What is Karate Chess?
Even the most experienced and seasoned chess pros sometimes marvel at the amazing possibilities and unthinkable moves that tend to come up on chess boards from time to time. Be it slow and measured build-ups where the opponent never sees the fatal blow coming, or fast attacks where the idea is to put the other player under instant pressure and force mistakes which can then be capitalized upon, there are just so many permutations and so many ways you can stump an opponent.
Becoming A Better Player
In short, there are countless opportunities for learning and improvement so that you continue to become a better player all the time. The great thing about chess is that you can take it up at any age and at any stage of your life and learn to become good at it. It doesn’t matter if you do not know much and haven’t really spent your life around chess sets and chess pieces. Once you start to play and learn about the game, you can pick up lots of things and master the moves that were perfected by the greatest players in the history of the game.
There is also no shortage of playing styles. Some players like to adopt a slow and methodical line of attack based on deception where they lure the opponent into different traps by outwitting them and deliver the fatal blows. Others like to come firing out of the blocks and go for an all-out assault on their opponent’s pieces.
It all comes down to what suits you the most and which approach are you comfortable with on a chessboard (whether they are wooden chess boards or any other type). One approach to chess game playing is called Karate Chess.
What is Karate Chess?
The resources over at the Official Staunton Chess Company have got in-depth information about almost all types of chess moves and strategies including karate chess. You can use that treasure trove of knowledge to build up your understanding of the game and become a better player in the process.
In general, karate chess emerges in situations where a very strong chess player comes up against a relatively weaker opponent. Keep in mind that even a weak opponent can turn out to be a very strong chess player but the result tends to be the same when the karate chess ploy is applied. That is the beauty of it.
You could be a grandmaster with a very good ranking and big reputation in the world of chess, but your opponent can force you into making basic mistakes with the help of karate chess which will ultimately cost you the game. In other words, when a player employs karate chess, he or she is basically waiting until the other player destroys himself.
Popular Karate Chess Game
There have been some great examples of karate chess in recent times. Of particular note is the encounter in the knockout phase of the Women’s World Championship between Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk and Bangladeshi player Rani Hamid who was making her debut on the grand stage at the grand old age of 74.
You see? It doesn’t matter how old you are. You can take up the game at any time in your life and learn to become good at this. This might just be a world record in its own right. Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for the inspirational lady because no miracles happened in that game and the Grandmaster was just too good for the Bangladeshi qualifier in both encounters.
How Karate Chess Often Works
When karate chess is employed on chess tables, what usually happens is that a weak player looks to strike and deliver a major blow to the opponent. However, this opens up a big gap in the centre of the board which the stronger player then utilizes by moving his/her knight to d4 or d5. Once this knight is in position, the outcome of the game is pretty much decided and it is all about taking care of the formalities from there.
Chess: A Strategic and Scientific Art
Knowing how to formulate a plan of action for your game is one of the most important things that any chess player can learn to do. Chess strategy is all about preparing your game plan and then using your pieces efficiently on the board so that things go according to your plan.
One thing that novice players often have a misconception about is that the game of chess can be mastered simply by knowing how different pieces move. That is like the very basic requirement and the real story begins on the board after that when you are halfway through a game and suddenly come to the realisation that you don’t really know what to do while the chess clocks are ticking.
Chess is arguably the most intellectually stimulating game in the world. Either that or it can also be very draining emotionally, depending on the way you choose to look at it. While karate chess remains a popular approach to playing the game, some consider the game to be a kind of intellectual karate where your mind has to work almost in overdrive in order to get the upper hand in a game while also anticipating what your opponent is about to do and then planning an effective response.
It requires a fair bit of discipline, dedication, and love for the game to make it to the upper echelons and consistently cross swords with the highest-ranked players in the world. If you think you have what it takes to make it big in the world of chess, then do not hesitate and start working towards that goal straight away. Your hard work and impressive skill-set will surely be rewarded in time.
If you want to improve your game and become a better player who can lock horns against top players from around the world and give them a run for their money, then the resources and chess merchandise provided by the Official Staunton Chess Company will come in very handy for you.
