Living Strategically.. Chess

8/9/2019 Living Strategically.. Chess

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Living Strategically: 50 Lessons Chess Teaches YouAbout Life

Posted on March 26, 2013bySean Hampton-Cole

24 Votes

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1. In chess, every move has a purpose. Life obviously cannot be lived with this muchunceasing calculation, nor should we want to live it that way, but there are times when

we must align our actions with a predetermined strategy, instead of bumbling through

it.

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2. lay for the advantage. If you already have it, maintain it. If you don!t have it, sei"e it.

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#. $veryone!s playing. %ometimes it!s a friendly, often it is more serious. &he problem is

that not everyone 'nows they!re playing ( even after they have made a move.

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4. %ei"e the initiative. If you wait around for someone else to ma'e a decision for you,

they will) and you probably won!t li'e how it turns out.

***

. Learn to spot patterns. &here are often clearly defined lines of success that wor' well.

Learn to see these when they repeat, and ta'e advantage of them.
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+. on!t get stuc' on the formula. - little bit of creativity and lateral thin'ingcan often

ta'e you to new heights.

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. Ignore what your opponent is trying to do at your own peril. /e often get so absorbed

in our own games and machinations that we ignore what is going on around us. 0e

aware of threats and alert to opportunities.

. %implify.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinkinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinking


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***

. If you only play pat"ers, you never really improve ( ta'e on a few tough challenges,

and even if you lose, try to learn something new.

13. ut your losses. %ometimes you are going to lose material. &ry to minimise yourlosses and move on.

11. lay the board, not the player. on!t target your responses at people, target what they

say and do. &here is a difference.


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***

12. %ometimes you get stuc' in a position 'nown in chess as "ug"wang5 where whichever

move you ma'e is a bad one. &his is 6ust the way it goes sometimes, in chess and in life.

1#. &here is nothing more satisfying than a discovered attac'5 retending to do one

thing, while attac'ing somewhere else. Learn to play and live less obviously and on more

levels. &his ma'es you less predictable and more interesting.

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14. 0e prepared to sacrifice material for position. %ometimes even the greatest material

sacrifice can result in a winning position later on.

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1. If you spend all of your time chasing lowly pawns, you may be on the receiving end of

an opponent who cares less about small victories and more about winning the war.


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1+. - threat is best met with a move that improves your own position. on!t get trapped

into mindlessly trading moves and material in anger. %ometimes the solution is more

gentle and cerebral.

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1. 7ou don!t have to be a devious swindler to win) you 6ust have to be better.

***

1. /e all blunder from time to time. &his does not mean we should give up and run

away. 8ften when you!re sure there is no way out after a bad mista'e, you will be given a

lifeline.


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1. /hen someone ma'es a move that you cannot understand, don!t read more into it

than you need to. %ometimes people 6ust ma'e silly moves ( that!s all there is to it.


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23. 9ave a lan 0. -nd a lan . If none of those wor', you!re probably doomed.

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21. lay for the middle. on!t hold bac' too much, and don!t push through too early.

7our opportunity will come.

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22. 9ow you start a game determines how you will finish it. lay wisely.

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2#. If an opening appears, sei"e it immediately.

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24. on!t get pinned down. /here something more cherished cannot be brought into

play because it is stuc' behind something trivial, ma'e every effort to get it into the

game ( as soon as possible.

2. In the end game, attac' the :ing by focussing your attention on his escape s;uares5

/hen you are in the final stretch, and about to win, anticipate what could go wrong and

plan accordingly.

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2+. 0e fle


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2. If you are feeling bo


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#3. -ccumulate small advantages.

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#1. &here are no foregone conclusions in life or in chess.


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#2. Ignore meaningless threats. -nticipate and deal with dangerous ones swiftly.

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##. >ever rest on your laurels. :eep thin'ing, loo'ing for new opportunities and trying

to generate new ideas.


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#4. on!t be overly impressed with lofty words or titles. &he only thing worse than being

overly diffident towards those who outran' you, is being dismissive of those inferior toyou.

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#. :eep calm and move slowly.

***

#+. ?eplace wishful thin'ing with action.


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#. If you lose, do so graciously and try to learn at least one important lesson.

#. %ometimes a draw is as good as a win. 0ut a draw is always better than a loss.

***

#. :eep your options open and always have an escape route.


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43. %urprise and impress people with unconventional moves. 0ut not with dumb ones.

reativity always has a purpose ( doing something wild and cra"y 6ust for the sa'e of itmay be fun at the time, but ultimately has no value. 0rea' the rules ( but only if it serves

a good purpose.

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41. -ppraise your position honestly. If it is bad, do something about it ( if it is good,

ma'e it even better.


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4+. onnect your pieces cleverly. ollaboration and cooperation are the 'eys to success.

***

4. Loo' beyond the obvious.


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3. If all else fails) fa'e it.

8 Life Strategies That Playing ChessHas Taught Me

Written by Cherie Roe ir!sen "#$%#R& 16, 2013 in#'a!e and #'are,Conscio(s

)i*in+,Spirit(ality'ith Comments
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Being a Rookie

Chess is a game that I love to play with my husband. He is suh an enviable

strategist. !hen I "rst started playing with him# I felt li$e a omplete foolevery time he snoo$ered my $ing and got me into he$%mate.

!hen I let my pride ta$e the ba$ seat# I disovered a remar$able game that

I ould undeniably learn from whilst en&oying some 'uiet# re(etive# 'uality

time with my partner.

I found it a rela)ing pursuit with red%hot moments of intensive brain%

strething * a great way to 'uanti+e your thin$ing. It not only ta$es the

grey matter for a stroll around the yard but also teahes you valuable

lessons in forethought# planning# awareness and defense tatis.

Has Anyone Seen the Bishop?

I started to see more spiritual truths in hess the more we played, in fat it

was beginning to be a remar$able representation of life-

It aroused me to apply these teahing to my own life situations and# if not

why not# to other peoples life irumstanes too. / lot of people are already

either inadvertently or deliberately playing hess with their situations and

relationships.

It opened my eyes and taught me that there is usually either a way to slip

out of trouble or to ath yourself and your opponent by surprise with your

brilliant and alm maneuvering apabilities.

Be Your Own Knight in Shining Armor

0ust when things start to loo$ hopeless# you view your game from a di1erent

angle or perspetive and you move to the side and allow danger to pass.

!hat a great allegory for life-


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Here are some of the life strategies chess has permitted me to

comprehend:

ulti!layers * there is always more than meets the eye in any given

situation.

"atience * slow and steady wins the rae.

Side!Stepping * there is usually either an evasive move or a ounter%ation

you an ta$e when in the fae of danger. 2ont lose hope.

Shifting #iews* when things are loo$ing dire for you# all you may need is a

shift in perspetive that an open up new doorways.

"ositi$e Outlook* always try to stay optimisti and you will habitually

"gure out a good move to ma$e.

Acknowledgments* ongratulate your opponent on good moves * you

an learn from them too. 2ont let your pride get in the way of wisdom.

%race* be a good loser beause you never really lose in life# you &ust start a

new game and learn from the previous one. So hone in on your s$ills by learning

from your mista$es * nothing is ever in vain. 3e a graious winner too# there is

no room for friends in your life if your big head is ta$ing up all the spae-

Always Ha$e &un* en&oy the proess# the game of hess 4life5 is e)iting#

invigorating and hallenging * all of whih $eep you feeling alive#

vibrant# polished and moti$ated'

etaphors and etamorphosis ( from "awns to Kings


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I love painting life e)periene with

intriguing metaphors and feel even more elated when suh an analogy

beomes a bald%faed truth.

!hen we an beome the observers of lifes smaller things# li$e an innoent

")ture of hess# and transform it into a fresh perspetive of life# it hanges

us. !e start loo$ing all over for these spiritual growth sign%posts and we

usually "nd them in the strangest of plaes.

Chess is the ultimate sport of e)istene and even though I $now the

strategies have been used in more negative life e)perienes# suh as war

and devious orporate obliteration# it an also be used to your advantage in

o%reating your reality.

6ive yourself a game plan and be (e)ible enough to disern inherent

dangers whilst on tra$# this way you will be able to metaphorially du$ and

dive bullets 4&ust li$e 7eo in The Matri) movie5. 3e unning and graeful and


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