Profilactic thinking I
Profilactic thinking I (IM Jose Gascón)
Chess players have the tendency to just look for our plans and ideas and ignore opponent's. What i want to do? What am i going to threat? But this is a wrong perspective because chess is a 2 persons game and there is no reason to think our ideas and plans are most important than our opponent's... In my opinion Prophylaxis is to give it importance to opponent's ideas and always take them in account... Not neccesarily avoid them, But pay attention to them.
Today i want to show you some examples and advices about how to use this technique:
1. What is the idea behind opponent's last move? Asking constantly this to yourself (of course not to your opponent) its a very very good way to improve your chess... Easy? Yes... Easy to get use to? Not at all... So i recommend you each time you are playing try to ask this question.
2. What would your opponent do now if he was to move? This question has some relation with the previous one but is not exactly the same... Suposing that the last move your opponent played does not have any direct idea this question can be very usefull to prevent what your opponent want to do... And again is highly suitable if you get use to ask this constantly.
3. Dont get addict to profilactic thinking: One thing is use profilactic thinking when you consider it neccesary and another thing is to be addict to profilactic thinking... You have to find a balance 50-50 between your ideas and opponent's ideas. Remember that not always your opponent's ideas deserve to be avoided...
Ok now you have some basics advices about profilactic thinking and to end i will give you some puzzles about profilactic thinking to solve... Try to expend 15-20 minutes before watch the solution and remember to use the advices specially advice number 2.
