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"waits for opponent to make mistakes"

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Avatar of superking500
superking500
Jun 25, 2014
0
#1

why do people keep saying this phrase, i often hear it said about carlsen's style and other players, like petrosian and other defensive players that they sit and wait

 

"wait for opponet to make mistakes" how can 1 just "wait" what a stupid phrase that chess players repeat...if it was so easy everyone would play that style

Avatar of superking500
superking500
Jun 25, 2014
0
#2
chess_gg wrote:

   Well, your perspective is based on your being either a rank beginner or a chronic low-level player. No offense intended.

   Here's an example of what is meant. I once played at a club where I was far better than all the other members and I always won.

   However, there was one exception. One guy whom I played was a solid player. But there was nothing special, nothing "fancy".

   He just didn't blunder. He waited until he got a small edge. Maybe I'd blunder a pawn. Then he would say, with a big smile: "Now it's time to simplify."

   You get what I'm saying? He played a solid game, waited for the opponent to yield a small advantage for him...then he would "whittle down" the pieces until his small advantage was magnified enough for him to win.

   My opinion...I hate playing such people. lol! But is is a legitimate strategy...play very cautiously and wait to pounce.

   I think I figured his game out. Had him on the ropes several times. But, he left the club...just when I was hoping to play him another game where I believed I could crush him. At least, so I thought. Oh, well. 

if it was so easy, that style, why doesnt everyone do it to be as good as carlsen

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nuclearslurpee
Jun 25, 2014
0
#3

To clarify, it helps to know that players like Carlsen and Petrosian are "positional" rather than "defensive" although they are skilled defenders as well as skilled tacticians. This means they excel at obtaining good positions and at pressuring their opponents' positions, meaning their opponent has to work much harder to maintain an equal or playable game.

To "wait" in this sense involves constantly making threats which have to be defended against, while preventing the opponent from obtaining counterplay and making his own threats (prophylaxis). Since they control the game, their opponent is the one who must contnually ifnd the correct defense, and eventually when a mistake is made it's curtains.

Of course, any good chess player should be able to do this in a winning position. What sets these players apart is that they can do this in even (or even slightly worse) positions by virtue of having extremely strong intuition and/or positional skills. You see Carlsen do this frequently, where he will grind a win from a roughly equal, drawish-looking position simply by making accurate moves for a longer period of time than his opponents. Thus, this style of play is actually very difficult and taxing, which is why fairly few people do it (most prefer the dramatic tactical flourish with explosions and mass murder).

"Waiting" should not be confused with passive play, which ironically is the best way to lose to an opponent who plays the waiting game since they are given total control over the game to make threats and gain positional plusses at will.