memory versus understanding.
here i think is the crucial point. to say that a grandmaster dude has 100,000 patterns in memory makes me want to quickly get 100large into MY memory. just think, if i had 100dogs worth of patterns in my bean i would be like... like a guy with a huge bean that's for sure.
but... i have been thinking. about two things.
1 - why tempo hasn't said "welcome to the new knight Sparfy, the "Retard Knight" or something. and...
2 - the 100,000 patterns. and here is my thinking: do they know 100k because they memorized them? or do they now know how to see those things and that makes 100k?
ok - let me explain... or at least make it more difficult for you to follow.
i can recognize a crud load of hockey attacks. like with 3 on 2 and 2 on 3 and when you get a guy at such and such a place and all. but show me a specific play and i wouldn't be able to tell you if they score on it. my memory is not that good. but i could tell you how dangerous it looks. what the odds of scoring. and so i think that chess is the same in some ways. the granddaddy dude can look at a board, and maybe he can remember some of the position - but i am thinking he can look and tell you how dangerous it is. based on his UNDERSTANDING of the way it works. and so i think that the 100k is a SIDE EFFECT of learning the amazing basics of chess.
so. i would say it would be better to learn to understand WHAT makes a position good or bad... not to try to just add to your memory. i don't want to rely on my memory i want to rely on my thinking.
in other news i have my CTS rating up to the 1440s now... so 60 points to go :-)
4 comments:
1 - why tempo hasn't said "welcome to the new knight Sparfy, the "Retard Knight" or something. and...
Sorry, nothing personal, really. Just the result of a bad conducted administration. I had added you to my sidebar though. So a little late "Welcome aboard!".
The prerogative to dubb you with a nickname is transferred to Samurai Pawn, who is a busy man lately.
:-) just been reading your blog, decided to start at the begging and work forward... up to 2007 now! seems your search for better chess has openned a lot of doors in the chess house. i hope to kick one open some day and double my skill level. i *feel* that i am close to the door. kicking it... however... heh. well we will see!
I like the hockey analogy.
I think you are hitting on something important. Being able to understand the chances offered to both sides from a position is the key. It is not so much specific positions and patterns as a combination of the elements of the position and weighing them against each other. But before you can weigh them against each other you have to learn them.
I cannot speak for the highest level, but it seems to me the difference between them and 2000s is that they can interpret very minute elements of the position, and this is where the huge number of recognizable patterns is helpful. But to get to 2000 you do not need 100k patterns. You just need to know the basics very well.
I think they don't just understand 100k positions , they memorize them but in a different manner. Deep analysing for a position is 30minutes or a little less in gm level. Most gm's are working on their openings most the time. They just pick a variant deviate a few moves which seem logical to them and analysize it. It is said that they work 8-12 hours a day and there is a few gm who is working chess less then 10 years in order to obtain the title. Let think they start with 2 hours a day ( a bit optimistic but easier to calculate (1 hour maybe more realistic)) and improve it to the 12 hours in 10 years or so. It makes 12.000 hours. In very basic calculation it makes at least 25.000 positions. When you do something periodically your memory on that subject becomes more efficient. And i think if you just study one position and don't play chess for 4 months you are likely to forgot it but if you study a different position everyday for 2 years it is more likely to still remembering the day 1 position.
All the writing i wrote are according to me.
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