INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 11

INTRODUCTION AND PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 11

Today’s game because players don't think in mainly from a basis of pattern recognition and

Terms of them. The former proposal is not of calculation, and would have a very difficult

Much interest because it is so vague and subject time explaining in words why they made a

       to various interpretations of the word 'rule' .       Complicated decision except by using some sort

But I have tried to show evidence for the latter of radical simplification. By contrast, they fre‑

claim, and to make the related point that the queenly do provide a detailed explanation for a

movement in modem chess is away from ab­ move by demonstrating variations, for example,

strict theoretical thinking and towards a more in a post-mortem analysis. But in such an anal‑

open and realistic view of the board. To what ysis, how can so much information be gleaned

extent that is true can be seen best by examine­ from a limited number of moves? Clearly there

ing actual practice. I would suggest that when exists a large pool of shared information be‑

one considers the many specific changes that teen any set of analysts involving chess pat‑

modern chess has undergone, a handy way to terns and associated assessments that are taken

think about some of them would be in terms of for granted by all parties. Referring to a study

the limiting influence that certain general and by the University of Constance that grandmas‑

specific assumptions have had on players' think­ ters have access to something like 100,000

Of course I am only describing evil­ stored patterns, Grandmaster Jonathan Resonation of thought, not saying those older generations says: "In my view it's the brain that makes the

played largely by rules or that modern ones patterns on the basis of experience, so all the

have abandoned them outright. But over time, grandmaster does is expose himself to chess in‑

the changes have been considerable indeed. I formation and lets the brain rack it up in its

think that most observers will agree that there own mysterious way." This corresponds with

has been an exponential increase in positions the study's finding that in complex positions,

and ideas that are now deemed at least satisfactory­ grandmasters tend to rely on those parts of the

Tory but were once (sometimes not even that brain that are used for long-term memory,

long ago) considered laughable, ugly, and/or whereas less experienced players work harder

Unthinkable. This and other evidence indicates at 'encoding and analyzing information' . Row‑

to me that players are much more tolerant of son continues "Moreover, we should not ignore

       ideas that used to be rejected 'on principle'. the striking empirical fact that the vast majority

Such openness has been increasing throughout of grandmasters started playing when they were

the last century; but recently it has accelerated, quite young and continued to do so intensely

in part due to the availability of computer anal­ until they became grandmasters. Thus they ex‑

ysis. The latter resource has freed players to try posed themselves to chess when their brains

       out almost any absurd-looking set of moves in   still had a lot of 'plasticity' and the chess pat‑

the hope of finding something effective. What terns could be near optimally organized? That

continually surprises those of us who grew up said, all of our brain mechanisms are highly

thinking in terms of classical principles is how complicated and the question 'why did I play

often those absurd-looking moves turn out to that move?' often remains unanswered, even

be strong! Similarly, one marvels at how much for grandmasters."

       players can 'get away with' in terms of ne­    Thus we have a sort of chess language that

elected development, voluntary weaknesses, provides the detail and subtlety needed to make

exposed kings, casual sacrifices of pawns and an over-the-board decision. It also provides the

exchanges, and so many more things that might basis for intuitive judgments, which are in‑

seem counter-intuitive. It' s true that strong formed by experience and verified by calico‑

young players, raised in a more open era, seem lotion. As Sosonko said: "Behind the word 'in‑

to take much of this in their stride. They are, in tuition' lies our subconscious experience or

my observation, less weighed down by philo­ knowledge of games and ideas, either our own

optical worries than the rest of us.  or those of others." One way of expressing this

       All this relates to the relationship between   is that the master sees before he says, i.e., intu‑

verbal explanations of play and actual master it ion and analysis precede words. For an exam‑

thought. My own view is that top players operate of this that has nothing to do with rules as