Because this is the first in my "Chess Comparisons" series, I will give you a brief introduction.

In this series, I will compare chess to other things such as Music, Math, Language, Golf, Tennis, and more.  In these comparisons is a valuable chess lesson you can learn from it printed in bold.  Some are complex, others are simple, but all are vital.  But first of all, what is chess?  Is it a sport?  Is it an art?  Is it a science?  Is it a game?  No, chess, to be blunt, is a math problem, which humanity has not even come close to solving.  But chess uses many aspects of the above listed categories.  For example, chess is a game in the effect that two players are contending to outwit the other.  Chess is similar to sports in that it requires a large amount of stamina, good health, and (for some) physical exercise.  That's enough introduction-let's get on with the game.

You always hear Grandmasters talk about how chess is an art, chess is a sport, chess is beautiful...the list goes on and on.  They compare chess to music, they compare it to art, and rightly so, for the two are quite alike, but I have only once heard a master compare chess to golf.  One of the old masters once said, "Endgames are to chess as putting is to golf."  And he is very correct.  But have you ever thought of how much more alike chess and golf are besides having endgames and putting involved?  Here, I will show you.

Golf is all about precision and analysis.  Golfers attempt to strike the ball to a spot in which it will be easier to make the next shot, gradually getting closer to the hole.  First, let me discuss the tee shot.  The tee shot (one of the most important shots in the game of golf) is where the player hits the ball off of the tee and into the course, optimally landing on a fairway or other terrain which will not hinder the process of the next shot.  The tee shot can be compared to the opening in a chess game, in which both players "tee off" so to speak in order to get into a comfortable middlegame.  Both players determine where they want "the ball" (their pieces) to be for the next phase of the game and make moves accordingly.  If one gets into a difficult middlegame position from the opening, the rest of the chess game can be extremely hard to survive.

In the next few shots after the tee shot, the golfers try to get the ball closer and closer to the hole.  Their shots are always focused on the next shot, making sure the spot they are aiming for (or that the ball will likely land on) is safe for the next shot.  These next few shots might be compared to the middlegame in chess.  The chess player has developed his pieces (or hit the ball off the tee to continue with our golf analogy) and thus want to gain space or material to get into a good position for the endgame.  A good chess player must always be thinking about his next move, making sure that the move he wants to play will not allow the opponent to interfere with the next move.  The wind on a golf course might even be compared to complications in the middlegame, which one must work with to play well.

When the golfer has completed his midway shots and is near the green, he must make an "approach shot".  Here he is to analyze the terrain of the green, all the dips and curves of the land, and find the right place to put the ball to make the putt an easier task.  If a player does this successfully, odds are the putting stage will be much easier.  The approach shot can be compared to the transition from the middlegame to the endgame in chess.  A player has fought for a long time to get into what he feels is a better and more comfortable position than his opponent's, and thus is ready to start simplifying into the endgame.  But if he is not careful, all his previous effort can dissipate, and the endgame be a far more difficult task than necessary.  The player must find just the right way to get into a good endgame position and hold his advantage until the end, which he can later convert into a win.

Finally, when the golfer has made his approach shot, he is ready to putt, where all his effort will either pay off or be completely useless.  He must work with the dips and curves and find the right way to hit the ball so as to make it fall into the hole.  This is (obviously) quite similar to the endgame.  A chess player strives to use complete technique to convert his previous "advantage" into a win, and, with good chess, he will.  Thus his (and the golfer's) task is completed.

So what chess lesson can we learn from this?

Effective positional play means gaining space, time, and material and making your next moves an easier task than they were before.

Thanks for reading!

edsnotofthisworld