The Enigma of Chess Intuition: Can You Mobilize Hidden Forces in Your Chess?

265 Pages·2012·7.61 MB·English

by  Valeri Beim

The Enigma of Chess Intuition
Valeri Beim
The Chess
Enigmoaf Intuition
Can You Mobilize Hidden Forces in Your Chess?
New In Chess 2012
© 2 0 1 2 New In Chess
Published by New In Chess, Alkmaar, The Netherlands
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Translation: Steve Giddins
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ISBN: 978-90-5691-379-3
Contents
Foreword 7
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 1 -First Explorations 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 2-Successful Use oflntuition 45
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 3 The Elements of Chess Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 59
- .
Index of Players 263
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bibliography 265
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Game List 267
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
Foreword
To the person without whom this manuscript would hardly have seen the light of day.
In this book, as in all my previous ones, I have followed a principle which is
well-known to my regular readers. It is as follows: that the majority of chess play­
ers, regardless of their age, playing strength or ambitions, want not only to learn
about the existence of the various different chess principles, but also to learn how
to exploit them themselves. Therefore, in my books, articles and training sessions, I
work as follows: first, I tell about the fact of the existence of a certain principle or
method of play, then I formulate it in the most general way, and after this, I present
examples, showing all its possible sides. In this way, I try to show as clearly as possi­
ble how one can use this principle or method in one's own games, albeit not as
well as a great master, but use it, all the same ...!
I will use the same method in this book, although here, things are a little more
complicated, since we are dealing with the most mysterious of all aspects of chess.
Since we are concerned only with questions of intuition, albeit in as much detail as
possible, I have often left out variations which seem to me to be superfluous, and
not bearing on the matter in hand.
The subject I am attempting to tackle in this book is not the most specific and
concrete of subjects. This is because of the rather mysterious essence of intuition it­
self Where does it come from, how does it work, is it something concrete, or is it
partly taken from the subconscious world? I will try to find answers to these ques­
tions, but only in relation to chess itself I have not attempted to show exactly how
intuition is constructed or how it works, but I try to explain how it comes into ef­
fect and where it takes us.
As always, I ask my readers not to be shy of telling me their opinion of my work.
Praise and criticism will be received with equal gratitude. My e-mail address is:
[email protected]
Valeri Beim, Vienna, March 2 012
7
Chapte1r- FirsEtx plorations
Almost everyone has heard about the ex­ Almost everywhere, we can see exam­
istence of intuition in daily life, and many ples which in varying degrees accord
adults (I cannot say anything definite with the topic of this book, and we can
about intuition amongst children) have come across the names of great players
felt its influence in their own lives. But if who are regarded as belonging to the
such a thing exists, it can be manifested so-called intuitive group of players.
in any area of life. Its display will look However, as soon as one gets to the
similar in all cases, adjusted only for the point where it is time to discuss pre­
specifics of the area of application. This cisely what the mechanism of intuition
means that in chess, intuition ought to, is in the taking of decisions at the
and does indeed, occupy its own niche. board, we encounter a wall of silence.
The question of its role and place has not This means that I will have to rely on
often been discussed in a serious way in only a small amount of helpful auxil­
chess literature, although such phrases as iary material. But no matter, I will try to
'this decision was taken intuitively', deal with the issue myself.
'there was practically no time left to In the meantime, let us continue our dis­
think, and it was necessary to trust to in­ cussion in a logical, step-by-step way,
tuition', and other similar versions, are without jumping ahead. First of all, I
quite often seen in game commentaries. would point out that a description of the
But as a rule, here the discussion about mechanism of how exactly intuition
intuition ends. I do not pretend to be fa­ functions is of not merely theoretical in­
miliar with all of the world's chess litera­ terest to those who play the game regu­
ture, but in those books which I have larly, be they professionals or merely am­
had cause to pick up, I have only on a ateurs who play for pleasure. Nobody
few occasions found interesting material can doubt that in a chess player's arsenal,
about the mechanism of intuition in a in addition to well-known weapons,
game of chess or about the specific char­ such as tactical skill, the ability to calcu­
acteristics of those situations where a late variations, the technique of realising
player should rely on intuition more a material or positional advantage, the
than other methods. And even in these technique of positional play. plus specific
few cases, the treatment was not very theoretical knowledge of openings and
systematic, and has only dealt with the endings, there is also a quality that, so
issue partially, based on the specific as­ far, has not been given any clear con­
pects of the subject which have inter­ tours, namely intuition. On the basis of
ested the author. this mysterious, hard to identify quality.
9
The Enigma of Chess Intuition
a player can sometimes take a decision, The wish to identify two contrasting
which later surprises him, both for its methods of reaching a decision, the intu­
speed and quality, in a complicated situ­ itive and the logical, already disappeared
ation. As we will see, it is not a simple years ago. The beginning of this be
can
matter, but even so this is the subject I found in Plato's doctrine of ideas, in
have decided to tackle. It seems to me which there is a concept of their arising
that I have succeeded in getting to grips without reasoning. Epicurus consolidated
with it, and can say what has hitherto the phenomenon of direct knowledge in the
not been said; and that what I have to say word Em(3oA.11. The translation of this
not only describes the objective reality, term into the Latin «intuitus» (from the
but is also readable. verb intueri, meaning to peer, to gaze
penetratingly, or to comprehend immedi­
Thes ujbecotfr esearch ately) was done in the fifth century by
The first essential step in looking into Boethius, as you can see from the refer­
or discussing any subject, is to define it ence to 'Intuitija' on the Russian
as precisely as possible. This is essential, Wikipedia site1• But here is a more practi­
firstly, to eliminate all kinds of misun­ cal definition: the famous intellectual A.
derstandings which can arise from dif­ A. Wasserman, a man of wide knowl­
ferent people using a certain term to edge, characterised intuition in the most
mean different things. And secondly, general form: 'Intuition is the ability to
because a successful definition of the draw conclusions subconsciously, with­
term can help those who were not pre­ out sufficient data'. This definition is very
viously familiar with the subject, to use close to various others I have seen in dif­
their new knowledge in their own activities, ferent languages and sources.
which should be one of the most inter­ But I like still more a passage from the
esting and important results of working 'old-fashioned', but my favourite writer,
with a book. Agatha Christie: 'Women subcon­
In order to deal correctly with the im­ sciously notice thousands of small de­
portant matter of definition, we will be­ tails, subconsciously compare them, and
gin by looking at what others have said call it intuition' (Agatha Christie, The
on this topic in which we are interested. Murder of Roger Ackroyd). Right on the
'Intuition' comes from the Latin money, I think! But the ability described
intuitio -contemplation: is not only possessed by women.
Thus, without exception, all of the
Intuitioinsth e abiltio astys essa sources quoted agree that:
situatianodn ,wi thoutre asno­
ing or logical analysis,im m edi­ An intuitive decisiiso onne taken
atel·ytake the corredcecti sion. withouta reasoninpgr ocess.
An intuitived ecision can arise This isthe most important thing,
eitheras the resuolftl ong which wem ust never forget.
thoughatbo utth e answteor th e
questioonrw, i thouitt .
1)h tt/p/:r u.wikipedia.org/wikiMHTYIU\Hll
10
Chapter 1 First Explorations
-
Let us remember this at all the key mo­ make bad choices, without any special
ments, and we will see that it is proved preparation!
right over and over again in relation to However, intuition has other areas of
chess. use, with which we will become famil­
iar in the course of this book.
At the same time, I must emphasise that Immediately after this, we must make an
my book is not about intuition in its important point: the factor of intuition
general form. I am concerned only with should not be either deified, nor de­
intuition in chess. monised! Intuition is not a magic wand,
In order to complete this transition, we waving which can solve all problems. It
must recall two well-known, but none­ is no more than a means to assist one in
theless important truths: making a successful choice in compli­
cated circumstances. It is just another
a)P layingm ess consistsin a human talent, just like other, more
permanent proces.os f judge­ widely-recognised attributes, such as the
.
ment and calculation. ability to draw logical conclusions. We
b)I nth e mostg eneral.sense, all make mistakes in using different
playing chesiss a c ontinualp ro­ methods of reaching decisions, and mis­
cess ofch oiceb etweendif ferent takes also occur with the use of intu­
optioannsd .t hisc hoiccane be ition. In both cases, what is important is
made in different ways. the percentage success rate!
Thus, the task which we will set our­
Now, finally, we can move on to my selves in this book can be formulated as
exposition of my own ideas about follows:
how intuition manifests itself in
chess. To begin with, I will suggest a Wewil l lookser iouslyat the is­
formulation, which I ask you for the sueo fmaki ng usein chess of
time being simply to accept, since the subconscious methods off ore­
requisite proof and justification will seeinthge probablfuet ure
become apparent in the later discus­ coursoefev ents ..
sion.
Thus: The basic introductory matters have been
dealt with, we have set up a theoretical
In ches,s intuition manifests it­ base, and now it is time to turn to con­
selfirsft and. foremosint the crete matters: the chequered board,
abilityin, a somewhat uncon­ pieces and pawns. First of all, we will look
scious wayan.d with a highde ­ at some examples, showing the afore­
greeo fa ccuracy, toch oose be­ mentioned basic components of the
tween difrenfe t lineso fp lay. game - the operation of judgement and
calculation. The best order to examine
A high degree of accuracy is an important these is to start with a case of calculation.
condition, since any of us can easily (see next page)
1 1
The Enigma of Chess Intuition
Bednarski,Jacek It is easy to see that at no point was
Giorgadze,TaEnaz Black able to change the course of af­
Tbilisi Goglidze Memorial, 1971 fairs in any real way. In all of the fairly
simple variations, his position is indis­
putably hopeless, in other words, there
0
was never at any point any doubt as to
the assessment of the position.
We therefore have before us a crystal­
clear example of calculation in its pur­
est form.
Now we will look at how assessment of
the position works. Here, matters are a
little more complicated.
Here, White seized the chance to end
the game in his favour, in a rapid and Botvinnik,Mikhail
convincing manner, as follows: Donner,}a n Hein
Amsterdam GAK, 1963
25. tbd5-e7+! tbc6xe7
26. �h6xf8+ �g8xf8
Or 26. .J hf8 27.fxe7 .l:Xe8 28.ii.xb7
l:.d6 (28 ....!:f. d7 29.ii.c6) 29.ii.a6 .U.e6
30 . .l:!xe6 fxe6 3I.ii.c41:f.xe7 32.1If6;
27. f6xe7+ 'ifit> 8-e8
28. ii.f3xb7 .l:lb8xb7
The further course of this game
involves looking at a relatively small
number of simple variations. The main
difficulty in the search for the right
continuation is understanding the char­
acteristics of the position and its re­
quirements. In other words, here we are
dealing with a situation in which
29. l:!.f1xf7!
judgement factors will for some time
Now the pawn on e7 will cost Black a be more important than the calculation
rook and so he had to resign. of variations.
One of the strongest aspects of the sixth
1-0
world champion, Mikhail Moiseevich
12