I have always thought that it would be interesting (and useful) to create chess training software that trains you to play like one of the great masters of the past in a more comprehensive way than it is possible right now (i.e. studying their writings and playing through their games). I think that it would be far easier to assimilate this information if it was placed into a comprehensive software chess trainer. Let us take Steinitz, for instance, whose writings are quite extensive and who has written analysis for over 200 of his games:
1. A "Learn to Play" section included for beginners
2. Lessons and drills (find the pin, checkmate in X moves, find the fork, etc.) Unlike most learning programs, however, in this case all of the setups where you are supposed to find the pins, forks, checkmates, etc. are taken directly from (in this case) Steinitz's games. You will learn them by seeing them in the same setups that Steinitz did.
3. Strategy trainer--normal method of demonstrating concepts and example games, except that it solely covers Steinitz's methods without any modern commentary included.
4. Opponent computers programmed to play (as closely as is possible) using the chess theory prevalent in Steinitz's day. They will emulate as closely as possible Steinitz's opponents.
5. Examples taken from Steinitz's games, where you must select the next, or most "logical" move, based upon Steinitz's theories.
Other features could be included, but this is only intended as a rough outline.
It would be relatively easy to make something like this for Philidor (whose writings survive along with only a small quantity of material game-wise to shift through) or Gioachino Greco (again, his writings and commentaries are existent, and his 77 games are not too cumbrous to look through or record). I am actually contemplating making training software for Greco and Philidor.
Please be sure to tell me what you think. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
I'm thinking of starting a series of bubblegum cards of famous chess players with a picture of them in action on front and their stats on the back. Also on the back, maybe a brief chess game illustrating their style. Kids would say, "I'll trade you three Nimzos for one Capablanca!" You could have a signature series of famous tournaments, like Curacao. There would also be rookie cards, like Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen, which would be collector's items after they win the world championship. Yea, I can see it all now...
Nimzovitch died in 1935. Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. I did read somewhere that Nimzo enjoyed standing on his head. In fact, he is the only chessplayer i know of who broke his leg while playing chess. Seems his leg got tangled up with the leg of the table. Also, it seemed he had a hobby of building handpuppets, which he would construct in the image of his chess rivals. In 1929, while playing Alekhine at the Breslau Club he produced one of his little masterpieces, one that looked just like the Nazi sympathizing doctor and infuriated his opponent by making it give the Heil Hitler salute all during the game. Alekhine, distracted by this impromptu exhibition, lost the white side of a French Defence in twenty-three moves. He subsequently complained to the president of the club and had poor Nimzo kicked out on the grounds of slandering the Fatherland. All this is in the books. You could look it up.
Originally posted by buddy2Thats why Nimzo is easily my all time favorite chess player.
Nimzovitch died in 1935. Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. I did read somewhere that Nimzo enjoyed standing on his head. In fact, he is the only chessplayer i know of who broke his leg while playing chess. Seems his leg got tangled up with the leg of the table. Also, it seemed he had a hobby of building handpuppets, which he would construct in ...[text shortened]... t on the grounds of slandering the Fatherland. All this is in the books. You could look it up.
Originally posted by Tactical PlayNo, but you can still model your style of play on Steinitz, Fischer, Tal, etc. Many of the world champions have written in depth on their methods, and while you may not have the raw talent to play like them, you can adopt their methods/theories. If, for instance, you learned chess solely from Howard Staunton's chess teaching books from the 19th century, you would probably play with a style relatively close to Staunton. Your idea on the relative valuation of pieces, the center's importance, which openings to use, etc. would all come from Staunton. You wouldn't play exactly like him, and your chess play would be at a lower level strength-wise, but your style of play would resemble his in most respects.
Why don't we all just copy Kasparov and become world champions?!?!?!?
Dude, your not Steinitz, Fischer, Tal, Kramnik or Kasparov. Don't try to emulate them, it will only make you worse then you already are.
This is why, in past history, you see various "schools" of chess emerging around strong players' writings. We categorize them into "schools" to convey the idea of a large number of people operating along similar chess principles. Thus, we have the French school of chess based upon Philidor's writings and games, Steinitz's school of chess based upon his writings and theories (incidentally, since Steinitz's classical teachings are now considered by and large correct, at least a portion of modern chess players' styles derive from Steinitz), the English school based upon Staunton, the "Modenese" school based upon Ponziani and Del Rio (a school of chess derived from Greco's), and so on.
Originally posted by AmauroteThank you. Right now I'm still at the research phase for Greco--I have the 1900 reprint of his 77 games, and have gone to the Library of Congress to get a 1750 reprint of his complete writings copied. It should be finished in 4 weeks. In the meantime I'm getting the text of the 1656 book from microfilm at Penn State (they wouldn't allow me to photocopy it in the Library of Congress) and am searching other libraries for a third translation of his work from 1819 by William Lewis.
Very interesting indeed, hopefully you'll get some programming feedback on this.