A few days ago, Luis recommended me the book “Move by Move” (by Maurice Ashley) in which he talks about the chess player (Mikhail Tal) who I mentioned in the publication “Lucretia, chess and a zen parable.”
Â
From what I have read so far, one of the most interesting things is how the author debunks the myth that a grandmaster can anticipate dozens of moves.
Â
Ashley explains “There are too many possible moves. In fact, according to the author (I could not verify it) there are more potential motions than atoms in the observable universe. Therefore, it would be completely useless for a player to try to predict how a game will develop.”
Â
The book refers to Magnus Carlsen (reigning world chess champion), who is always looking for ways to adapt to the game, highlighting flexibility as the most important quality of an elite chess player.
Â
The message I take from the book is that chess, like life itself, requires continuous adaptation to the challenges that arise.
👇 Tip of the Day 👇
- If your plan is not working, change it.
Continuing with the analogy of chess and the message of the book…
Â
If you have a game plan and strategy that is not working, you should change your plan unless you want to lose the game.
Â
Predicting all events is impossible, being flexible and adaptable, although difficult, is one of the best skills you can develop.
