It's 45 minutes so set aside some time. There is so much in there.
I'll just skim the surface.
Anand comments about all players having access to the same information
but adds each player has different experiences with this information.
So although both players know about say, the weakness of a backward pawn on
an open file, one player may be better versed in those type of positions through
playing games and study than his opponent.
To me this roughly explains why one GM can beat another.
Also, again as Anand mentions, the importance of putting your opponent into
positions that he may not like.
AT my/our level I call it blunderland where I give my opponent loads of
chances to go wrong with plausible moves.
Anand of course is talking about a much higher level but it amounts to the
same thing.
His horizontal and vertical approach to openings was also enlightening.
Vertical = stick to one opening know it very well.
Horizontal = be flexible, not know so much about it but it's harder for your
opponent to pin you down.
He has used both approaches in his World title matches.
It's clear from what Anand says you have to be a good player to get the
best from a computer and he refers to it as a tool.
I also liked his comment about why he stops looking at a computer screen about
a week before a tournament and just uses a board and pieces so you can,
as he says, "smell the wood."
That one is getting tucked into my back pocket next I have one my
book and board v computer training rants.
You can mix them but getting the board out, the actual weapon you will
be using in an OTB game is very important.
(You are not arguing with me you are arguing with Anand!) 😉
That bit about intuition was also very instructive.
He trusts his intuition (which is not a gift - it comes fro playing and studying)
to such an extent that if he cannot see fully why he wants to play a move he
forces (his words) his hand to make the move and press the clock.
"Now it's too late, it's done!"
Brilliant, very honest, also very instructive.
Some hack will run the game through a box, find this move and print all
the variations claiming Anand saw it all.
Joe Bloggs will see this, play out the variations, go 'WOW!' and when presented
with a similiar situation try to fathom it out OTB just like Anand did.
(and then will NOT play the move his intuition was screaming at him to play.)
Tal was often amazed at some of the variations he saw attached to his games
by other writers.
If your intuition is telling you to make a move and you cannot see an obvious
reason why not. Play it.
Anand talks about three types of positions: (i) those he believes he can figure out himself, (ii) those he needs to memorise what to do, and (iii) positions which are a bit of both.
I guess (i) is largely based upon what he describes as "the patterns that every chess player knows (or should know)... common knowledge... foundation" based on things like "remembering games from age of 6" where he refers to classic games. I believe that 99% of chess players should be focusing on (i). Most of the other aspects are interesting but too advanced for our level and needs.
In terms of improving our ability for positions of type (i), Anand is modest. He describes precomputer analysis as "trivial to remember". While this may sound like boasting, I think he's genuinely underestimating how much his tremendous talent, circumstances, etc. helped him. The rest of us need to work harder to achieve the same.
GP - like yourself, I prefer to use a physical board. But I actually thought that the article showed how little Anand used a board! He metioned "after a while you develop the skill of reading without a board" and "many top chess players don't carry a chess board with them at all times" and "stopped doing on a board... watching the screen". Ok, he starts to train with a board a week before a tournament so he does emphasise this need to do so, but it isn't his main approach. I'll keep using my board, not because of the article, but because I'm not Anand. 🙂
Originally posted by greenpawn34 Excellent link Wilf.
It's 45 minutes so set aside some time. There is so much in there.
I'll just skim the surface.
Anand comments about all players having access to the same information
but adds each player has different experiences with this information.
So although both players know about say, the weakness of a backward pawn on
an open fil ...[text shortened]... not. Play it.
Best vid I've seen in a long time. Excellent.
Good post Wilf.
Thanks for writing this- it's as good as a formal review!
I too thinks he underestimates his power, but what else does he know?
He was born with some sleeping talent, perhaps the ability to take things in
with a glance, where as we need it whacked into skulls with a cricket bat.
He was lucky enough that chess found him and this sleeping gift awoke.
So some things to him will be easy and he may not be able to fully understand
(how can he?) why others do not find it so easy.
The vid also gives you a glimpse of how much work he puts into the game.
Even the gifted talented players still need to push themselves.
(all this is very disheartening to the likes of us.....there is no quick fix.)
Anand on the influence of technology in chess
01 Jul '12 07:59
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