Thrown into despair, when people could not understand his great work in the film "The Mirror", Andrey Tarkovsky, that great Russian filmmaker, asked "....who was I working for, and why?"
When a great filmmaker can ask that question....not out of non-viewership....but out of non-understanding of his great art....
....I too in my own little way, can pose that question at me.... and let Fernando Pessoa defend my audacity ....with his own words...."because I am nothing, I can imagine myself to be anything!"
Why am I writing....no no..it is never out of compulsion....
.....I am always amazed and humbled at observing the act of creation....whatever be the field and understanding that fine thread which runs invisibly under anything that is created and makes us feel that in creation....true creation...there is a point where everything converges....unity....!
....and at times....its effulgence overflows....despite everything....that is me....
I am well aware of the futility of language and as Kafka said, ".....language is only lent to the living, for an undefined period. All we have is the use of it. One must be careful in one's possession of it."
......and I went through the following game, yet again, annotated by Karpov himself....classical and acclaimed
Anatoly Karpov - Jan Timman, Montreal, 1979
1.e4 d6; 2.d4 Nf6; 3.Nc3 g6; 4.g3 Bg7; 5.Bg2 OO; 6.Nge2 e5; 7.OO Na6; 8.Re1 c6; 9.h3 Re8; 10.Bg5 h6; 11.Be3 Qc7; 12.Qd2 Kh7; 13.Rad1 Bd7; 14.g4 Rad8; 15.Ng3 Bc8; 16.f4 b5; 17.a3 b4; 18.ab4 Nb4; 19.Nce2 ed4; 20.Nd4 a5; 21.c3 Na6; 22.Qc2 Bd7; 23.Nf3 Re7; 24.Bf2 Be8; 25.Qd3 Qb7; 26.Ra1 Nc7; 27.Ra5 Rdd7; 28.b4 Ne6; 29.Be3 c5; 30.f5 Nd8; 31.b5 Kh8; 32.Bf2 Qc7; 33.Ra4 Qb8; 34.c4 Ra7; 35.Ra7 Ra7; 36.e5 de5; 37.Ne5 Ra2; 38.Bc5 1 - 0
(Before the first move) (After the last move)
.....and what happened between these two moments was a great dialogue between two masters....through their ideas.....where one prevailed over the other!
Before the first move, what transpires in the mind's of chess players, as they sit face to face...facing or not facing each other, is a very interesting and intriguing story.
Each one will have different pattern and it might vary from game to game....corresponding to whom and when they meet...! The pregame home preparation is another subject of its own.....!!
In this same event, Tal wrote thus on facing Larsen....."Preparing for a game with Larsen is a matter which is either too complicated, or too simple. The Dane's repertoire contains practically all opening systems, and one's chances of guessing the variation are no better than in a lottery. Therefore at home it was decided to begin the game with the advance of the King's pawn. At that the preparation came to an end...."
For this game, Karpov knew for sure that in reply to 1.e4 he would end-up countering the Pirc-Ufimtsev....a favourite of Timman.
"....the Pirc-Ufimtsev defence has acquired the reputation of being a not altogether correct opening and all possible attacking schemes have been intensively worked out for White. Years have been required to get away from such an incorrect approach, but even now, many unhurried strategic plans are, from inertia, still in the background...." - Karpov
6.Nge2 and its precursor 4.g3 and 5.Bg2....occurred rarely, it seems, as Karpov mentioned. And this Knight made only one more move in the entire game...and yes, that fianchettoed Bishop stayed where it was but yet....Karpov ensured that their presence was felt even if they weren't willing to move!!
"To all appearances, not the best solution. Now any attempt to bring this Knight into play will involve either giving up the center (.....ed4), or a considerable loss of time. For the moment these considerations may seem rather too general, and even abstract in nature. But as the middlegame approaches, and particularly in the middlegame itself, the scattered state of Black's forces will cause him much inconvenience." - Karpov
7....Na6
Like in life, where we go through every day with certain plans....which work at times and fails at times....and yet the journey itself never ceases; so in chess, a master conceives something and goes through the moves and moments during a game...eschewing or entertaining a past...with great expectations in the present....! If it succeeds, it succeeds....if it fails, it fails....yet the journey of a true artist of this great royal game continues....unabated....till his last breath!
Chess thrives on the diversity of views....on positions, possibilities....and the varied ways of looking at it....both between various minds and by the same mind at varied periods!
...it is precisely due to this diversity, chess thrives and attains greatness!
"Again a typical device, which pursues the same aim - the accumulation of small advantages. Then all these imperceptible factors merge together to form that superiority of one set of pieces over another, which is customarily called a positional advantage." Karpov
Whether to play ....h6 now or after a preliminary exchange in the center....or not to play at all is a basic unresolved conundrum. Karpov gives one beautiful variation for it's abstention: 10.....Qb6 whatever you do in Chess....at least till the point where the game drifts to a particular geographical location on the chessboard....is oriented towards the control of center and avoiding weakness, especially your pawn structure. The move .....Qb6 is towards this end, but has its flaws....11.Rb1! ed4; 12.Nd4 Nc5; 13.b4! Nce4; 14.Be4! Ne4; 15.Ne4 Bd4; 16.Nf6 exposes the dark-holes around the Black King!
"One thing that is indisputable is that the movement of this powerful piece always reflects markedly on the position, and therefore a post for it must be sought with particular care. If there is no necessity, as, for example, in the present case, this should in general not be hurried. It follows that Black should perhaps have restricted himself to the prophylactic 11.....Kh7 - since all the same this move will have to be made sooner or later!" Karpov
11.....Qc7
Prophetic words by Karpov! But how often we see masters, however great they may be, succumb to this...
Compare this with Karpov's much acclaimed Qc2!! 11 moves later!
Why Chess is often associated with life and life situations...? It is because of this futility of human perception......despite his great experience and knowledge... Like in life, in Chess too, we commit 'sins' minor or major....notwithstanding our 'knowing'!! Otherwise, many great masters who profess such profound ideas would turn undefeatable....at all times....and the fact that even that great Cuban who came closest to immortality, had to lose 36 games in his career is a proof enough....!
Such is the fleetingness of this life and its moments.....such is the fleetingness of Chess and its moves...!
"On the threshold of the middlegame it is always useful to weigh up the resources of both sides, and to make adjustments to one's initial plans. Here I sank into thought, and soon came to the conclusion that straight-forward play in the centre would not get me anywhere. Now, with the aim of seizing fresh territory, the Kingside pawns must be advanced. But I did not wish to play 14.f4 immediately, it would be illogical to increase the tension straight away - all the same White will subsequently have to play g3-g4, so why not first utilise a resource for strengthening the position, such as g3-g4 and Ng3. At the same time White also solves an important strategic problem - he reinforces his e4 pawn." Karpov
13......Bd7 (and 14.g4)
It is such sort of internal dialogues, that a master entertains during play....makes him produce profound creations which stand and shine like cornerstones in the history of this great art! These dialogues are not restricted within oneself...it coalesces and colludes with that of his opponent's inner dialogue and the divergence and discordance in that coalition which results in results!
And most importantly, there is a great deal of disparity in ascertaining such critical moments....which define true mastery and its advancements.
"A subtle move, which, firstly, prevents the Black Knight from moving to c5 (in view of the reply b2-b4!), and secondly, continues the previous strategic policy of strengthening of the e4 pawn." Karpov
22.Qc2!!
Karpov's words are as economical and profound as his moves! If we take a stock of the position; first and foremost....White has two beautiful pawn islands which exercise greater control over important squares both in the center and on the wings, hampering Black pieces activity. Whilst Black's three islands and weak isolate a-pawn is precipitating the cause. whilst none of the pieces....the Queens; Rooks; Bishops and the Knight on d4 and f6 are not equal despite their almost similar posting...in terms of control of squares and exerting pressure on the opposition; the chief determining factor is that estranged Black Knight on a6 is awfully bad in comparison to the White's which is standing fine on g3.
Karpov now commences a regrouping, giving final touches before concrete action to reap the benefits!
"Another subtle move, which essentially concludes the game. Black is unable to defend his Q-side weaknesses, while 26.....Qb2?? loses to 27.Reb1 trapping the Queen." Karpov
And one does not require comment to the process of plucking the ripe fruits....leading to the final position that we saw in the beginning!
"A walk is, instead, an investigatory exercise that begins with energy and ends when...(and only when)...exhausted..." wrote Alexandra Horowitz in her great book "On looking" which deals about how observant or rather non observant we are, in our day to day life....with our tunnel vision and the much repeated and adored trite term "focus".
And we tire only if we embark on a journey on compulsion and not on purpose!
To take a journey in life and chess are not different....there are countless ways to approach both life and a chess game....and we tire only if we fall in a pattern and look for mundane stuff which does not trigger our creative instincts.....makes us think....differently!
...till we meet again!
When a great filmmaker can ask that question....not out of non-viewership....but out of non-understanding of his great art....
....I too in my own little way, can pose that question at me.... and let Fernando Pessoa defend my audacity ....with his own words...."because I am nothing, I can imagine myself to be anything!"
Why am I writing....no no..it is never out of compulsion....
.....I am always amazed and humbled at observing the act of creation....whatever be the field and understanding that fine thread which runs invisibly under anything that is created and makes us feel that in creation....true creation...there is a point where everything converges....unity....!
....and at times....its effulgence overflows....despite everything....that is me....
I am well aware of the futility of language and as Kafka said, ".....language is only lent to the living, for an undefined period. All we have is the use of it. One must be careful in one's possession of it."
......and I went through the following game, yet again, annotated by Karpov himself....classical and acclaimed
Anatoly Karpov - Jan Timman, Montreal, 1979
1.e4 d6; 2.d4 Nf6; 3.Nc3 g6; 4.g3 Bg7; 5.Bg2 OO; 6.Nge2 e5; 7.OO Na6; 8.Re1 c6; 9.h3 Re8; 10.Bg5 h6; 11.Be3 Qc7; 12.Qd2 Kh7; 13.Rad1 Bd7; 14.g4 Rad8; 15.Ng3 Bc8; 16.f4 b5; 17.a3 b4; 18.ab4 Nb4; 19.Nce2 ed4; 20.Nd4 a5; 21.c3 Na6; 22.Qc2 Bd7; 23.Nf3 Re7; 24.Bf2 Be8; 25.Qd3 Qb7; 26.Ra1 Nc7; 27.Ra5 Rdd7; 28.b4 Ne6; 29.Be3 c5; 30.f5 Nd8; 31.b5 Kh8; 32.Bf2 Qc7; 33.Ra4 Qb8; 34.c4 Ra7; 35.Ra7 Ra7; 36.e5 de5; 37.Ne5 Ra2; 38.Bc5 1 - 0
.....and what happened between these two moments was a great dialogue between two masters....through their ideas.....where one prevailed over the other!
Before the first move, what transpires in the mind's of chess players, as they sit face to face...facing or not facing each other, is a very interesting and intriguing story.
Each one will have different pattern and it might vary from game to game....corresponding to whom and when they meet...! The pregame home preparation is another subject of its own.....!!
In this same event, Tal wrote thus on facing Larsen....."Preparing for a game with Larsen is a matter which is either too complicated, or too simple. The Dane's repertoire contains practically all opening systems, and one's chances of guessing the variation are no better than in a lottery. Therefore at home it was decided to begin the game with the advance of the King's pawn. At that the preparation came to an end...."
For this game, Karpov knew for sure that in reply to 1.e4 he would end-up countering the Pirc-Ufimtsev....a favourite of Timman.
"....the Pirc-Ufimtsev defence has acquired the reputation of being a not altogether correct opening and all possible attacking schemes have been intensively worked out for White. Years have been required to get away from such an incorrect approach, but even now, many unhurried strategic plans are, from inertia, still in the background...." - Karpov
6.Nge2 and its precursor 4.g3 and 5.Bg2....occurred rarely, it seems, as Karpov mentioned. And this Knight made only one more move in the entire game...and yes, that fianchettoed Bishop stayed where it was but yet....Karpov ensured that their presence was felt even if they weren't willing to move!!
"To all appearances, not the best solution. Now any attempt to bring this Knight into play will involve either giving up the center (.....ed4), or a considerable loss of time. For the moment these considerations may seem rather too general, and even abstract in nature. But as the middlegame approaches, and particularly in the middlegame itself, the scattered state of Black's forces will cause him much inconvenience." - Karpov
7....Na6
Like in life, where we go through every day with certain plans....which work at times and fails at times....and yet the journey itself never ceases; so in chess, a master conceives something and goes through the moves and moments during a game...eschewing or entertaining a past...with great expectations in the present....! If it succeeds, it succeeds....if it fails, it fails....yet the journey of a true artist of this great royal game continues....unabated....till his last breath!
Chess thrives on the diversity of views....on positions, possibilities....and the varied ways of looking at it....both between various minds and by the same mind at varied periods!
...it is precisely due to this diversity, chess thrives and attains greatness!
"Again a typical device, which pursues the same aim - the accumulation of small advantages. Then all these imperceptible factors merge together to form that superiority of one set of pieces over another, which is customarily called a positional advantage." Karpov
Whether to play ....h6 now or after a preliminary exchange in the center....or not to play at all is a basic unresolved conundrum. Karpov gives one beautiful variation for it's abstention: 10.....Qb6 whatever you do in Chess....at least till the point where the game drifts to a particular geographical location on the chessboard....is oriented towards the control of center and avoiding weakness, especially your pawn structure. The move .....Qb6 is towards this end, but has its flaws....11.Rb1! ed4; 12.Nd4 Nc5; 13.b4! Nce4; 14.Be4! Ne4; 15.Ne4 Bd4; 16.Nf6 exposes the dark-holes around the Black King!
"One thing that is indisputable is that the movement of this powerful piece always reflects markedly on the position, and therefore a post for it must be sought with particular care. If there is no necessity, as, for example, in the present case, this should in general not be hurried. It follows that Black should perhaps have restricted himself to the prophylactic 11.....Kh7 - since all the same this move will have to be made sooner or later!" Karpov
11.....Qc7
Prophetic words by Karpov! But how often we see masters, however great they may be, succumb to this...
Compare this with Karpov's much acclaimed Qc2!! 11 moves later!
Why Chess is often associated with life and life situations...? It is because of this futility of human perception......despite his great experience and knowledge... Like in life, in Chess too, we commit 'sins' minor or major....notwithstanding our 'knowing'!! Otherwise, many great masters who profess such profound ideas would turn undefeatable....at all times....and the fact that even that great Cuban who came closest to immortality, had to lose 36 games in his career is a proof enough....!
Such is the fleetingness of this life and its moments.....such is the fleetingness of Chess and its moves...!
"On the threshold of the middlegame it is always useful to weigh up the resources of both sides, and to make adjustments to one's initial plans. Here I sank into thought, and soon came to the conclusion that straight-forward play in the centre would not get me anywhere. Now, with the aim of seizing fresh territory, the Kingside pawns must be advanced. But I did not wish to play 14.f4 immediately, it would be illogical to increase the tension straight away - all the same White will subsequently have to play g3-g4, so why not first utilise a resource for strengthening the position, such as g3-g4 and Ng3. At the same time White also solves an important strategic problem - he reinforces his e4 pawn." Karpov
13......Bd7 (and 14.g4)
It is such sort of internal dialogues, that a master entertains during play....makes him produce profound creations which stand and shine like cornerstones in the history of this great art! These dialogues are not restricted within oneself...it coalesces and colludes with that of his opponent's inner dialogue and the divergence and discordance in that coalition which results in results!
And most importantly, there is a great deal of disparity in ascertaining such critical moments....which define true mastery and its advancements.
"A subtle move, which, firstly, prevents the Black Knight from moving to c5 (in view of the reply b2-b4!), and secondly, continues the previous strategic policy of strengthening of the e4 pawn." Karpov
22.Qc2!!
Karpov's words are as economical and profound as his moves! If we take a stock of the position; first and foremost....White has two beautiful pawn islands which exercise greater control over important squares both in the center and on the wings, hampering Black pieces activity. Whilst Black's three islands and weak isolate a-pawn is precipitating the cause. whilst none of the pieces....the Queens; Rooks; Bishops and the Knight on d4 and f6 are not equal despite their almost similar posting...in terms of control of squares and exerting pressure on the opposition; the chief determining factor is that estranged Black Knight on a6 is awfully bad in comparison to the White's which is standing fine on g3.
Karpov now commences a regrouping, giving final touches before concrete action to reap the benefits!
"Another subtle move, which essentially concludes the game. Black is unable to defend his Q-side weaknesses, while 26.....Qb2?? loses to 27.Reb1 trapping the Queen." Karpov
And one does not require comment to the process of plucking the ripe fruits....leading to the final position that we saw in the beginning!
"A walk is, instead, an investigatory exercise that begins with energy and ends when...(and only when)...exhausted..." wrote Alexandra Horowitz in her great book "On looking" which deals about how observant or rather non observant we are, in our day to day life....with our tunnel vision and the much repeated and adored trite term "focus".
And we tire only if we embark on a journey on compulsion and not on purpose!
To take a journey in life and chess are not different....there are countless ways to approach both life and a chess game....and we tire only if we fall in a pattern and look for mundane stuff which does not trigger our creative instincts.....makes us think....differently!
...till we meet again!
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