Chess for Life – A review by Ben Graff

definitely one book you should put on your Xmas list!

“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” ― Gabriel García Márquez

In life as in chess, nothing remains the same. We grow, we change. Some of what comes easy when we are younger might prove more challenging as the years roll on. Yet whatever age we happen to be, there are always new things to learn, fresh ideas to try. It really is possible to keep developing both at and away from the board, as Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan explore in this excellent and inspiring book.
Based on case studies of thirteen players via interviews and a review of the subject’s games and experiences, Chess for Life is an unusual and highly innovative work. Sadler and Regan describe their aim as being to both help experienced players continue to improve and to assist developing players who want to learn from top players observations. They succeed on both counts, marrying the excellent analysis you would expect from such insightful teachers, with perceptive and anecdote rich interviews.

A lot of thought has gone into what lessons can best be drawn from each of the role models, with plenty of further personal perspective from both Matthew and Natasha. For all those studied, chess has been an integral part of their lives, but that does not necessarily mean that their relationship with the game has been static and unyielding. I noticed that many of the players interviewed shared a more rounded outlook on chess than perhaps they might have done in their younger years.

For example, John Nunn observed that “Most chess-players have this love-hate relationship with the game… they enjoy the thrill of playing, they hate losing – who doesn’t – and I think to be healthy, to enjoy chess, you have to enjoy playing without it becoming an addiction.” Similarly, John Speelman told the authors he viewed the game as “…a former obsession and mostly a joy!”

Equally, the book highlights that chess has the capacity to act as a positive life-force in times of trouble. Keith Arkell describes chess as having been “emotionally… a great healer,” when he was a child lacking in confidence. Terry Chapman noted that having had a wonderful career outside chess which ultimately ended unhappily and following a divorce, he took up chess again after an extended break. It became a “wonderful resource,” for him. One of the joys of Chess for Life is that it gives the reader a better way of seeing the game as a constructive tool for living, in addition to lots of tips on how to play it more effectively.

We can all take comfort from the fact that even the best struggle on occasion. That when it comes to preparation our heroes can find the going tough. I was fascinated to learn that Judit Polgar had not found it easy to adapt her ways of studying when work with chess engines became the norm. The chapter on Tony Miles is particularly interesting, highlighting as it does that gaining in experience did not always work to Miles’ advantage. There were certain systems that had once served him well, which he came to have less confidence in over time. Matthew’s story about Miles playing 1… e6 against 1.d4 but not 1.e4 because he did not like the French defence is highly illuminating and very entertaining.

Matthew shares his own experience of preparing for a tournament by studying Kotov’s seminal Think Like a Grandmaster, which advocates identifying candidate possibilities, assessing them all once and then determining your move. In a rare reversal, the event did not go well and when Matthew looked back at his analysis, he realised that Kotov’s approach simply had not worked for him. Matthew’s style needed him to embrace chaos as a way of thinking. A compelling reminder to all of us that while we need to be open to new ideas, we also need to trust our instincts.

The technical lessons drawn from the role models include how to build an opening repertoire that lasts (Pia Cramling), advanced middle and endgame techniques (Jose Capablanca) and an excellent section on rook and pawn endgames (Keith Arkell.) Matthew and Natasha in conjunction with their subjects really share the relevant lessons in a way which is lucid and accessible. The key conclusions are grouped into sections on “Enjoyment and Motivation,” “Training Strategies,” “Designing an Opening Repertoire with Longevity,” “Preparation for a Game” and “Practical Approach at the Board,” and these provide a very neat and useful summary of some of the key take-outs.

This is certainly a book that a lot can be gained from, whether the reader wants to simply enjoy some good chess, further develop their own game or just enjoy reading the personal perspectives of some fantastic chess role models. Matthew and Natasha have the knack of finding new ways to make chess interesting and to convey what the game can mean both at and away from the board. Natasha writes movingly about the “extra richness” chess has brought to her life. One of the benefits she describes is “Meeting all sorts of wonderful and quirky people who will be friends no matter what.”

I have no doubt that Chess for Life is and will continue to be a friend to many.