So what sort of background do people here have in chess and martial arts? What are everybody's thoughts about the connection between chess and martial arts?
I trained Judo for many years as a kid, and played some chess as well - although I took to Judo much more naturally and had much more success with it. Still, I gave them both up as an adolescent... and now bitterly regret having done so!
I returned to chess and martial arts again a couple of years ago, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA, and playing a lot of chess against a couple of friends who started playing seriously around the same time as me.
A big inspiration was Raymond Keene & Michael Gelb's Samurai Chess - an awesome book, especially for relative beginners to chess, and absolutely crucial reading for martial artists of both the mind and body! As far as I am aware it is the only book that seriously addresses the connection between chess ("the martial art of the mind") and the traditional asian martial arts... (PLEASE if anybody knows of any other books coming from this perspective let me know!)...
My general feeling is that training the mind for combat and training the body for combat are inseperable realities. Many top-flight fighters are chess players, and you only need glance through the history of the chess world championship to find numerous examples of fit, well-trained individuals outplaying and of course outlasting less well conditioned competitors - prime examples are Kasparov vs Karpov 1984 and Euwe vs Alekhine 1935.
I'm really interested to hear from other people on this subject.
I will write something on this when I have a little more time.
Thanks for starting and excellent post.
mkirk - Chess Samurai Admin.
I train in sword combat, and I also know various techniques from Tai Chi, Samurai, Krav Maga, and Tae Kwon Do.
An even better book on the chess/martial arts connection is Josh Waitzkin's "The Art of Learning." "Samurai Chess" does have some good info and excellent puzzles, but it is aimed primarily for novice to intermediate chess players (or martial artists). "The Art of Learning" is far superior--it's about training for chess/martial arts competition on a much higher level.
Yes, I have read The Art of Learning and it is fantastic. I think it is difficult to compare with Samurai Chess as they are in completely different formats and aiming for completely different things.
I recommend Samurai Chess to any beginners/novices looking for their first chess book - especially if they have any interest whatsoever in the martial arts. It is a playing manual addressing strategies, tactics and ideas on the chess board for novice/intermediate players, and supplementing that with background information on the best known asian martial arts, wonderful quotes from the likes of Samurai philosopher Miyamoto Musashi (A Book of Five Rings - more crucial reading for chess players), and even physical training ideas for chess players.
The Art of Learning is a more general book about "the pursuit of excellence" - it has no specific advise or instruction about chess, and sadly there is not even a an appendix with the notation for some of the games Waitzkin tells such exciting stories about in the book. But it is worth it for any chess players and martial artists for the amazing stories of Waitzkin's competing in both fields alone. And I think it would be very hard to read without coming away with a new perspective on how best to apply yourself to improving your skills and the sort of dedication required to reach the top of any discipline. And thankfully, while Waitzkin does make his message deliberately general so it can be applied to almost any aspect of life, he doesn't nauseate his readers by constantly pandering to corporate execs wanting to apply strategy to maximizing their profit margin (ala Kasparov in How Life Imitates Chess).
In short: I would consider both books crucial reading for all Samurai Chess members!
Ive read samurai chess. That's why when I finally roamed into the groups section at chess.com I knew to put samurai into the keyword spot.
I practice Taijutsu and my Sensei regularly teaches us bo-staff and sword techniques.
I'm far from a samurai though. ;)
Join Chess.com for free to add your comment! Already a member? Then login now to comment.
