Great Chess Requires Imagination

Great chess requires imagination somewhat like that we see in children. Children love to imagine. They see faces and trees and animals in the clouds. They like faces. They see other children. They like movement. They see numbers and letters. They see trains and Santa Claus. They bring others into their imagination by asking questions.

Sometimes adult chess players only see chess in black or white. They only see the current attack. They only see their plan (and not that of their opponent). They don't think more than one or two moves ahead.

What these adults need is a child's imagination. One that continues to imagine for a little while longer. One that imagines what the opponent is thinking and planning. One that imagines what might happen if they make strange moves--what might happen if they lose one piece in order to open up other possibilities.

The next time you play, take time to imagine. Imagine winning and what it might take to do so. Imagine successfully fighting off the attack. Imagine surprising your opponent. Imagine three, four, or more moves ahead. Imagine his/her response. Don't rush. Sometimes the best part of the game is imagining!