Tuesday, July 10, 2007

"Aim for small advantages"

I'm continuing to read Logical Chess Move by Move and while reading over game 7 (Spielmann v. Wahle) I read a quote which seemed to hit home with me since I tend to want to strike early and hard in a game.

In the beginning of the game ignore the search for combinations, abstain from violent moves. Aim for small advantages, accumulate them, and only after having attained these ends search for the combination - and then with all the power of will and intellect, because then the combination must exist, however deeply hidden.

Of course if there is a combination early, I think I'd take it, but the point is well taken ... get all your men ready for battle and then strike. Don't attack blindly or without preparation.

1 comment:

  1. yeah, that is something i've learned from the books and from playing, and it makes sense, it's so obvious. get as many pieces as you can involved in the attack, the more firepower, the better the chance. so obvoius, yet how many games have i tried to force an attack with a horse and/or bishop while most of my men were still on the back rank? (answer: very many) with many pieces in place, the combinations will almost happen by themselves....

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