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Chess Wisdom and Aphorisms #10

Chess Wisdom and Aphorisms #10

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Chess Wisdom and Aphorisms.  #10.

 

In Chess - ‘Take the money!’

 

We all enjoy playing chess for fun.  But, as I have said before, Chess is essentially serious.  It is in fact an analogy of life.  In life we work, and get paid money.  In every chess game you play, there comes a point where you ‘play for checkmate‘, which is fun, or ‘take the money’ which means to seize the opportunity to win material, which is less fun but winning in the long run. 

In the excitement of an attack, even a winning attack, always remember that your goal is to ‘Take the money!’ I.e. win material.  If you cannot see a forced checkmate and play on for mate you are sure to lose a chance to win material, or even give your opponent a chance to make a surprise counter attacking move.

In the following game, which I remember well because it was so exciting, I had the opportunity to check my opponent and win a rook.  But this would give my opponent a chance to make a counter move.  Luckily, another move presented itself which was  26...Bd6! forking my opponent’s Queen and Rook.  Which I played. My opponent was so impressed by this ’taking the money’ option that he resigned on the spot!