GM sees the bigger picture.

Now I ask you which goal do you want for yourself or your child. To earn the place to that cubicle or to learn to see the bigger picture so that you or your child will now have the tools to be the best that you/they can be. If you are trained that way chess will now allow you to be a GM if that is what you want or be the best businessman or anything else you set your mind to. That can only be done if you take the other route. Not just the technical. Then you are learning all that you can learn from chess.