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Subject: IM Watson quote relevant to Anand-Rebel, Kasparov-Deep Blue, etc.

Author: Tim Mirabile

Date: 19:01:43 08/05/98


I found the following quote in a book review by IM John Watson on the TWIC
pages.  The full text is at http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/jwatson1.html in a
review of recent game collections by Speelman, Anand, and Shirov.

> We should realize that Shirov, like Anand but more so, is a primary
> representative of the ultra-dynamic modern style. He calls his own style
> 'very concrete', which is consistent with his now-renowned powers of
> calculation; and makes this fascinating comment:
>
> 'I have always tried to be not just a tactician--working with a positional
> player such as Bagirov and studying hard has helped me to develop my own
> strategic understanding, although chess is nowadays so concrete that pure
> strategy practically doesn't exist for me.'
>
> An amazing statement which pretty much sums up what's been happening in chess,
> beginning with Kasparov. One could easily imagine Anand, Topalov, Kramnik,
> Ivanchuk, Polgar or any number of other top-class players saying the same
> thing. Pure strategy may not be dead; but it's been missing in action for 20
> years or so, which is not auspicious!"

The only problem is that this concrete style, which is so effective against
humans, plays right to the strength of current chess programs.  Computer
opponents will continue to give the top humans fits until they realize this.

But it is not so easy to simply abandon your style, and successfully adopt a new
one.  The second Kasparov-Deep Blue match, especially game 2 before the errors,
demonstrated this.  To adopt a new style at the same high level would require
intense study for a long period, and even then it might not be possible for such
a player to achieve the same results against humans as he had with the old
style.

At this point it is not worth the effort for the top players, because there are
no computers in regular high-level tournaments.  But I think it is still
possible for even average GMs to successfully adopt a positional style against
the microcomputer programs.  This may involve adjusting ones opening choices,
and a willingness to pass up tempting tactical continuations in favor of lines
involving pure judgement.



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