Intro

CHESS....What is so special about chess? What is so interesting about the 64 black and white squares? Is chess a science, a math or perhaps...an art? The answer isn't trivial for chess depends on the way you look at it, your understanding and your personality.

Different people interpret chess in different ways. The Magician of Riga, Tal called chess an art. So did Paul Morphy. These great players played chess in an aggressive manner, looking for sacrifices every other move,mesmerizing their opponents and the audience. With their innovative and creative play, these players created so much mental pressure upon their opponents that small inaccuracies(which were very rare) went unnoticed. They are the true advertisers of chess.

Another approach to chess, which emerged post the world wars, was the scientific, or the concrete approach. Pioneered by the great Soviet GrandMaster Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, this approach was based on concrete analysis and deep study.

The Math approach to chess is a little uninteresting. This method is employed by the prevalent Chess engines such as RYBKA, FRITZ etc. These engines, equipped with high system resources, overpower chess masters and even Grand Masters by their sheer calculating capacity. Even for an immediate Mate in the next move, these engines calculate(or foresee) the numerous pawn moves.

Over the years, different approaches to chess have been tried out. It is up to the individual to select the approach which suits his personality.

In this blog, I'll try to present some of the basic concepts in chess and try to spread the limited chess knowledge that I have. Along with you, the readers of this blog, I would also like to improve my chess knowledge and become better at chess. I would like to receive your comments, analysis and views on the various topics that I write.

Happy CHESSing!!!