Chess is basically a game that is played with the mind. The more organized your thoughts are and the more you can look into possibilities, the better gets your chance of winning. Life is often compared to a game of chess and aptly so. In life too, we have to consider our future and look at different possibilities before moving ahead or taking important decisions. Chess is played with the help of tactical strategies that you have to plan in your mind. The goal of a chess game is to counter the opponent’s attacks and win victory. There are many people who do not believe in planning their lives and move aimless through it. As a result they fail to secure their future and leave the world without achieving anything of importance. Chess teaches us the necessity of having goals and ambitions in life. Working for reaching a particular goal gives us the sense of purpose and makes life more meaningful.
Wilhelm Steinitz is the first world chess champion and he developed two fine winning strategies for the game of chess which should be applied in life as well. These two strategies are mobility and pawn structure or positioning. Mobility in chess means the ability to move as freely as possible during the game so that the attacks of the opponent can be evaded and countered. In life and business we need to have mobility which means that we have to keep several options open for us. If one option does not work out so we can turn to another. It also gives us the opportunity of choosing and we do not have to accept whatever comes our way. Andre Philidor once said that ‘Pawns are the soul of chess’. If you are going to be a leader then you will need pawns or followers. These followers can be your employees or family members or disciples. You have to value your followers just the way a chess player values the pawns. You can plan a strategy but without the followers those plans will not be executed properly. This rule applies for business owners who need to value the workers and build a healthy relationship with them. Chess also teaches us to make necessary sacrifices in life. A pawn has to be sacrificed at times for winning. Likewise in life we may have to sacrifice our small dreams and desires to reach a higher goal.
