Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Opening, Thinking, and Time Management

Heisman san, what do the three items in the title of this post have in common?

Young Patzer, walk with me. Which is more important in life, breathing or talking? Do not answer, oh chatting Patzer. Consider CT-Art problem 124. How many times shall it appear in your games? Then, ask same question of opening, thinking process, and time management.

I am but a novice, Heisman-san. Please speak in clear language. I've always hated zen koans.

Very well, petulant Patzer, if you actually slow down and read what is written, you would know the answer to your riddle:
The importance of a chess concept is directly related to how often it occurs. For example, managing your time or how you think affects each move and thus are both very important. The same, or similar positions early in the opening occur quite frequently so, from that perspective, understanding those positions is also relatively important.

Thank you for speaking so clearly, Heisman san. Does this mean I should should just memorize opening lines?

[Heisman smacks the Patzer with a reed]

How often is it important to control the center? Now think, impetuous Patzer, how often must one know to move 6. Nh5 in the Loud Liver Quiet Variation?

Thank you, sensei. Thank you! But what if I just like to memorize opening variations, the way I like to, say, watch the Simpsons.

Very well, young Patzer. But do not forget the principles.

One more question. Does all of this mean tactics aren't important?

[Heisman gives Patzer three smacks with the reed.]

12 Comments:

Blogger Temposchlucker said...

If you don't have to THINK about your OPENING, TIME MANAGEMENT is much easier.

1/24/2006 06:42:00 PM  
Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said...

There are some really creative writers amongst the Knights :)

Anyway, you strike me as the type that would definetly benefit greatly from Andrew Martin's Basics of Winning Chess (ChessBase) DVD.
Though i greatly recommend any of there study/training material. I myself am a huge fan of their stuff.

1/24/2006 08:20:00 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

ROLF!

I see you have adopted my bizarre out-of-body writing style. . .well done!

1/24/2006 10:24:00 PM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

Jim, I used to see your creative posts when I first started reading these blogs, and think, "Man, that guy is crazy."

Now look at me.

1/24/2006 10:37:00 PM  
Blogger Pale Morning Dun - Errant Knight de la Maza said...

Love it. Grasshopper, you will prosper from studying Heisman-sans articles indeed, just like the monkey who eats the banana prospers...or something.

1/25/2006 01:29:00 AM  
Blogger CelticDeath said...

I'm just trying hard to erase the visual from my mind of Dan Heisman smacking you with a reed! :p

1/25/2006 03:18:00 PM  
Blogger takchess said...

SIR!YES SIR!!! THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THING IN CHESS ARE KING SAFETY AND PIECE ACTIVITY! KING SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE AND PIECE ACTIVITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY ELSE EXCEPT FOR KING SAFETY! SIR YES SIR!

1/25/2006 04:50:00 PM  
Blogger Pawnsensei said...

Dude. That's just wrong. *cries*

PS

1/25/2006 06:36:00 PM  
Blogger funkyfantom said...

Dude, I'm going to solve all your opening problems right now.

Just play the Hippopatomus setup against anything, whether you are black or white. Fianchetto both bishops, play both knights to the second rank behind a little pawn center.

If your opponent attacks kingside, castle queenside and vice-versa.

No more time wasted on learning opening theory.

And gms do play this against gms( although not too often.), so how bad could it be?

1/26/2006 11:16:00 AM  
Blogger katar said...

Hippo and other hypermodern setups require long range strategic planning. Much simpler to play on principles established by Morphy, Steinitz, Tarrasch. Put a pawn in the center, then king's knight, then a bishop, then another knight or castle. Simple development is more direct than playing for tricks or playing a trendy name-brand opening. Although, if there were an opening named the COBRA STRIKE i might decide to play it.

1/28/2006 02:28:00 PM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

I prefer classical to hypermodern openings, as discussed in my previous post, so I'm gonna stick to something like what Patrick suggests.

Luckily, I'm not usually falling behind in the openings but the middlegame.

1/28/2006 03:19:00 PM  
Blogger Calvin said...

i like the post!

1/29/2006 12:02:00 AM  

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