Explain why chess isn't 99% tactics!

I like the title! It's nice.

Been there, done that.  You have my sympathy.

You will never be able to apply tactics (against decent opposition, anyway) if you have positionally ruined your position before. Simple as that. Also, you will never be able to win a game where you have strategically strangled your opponent if you are tactically blind.

These are the two sides of the same coin. Trying to split the coin in two parts is plain stupid.

Realizing that chess is not 99% tactic has been as huge step in my chess improvement. I have learnt that, expecially for a beginner, is much more importart to build a position without weaknesses, that is to learn the positional play... and that often this is the only difference between a beginner and a more experienced player.

There are some rules to follow but I think the positional istinct grow up with the experience.

At a master level, the positional side of the game is somewhat obvious for both players; for this reason I think the tactics makes the difference, but this doesn't mean that chess is 99% tactics.

While I certainly feel that chess isn't 99% tactics, I find that if I make positionally sensible moves, my opponents will blunder tactically before I do 

I agree with that, I think being a positionally sound and tactically sound player is what makes you a GREAT player. I just wonder where the line is. If it is clear that chess isn't 99% tactics, then what percentage would it be? 

-bankoscarpa

strategy is purpose: yeh, say tactics is 99% all you want.. at the end of the day you are simply saying your purpose is to employ one of those three thousand tactics you spent 100 000 hours learning!  ** Cheers big ears!! 

Eh, although I love positional play over wild tactical play, I'm inclined to say chess is 99% tactics. 

Tactics are the language of the game. If you have the most beautifully positional move in the world set up, but it hangs a piece, you can't play it. Tactics dictate what plans you can and cannot enact. Note you embark on plans to increase your odds of tactics occurring. Meh, just my two cents.

Chess is at least 99% tactics

I've got it: it's like being able to throw semi perfect darts but not being able to hit that double to finish!

Wait, Wait, like having to throw a triple 60 but you haven't left room for that third dart because you didn't think ahead..oh- strategy is Rhythm!!

@whitegs

93.2 % is the correct percentage. Richard Teichmann was a poor statistician.

Great quote. Can you share the source?

Rats. I was hoping that you had a credible citation. These sites that gather quotes are usually filled with many that cannot be verified.

Found it:

Garry Kasparov, How Life Imitates Chess (2007), p. 20.

It really depends who's playing.

For beginners and chess engines it's probably true.  Less so for stronger human players.

I agree. I feel like there can be many tactical ideas in high level games but they tend to play positionally sound.

-bankoscarpa

Great book: I like the bit where he talks about the second law of thermodynamics... I never realised it actually said that a more organised army will lose less energy in manouvre than a less organised army!  ..well, the one who reads has the advantage I suppose!!

also, (but I still don't know if this is actually true), FARNSWORTHS PREDATOR AT THE CHESS BOARD says there are essentially only five tactics!