Understanding in Chess: The Supreme Discipline
“Chess is a game of understanding, not of memory.”
— Eugene Znosko-Borovsky, How Not to Play Chess (1931)
In the golden age of chess literature, long before cloud engines and mega databases, Znosko-Borovsky fired a timeless warning at generations to come: don’t confuse knowledge with understanding. His message was sharp and clear — the best move isn’t always the one found in a book; it’s the one that flows from grasping the heart of the position.
Nearly a century later, his insight has never been more relevant — or more neglected.
🧠 The Myth of Memory
“If you find a good move, wait — look for a better one.”
— Emanuel Lasker, World Champion (1894–1921)
Today’s players are drowning in data. Opening files. Engine evaluations. Bullet tactics. But Lasker’s wisdom still stands: true chess strength isn’t in recall, but in refinement — the ability to evaluate, reassess, and make choices based on principles, not parroting.
Even Garry Kasparov, the ultimate prep-machine of his time, admitted:
“Deep understanding of positions is what sets strong players apart. Not just knowledge, but interpretation.”
That interpretation comes from experience, of course — but not merely memorized experience. It comes from digested experience. Pattern recognition rooted in meaning, not blind repetition.
⚙️ Understanding vs Memory: False Dichotomy?
Let’s be clear — memory is not the enemy. In fact, it’s a servant of understanding.
Every tactical motif you spot in seconds… every mating net that flashes in your mind… every instinctive move in the endgame — that’s memory at work. But it’s useful only because it’s been structured and reinforced by understanding.
🔥 My Take: Understanding and Memory Are Partners — But Not Equals
After nearly a decade of coaching and two decades in the battlefield of tournament chess, I’ve distilled this truth:
Chess is a game of understanding and memory. But understanding leads. The ratio? 60:40.
This isn’t philosophical fluff. It’s tactical clarity.
Here’s what I mean:
- Memory (40%) gives you the database — the raw archive of past mistakes, patterns, ideas.
- Understanding (60%) gives you the interpreter — the one who knows when to use what, and why it works.
Understanding helps you:
- Choose plans, not just moves.
- Evaluate imbalances.
- Sense danger before it appears.
- Adapt in unfamiliar positions when theory runs out.
Without memory, you reinvent the wheel.
Without understanding, you're a slave to rote moves.
But with understanding leading memory, you play as a creator, not a copier.
🛠 How I Train My Students
I don’t feed them 20-move opening dumps or drill them into submission. I teach them to:
- Look at the board like a living organism, not a math problem.
- Ask “Why?” at every stage — Why this move? Why not that plan?
- Tag mistakes with meaning, not just sadness. (“This wasn’t just a blunder. It was a misjudged tension.”)
- Absorb principles from classics — where plans, not engines, decided games.
📜 Closing Thought
“A strong memory, concentration, imagination, and a strong will is required to become a great chess player.”
— Bobby Fischer
True — but even Fischer used his memory to serve something deeper: his unmatched feel for the board, the balance, the moment.
So yes, train your memory. But make understanding your compass.
Because when everything else collapses — the prep fails, the surprise line hits, the position goes off-script — only one thing can guide you:
Your understanding of the game.
And that, ultimately, is what makes you not just a player, but a force.
Stay Alstoned!
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