5 Most Typical Type Of Chess Player

There are hundreds of millions of chess players in the world, rated from 100 - 2900 ELO. Independent of their chess strength, all players can be subdivided into 5 distinct categories.Knowing what category your opponent belongs to, may significantly help you to decide what strategy is the most effective.

1. Attacking Maniac

This is a very common and probably the most spectacular type of chess players. They try to mimic Fischer's 'sac, sac, mate' approach, but oftentimes it does not work as expected. They like creating complications go for a crazy (even premature) attack and either win big or lose big. In other words, they are some sort of chess gamblers whose main weapon often is to surprise an opponent with a sudden, unexpected pressure and to win the game.

How to tackle these players

many combinations of the attacking maniacs are not well planned, many sacrifices are not sound. The best approach for playing against them is to slow down, take your time and to find something that they have missed when rushing to sac that rook for an attack. In 90% of times you will find it. Then punish your opponent for an inaccurate play.

2. Passive Player

This is another pretty common type of chess players. They play extremely passively without taking any risks whatsoever. They are complete opposites of the attacking maniacs. That is their weakness. Sometimes these players will not win a pawn just because it 'feels unsafe' and involves a minimum amount of risk.

How to tackle these players

this is probably the easiest type of chess players to play against. The main idea is to come up with a plan and to carry it on. Passive player will react to the threats playing without a having a well-defined plan and creating difficult times for you.

3. Exchanger 

This is a type of players that likes to exchange pieces every time there is a chance for an exchange to take place. Their goal is to exchange all the pieces and then to draw or possibly to win the game. These players like playing endgames, and are trying to avoid any middle game complications.

How to tackle these players

treat that trait as their weakness. Exchange your passive/inferior pieces for their good/active pieces (i.e. knights for bishops in open position, etc.) and capitalize on the better quality of your remaining pieces to win the game.

4. Perfectionist

This type of chess players try to find absolutely the best move on the board possible. They won't settle for anything less than perfect. They will analyze a simple looking position for 45 minutes only to decide which of the two rooks to use for occupying an open file. There are two main problems with this approach: 1. The perfect moves usually do not exist in many practical chess positions 2. There is a limited amount of time each player has for a game of chess.

How to tackle these players

you should capitalize mostly on the time trouble these players will get themselves into; they will start making severe mistakes and will not be able to keep up with the game.

5. Strategist

This type of chess players like planning everything starting from simple pawn moves and ending with the mating nets. That is not necessary a bad thing, unless it goes extreme. For example, if a strategist will have an easy endgame win with an extra pawn, or a complicated, and unclear middle game, they will choose the second option.

How to tackle these players

if you're in trouble against this type of player, you should not worry about him simplifying a position for an easy win. He will most likely complicate it even more, and at that point his extra pawn or two may not count too much. You will have equal chances for a win as he does.

Note: Do let me know in which category you fall and what is your prefer opponent.

You could add: 6. 'Counter-attacker'. 

What about a GOOD player? Doesn't he/she exist at all?

you could add "pawn eater", i love playing against those players. when their queen is busy grabing pawn, i checkmate them. so easy to win.

You could add "evil villian',an player who always plans, attacks to the extremes,and is always trying to find ways to explot your weaknesses..

I am probably a mix of 1,3,&5 probably more 3 and 5.

How about the "generalizationist"? 

These players will attempt to catagorize their opponents into one of 5 categories and then proceed to "tackle" them in accordance with a few simple guidelines.

How to tackle these players:

Just play! You probably don't fit into any of their categories anyway, and if you do, well the simple guidelines are framed in such a way as to underestimate your ability. 

kitkat54259 wrote:

you could add "pawn eater", i love playing against those players. when their queen is busy grabing pawn, i checkmate them. so easy to win.

I remember I was pawn hunter when i was at beginners level. Here I have attempted to categorize intermediate level players.

Anyways thank you all for your advices. I have shared with my limited knowledge and resources.

I guess I should have named it " Few typical types of Chess player " lol

You forgot the "Openning Explorer % player"

That is the one that follows the % move in the Explorer until it runs out of moves and has to finally play on his own abilities.

You also forgot the "One that loses on time." decides that he doesn't know what to move and loses on time.

8. the spider player just sets traps and waits for you to fall into one.

DENVERHIGH wrote:

You forgot the "Openning Explorer % player"

That is the one that follows the % move in the Explorer until it runs out of moves and has to finally play on his own abilities.

You also forgot the "One that loses on time." decides that he doesn't know what to move and loses on time.

LoL .. I bet you have just hit a heave of online players psychologically :D their was a time when I was too relying much on chess tempo explorer .. but quit OTB because of so many c**** at the site.

1) The quitter: resigns after losing a piece, or even a pawn.  I rematch them for easy points.

2) The Bookie:  learned all the names and moves of the openings, simply take them out of book with 1. g4 or ...1. g5

3) The impatient; work that clock against them, make them sit there all 45 minutes and watch them leave the room 20 times.

Nice artice brother IQI36

when i was a beginner i was told not to loose a pawn or piece for nothing so when it happens during a match i got dishearted and resigned many times  but later on i learned that pieces are nothing its the player courage, detemination & fierceness that keeps a game alive-

?? i think you better call yourself a strategist, because an attacking maniac is very different category a type who always look for a sacrifice and most of the times you see these players sacrificing unsoundly. 

Great topic, thanks for the post! I find, IMHO at least in my limited experience, that most that define ONE of these categories so well, are fairly new. But as you pointed out (in summary)- an affective type is the one who sees these other types and adapts accordingly. Never hurts to start out with a plan, but also have a plan "B" and "C" ready. I try all sorts of strategies, but I sometimes bring my poker tactics to the chessboard...bluffing, fishing, misdirection, ect... my favorite is to purposely start off so poorly, so as to seem like a clueless player (only the 1st several moves)- so that the opponent is subconsciously affected. (any good pool/billiards player knows that they play best against better players, and often find it harder to play their best game against a novice)...however this is more for the fun of seeing if it will work, and it doesn't always, lol...my best skill is to adapt. I should say though, that I have at least one diagnosed brain trauma disorder which affects my ability to concentrate. At times Im fine and on the top of my game, and at times I can't see the forest for the trees. Experience is the most valued attribute, I'd say. I also play opponents above my level (settings on -25 & +400)...I see no point in being the best of the worst.

By the way, the poker approach can go horribly wrong, but when it works- it's hilarious...I once won 27 hands in a row at a 5 seater playing hold'em, by reading my fellow players and manipulation (of every sort).