Wednesday, March 02, 2005
For the Love of the Game
Why do we do the things that we do

Some people think that the knights are nuts for solving massive amounts of tactical problems. Some even say that the method we are using, i.e. 7circles are irrelevant and archaic. They would say something like: "How can you do repeat solving the same set of exercises over and over again", "Well I want to have a life too", and of course my personnal favorite "Tactics is not everything"

I dont think someone who haven't gone thru the program will understand completely, But I will try to explain here my thoughts regarding this matter.

1. It is highly addicting - You don't really think that we are able to solve tactical problems day-after-day due only to sheer self-disciple and will-power do you? I mean Margriet solves 200+ problem daily - is that really pure monumental dedication, or is there not a shade of addiction? You know, for me, At the start of the program I thought I'd quit halfway through. But as I went deeper and deeper into this thing, I am unable to stop. Of course I've gone a day here and there without solving problems, but I suspect that refraining from doing the exercises for three days will turn me into a quivering mass of jelly.

2. It is deeply satisfying - There is nothing like working the solution to a deep combination, and then finding out that youve analyzed all the correct variations. It does not happen most of the time of course. But when it does, when you find out that, that seven-move combination goes exactly as you predicted, There is nothing quite like it. I could only compare this to when I finally nailed down the "B" chord
in the guitar.

3. Tactics is beautiful - I havent read any post from my fellow knights whether they find some tactical ideas beautiful. But particularly when I was just starting and not yet used to the different tactical ideas, I can still remember seeing a rook sacrifice designed to pin the enemy queen and king. Not really a special combination, except for the fact that mate is threatened by that same queen and that after the pin was achieved, mate follows no matter what the opponent moves next. I literary mumbled to myself - "Ohhh.. It's so beautiful, so beautiful".

"OLD SALIERI: On the page it looked nothing. The beginning simple, almost
comic -just a pulse, bassoons, basset horns, like a rusty squeezebox. And
then, suddenly high above it, an oboe, a single note, hanging there
unwavering, until a clarinet took it over and sweetened it into a phrase of
such delight. This was no composition by a performing monkey! This was a
music I’d never heard, filled with such longing, such unfulfillable
longing. It seemed to me that I was hearing a voice of God"

Also, I began to fully appreciate the power of the pin after this. Sure I've seen pins before, even used it myself sometimes but: There are pins and there are pins.

Anyway -
You know, it is a little too early for this for I am only at my 481st problem, but I am sometimes almost afraid to continue. Normally, the succesfull completion of a hard endeavor is cause for celebration, but for every problem that goes answered, for every step nearer to completion - It also becomes near, "Nearer the day of our parting"

You see, after finishing the program, I may not be able to do it again. Despite the
three reasons above, I think I may have to train in a different area to get some balance. I know, I know, I posted that I wanted to rely on combinations. But if nothing else, two years of studying positional chess has left its mark.

After this, I am thinking of ordering the Convekta Strategy 2.0 CD and doing a 7 circles with it. Did one of the knights already ordered and found it quite useful? I would be grateful for further feedback. But all this talk of strategy. This should be for later. Right now, I just want to enjoy my tactics.

We have so little time left together..
posted by Nezha at 1:46 AM | Permalink |


  • At 10:30 AM, Blogger Pawn Sensei

    If you think stopping tactics is bad, once my coach told me to stop all chess related activities for a whole week. It's on my blog if you can find it.


  • At 4:10 PM, Blogger Temposchlucker

    O yes, the beauty of some combinations! The one I like the most is a position where it seems to be impossible that there is a tactic. I once looked for twenty minutes to a total dull position. I knew there had to be something, but I was convinced it just was impossible. The pieces of the enemy and mine just seemed nowhere to come even near each other. After 20 minutes I looked for the answer and was totally perplex.
    I started mumbling "how is it possible, how is it possible?"

  • At 2:41 AM, Blogger King of the Spill

    It's a high when ya get a combination right :)