Centaur Chess

Posts Tagged ‘Strategy’

We continue our chess strategy series and look at another very important concept, that of the good vs bad bishops. It is imperative that you are able to see which bishops are good and bad and play accordingly. For more information and other great material visit www.thechesswebsite.com

We take a look at the second part in our series of when to trade pieces in a chess game. The two main topics in this video are if and when you should trade if you have a spacial advantage and what to do when you can make one of your existing pieces stronger. If you haven’t checked out the first video in the series make sure you do that.

The game of chess is one of patience, strategy and deep concentration. It’s a wonderful game to teach children of all ages so they learn how each player moves and how to manipulate players to over take their opponents ultimately leading to checkmate. It’s certainly not simple but once you learn the skills required it is a game that can be enjoyed for life. Classic chess can present itself in many ways with playing pieces and boards crafted out of different material and coming in a multitude of different forms. Rather than just a game, these sets of various unique materials and the themed chess sets will serve as works of art in any home.

Some people decorate rooms with themes in mind. A cottage or summer home with a nautical theme would lend itself to a chess set where players are lighthouses. A young girl learning to play may select woodland fairies in bright cheery colors and a feminine touch to keep in her room. A popular decoration theme is Asian inspired furnishings and art. To sit among this setting a themed chess set based on the Tang dynasty, Samurai warriors, or bright rich colors with an oriental flare would work extremely well with the décor. Perhaps you want something that acts as a focal point to stand out rather than blend in. Other people may want to inject some humor into the game and have something truly unique. Consider the Egyptian theme set, the Alamo battle set or out in left field is the Skeleton slayer set. Sporting sets with golf themes can offer a masculine touch and may be the perfect gift for Dad.

Just a few suggestions based on the vast selection offered with the unique and intricately crafted themed chess sets. The wonderful playing pieces are really beautiful pieces of art that can serve as examples of your special flare and style. Whether it is something of your own, or for gift giving when you want to make a personal statement, the themed chess sets take ordinary chess to an exclusive new level.

Chess is a game of strategy and commitment. Chess is also one of the most traditional and most popular games on the globe. It is thought that chess originated between the 15th and 17th centuries in India. The exact date is unknown. Chess is also known as the royal game because it is called the king of all games. It is interesting to learn that the name chess means king, and the word checkmate means the king is dead.

To play the game of chess, you need to have two players. There 16 different pieces each player has, each player has a different color. When the games starts, the first player will start off having a king, queen, two bishops, knights, eight pawns and rooks. The object of the game is to corner your opponents king so he cannot move anywhere else on the game board.

There are many chess tournaments around the world today in all areas. Chess is even being taught at different schools to children as well. Chess is a game of strategy and it can improve the thinking skills of that child. The benefits are that the child will learn how to focus, become a planner in their everyday life, to think analytically and to think about all different options before making a decision on something. Another benefit is it can heighten a persons communication and social skills. There have been studies to prove that if a child regularly plays chess, they have a great improvement in their abilities to read as well as math.

You can play chess anywhere today. There are also chess tournaments that take place in some shopping malls. All you need to have is the board, the pieces and two players. You can also play chess on the computer. When you play on the computer and against the computer, you can adjust the difficulty level from easy, medium and hard levels. Don’t forget to play against your friends on the internet as well.

There are grandmasters of chess today. These men and women spend many hours each day playing and have spent years studying the game of chess. On of the grandmasters of chess is Garry Kasparov. He is among the world’s most popular chess players. He is 1st ranked in the world for playing chess between 1985 to 2005. He was also the world champion chess player from 1985 to 1993.

You can buy the game of chess at almost any retail store that sells games. There are also different themes of chess that you can purchase as well.

Chess is not a game that you can master over night. It takes time and dedication to become a master player of this timeless game. Chess is a game that the whole family can enjoy. The children will be learning as they are playing a game and the parents will be playing a game that they have loved for a long time. No matter what your age or gender, chess will continue to be the most popular game out there today and tomorrow.

Ever antiquity mankind has entertained him self with strategy board games. The phenomenon continues even today, despite the popularity of video games. Why? Well, strategy board games challenge the mind while giving people a chance to relax with one another. And, they offer a classic form of entertainment that’s not dependant on batteries or electricity.

So, what are the most popular strategy board games on the market? Well, technically there are hundreds, but when it comes to worldwide popularity, there are seven strategy board games that are at the top of the list. They include: Chess, Cribbage, Mahjong, Go Game, Sudoku, Backgammon, and Checkers.

1. Chess

Chess is one of the world’s most popular strategy board games. Originating in ancient India and Persia, the game has emerged in many forms. The most common form is known as Western chess. This is where two opponents must capture each other’s kings. This is done through chess pieces that have different levels of power, (kings, queens, rooks, etc.). Strategy must be used to determine how a particular piece can result in a checkmate.

2. Cribbage

When it comes to strategy board games, cribbage is one of the most unusual. While a ‘board’ is used during the game, cribbage is played with cards. The board is used to help keep score. Either way, cribbage is a great alternative for people who want to play a card game that relies more on thinking than luck.

3. Mahjong

Unlike other strategy board games, mahjong was actually created based on spiritual and philosophical principles. So, if Eastern philosophies are your thing, you could be helping both your soul and you mind after a game of mahjong.

4. Go Game

Go Game is another strategy board game created from Asia. It works like chess, as players must dominate their opponent’s spaces on the board. However, the pieces are much simpler, as they consist of black and white stones.

5. Sudoku

Sudoku is a strategy board game where you must fill in a grid with numbers 1 through 9. However, the catch is you must use the numbers once for each section. It is this characteristic of Sudoku that makes it one of the most sought after strategy board games of all time.

If you’ve researched your backgammon game, you know how important it is to use a solid backgammon strategy to help you win. Regardless of whether you’re playing backgammon for free against friends or at free online skill gaming sites, or if you’re competing in a serious tournament for cash prizes, you’ll need to incorporate strategy into your game if you want to win.

Ask any experienced person who likes to play backgammon and he will tell you that strategy will often be the difference between winning and losing. Just like chess, knowing how to disrupt your opponent’s game plan and how to play offensively and defensively are useful skills to develop if you’re serious about backgammon online. The following information will help you to think strategically and develop your own successful backgammon strategy.

The first thing you need to do is put in place a game plan. Having a game plan gives you several advantages. Firstly, you can try to keep one step ahead of your opponent by always knowing what your next move will be. This will help you deduce what his next move may be based on your previous one, which is a useful skill to master. You are also less likely to be shaken by his aggressive strategies when you have something to fall back on.

Secondly, make sure you are fully familiar with the backgammon board. Learn about the different points on the board and what they can offer you in terms of security. Are there points that are useful to attack from, and others that will give you shelter when you’re under attack? Make sure you over the backgammon rules regularly, including how to move your checkers and how your specific version of backgammon begins. Take note of the backgammon set up and take advantage of the many resources available online that will help you memorize the best vantage points for your checkers.

Another way to increase your knowledge of strategy is to use backgammon download software. This can be found at numerous free backgammon sites. Once downloaded and installed, a software program will help you hone your skills against a computer-based opponent. You can use the software to practice at your own pace as often as you like, which is guaranteed to improve both your skill levels and your confidence levels.

Finally, make sure you learn as much as you can from those players that are consistently successful at internet backgammon. Don’t be shy to ask for tips and suggestions on how to improve your game. Use your free software to practice some of the more advanced strategies you learn from other players. And make sure you ask as many questions as you need to on online backgammon forums.

Despite a lot of hype to the contrary, you don’t have to be a genius to become successful at playing backgammon. Providing you take advantage of all the learning material you can find and practice developing your new skills as much as you can, you will soon notice an improvement in your game.

Clients often tell me they’re not really clear about the concept of Strategy. It’s a lot easier than you might think. Strategy is one of the steps in the planning process and cycle. The sequence in the business planning process is Vision, Mission, Goals, Strategy.

Vision is where you start and is the most abstract. Once clarified it become the guiding light toward which all your activities will be directed. Your Mission is what you do in your business to carry out your Vision. Goals are specific measurables that define what will exist when you’ve realized your Vision. The Strategy step is the thinking through of how you will achieve those Goals.

Start by considering the resources you have and the direction you want to go. Evaluate various scenarios and steps and predict how they will turn out. An analogy that makes it easier to understand is the game of chess. Various moves are considered with predicted outcomes BEFORE the actions are taken.

Some examples of Strategy might be:

- identify and develop an untapped market (based on observed trends);

- provide staff training and coaching (to strengthen customer service)

- redefine our brand (to fit our updated target market)

Developing a clear Strategy is critical because you’re going to base your Plan on your Strategy. As you know, it’s the activities you carry out in your day-to-day operations that produce the results you see at the end of the month. It is likely that you will have more than one Strategy because you’ll probably have several Goals.

There may be more than one Strategy for each Goal. An example might be to “create a contact database” and “hire a part-time assistant to manage your database”. You’re not actually at the Plan level until you determine the steps you’re going to take to hire that assistant (seek employee referrals, network word of mouth).

Bill Sipes, CPA, is founder and CEO of a community-based Accounting Business, which provides Tax Management, Write-up, Financial Services, Financial Support Systems and Business Valuation. He sees opportunities to add even more services and products and has decided to take on the persona of a Financial Advisor. I’d like to share the story of how he recently developed his Strategy for this business because it clearly exemplifies the process.

When there was an economic downturn in his local community, Bill realized he needed a new Strategy that would “turn his clients into cheerleaders” and turn around his bottom line. He decided to find out where his business had been coming from in the recent past.

He found out he got most business from 3 sources: mailing to professionals, new business/product mailing, and new sales to existing clients.

He called together his staff to discuss his findings and to ask for their help in determining a new Strategy. Following the meeting he sent out a summary of “what he heard” and asked for their continued thoughts. The staff were acknowledged and given a role in the process.

Here’s Bill’s memo to staff.

“Thanks to all. I think this is the most important meeting we have ever had. This is what I heard.

1. We need to separate ourselves from the other CPA firms.

2. Several ways to do this were mentioned. Speed of service was one. Another was building relationships.

3. We are going to develop a system of building relationships with our clients. Jane is going to write a rough script to follow whenever we get with a client…..The Moment of Truth.

4. I am going to ask Annette to print a few banners that say…..The Moment of Truth.

5. Jeff is going to check with the software people about Telemagic and Act.

6. We are going to spend more time “showing our face” in the community and to our clients.

7. When with a client always ask……How are we doing?

Thanks again for a great meeting……which I am sure will lead to a great system that will turn our clients into cheerleaders.”

Here’s Bill’s Strategy.

- Develop a plan to cross-sell existing clients.

- Continue to use Marketing Assistant to carry out marketing campaign to targeted list.

- Make Customer Service visits with our commissioned software salesman to cement relationships and try to cross-sell.

- Hire a commissioned insurance sales rep with a benefits background to sell Long Term Care Insurance as a new service (to cross-sell).

- Redefine our “brand”. Develop our new image to support our updated profile.

He’s building his redefined brand on “trusted relationships”. The staff is very enthusiastic and willing to support each other’s efforts. He also plans to have “Moment of Truth” banners made up to keep the staff focused on what’s important.

Bill is utilizing a Strategy that’s based on research into information about his own business and he has buy-in from his staff. He not only knows where he’s going, he has a Strategy to get there.

The Strategy Paradox (adapted from Michael Raynor)

Welcome to the Strategy Paradox. The Strategy Paradox is simply this — strategies with the greatest possibility of success also have the greatest possibility of failure. The best and most well-managed companies in the world have much in common with the most abject failures in the business world. The same actions and uniqueness that are likely to make one company successful also may be the seeds of its total failure.

You can completely understand your customers, identify reasonable target markets, create (or buy) perfectly viable products, execute your strategy flawlessly, monitor your progress and results, and still fail miserably.

Why? – because strategy is about predicting the future, making assumptions about what is going to be, and making commitments based on those assumptions. If the future you predict is wrong, all of your right actions will still doom you to failure.

There are ways to ensure you don’t guess so wrong that you jeopardize your business:
1) Thoroughly understand your market and your business environment, and determine whether any potential “Market Disrupters” are on the horizon.
2) Create a strategy that has the effect of changing the market in your favor.
3) Create Strategic Flexibility in your business and marketing plans.

The above three ‘tips’ may seem very difficult to do, but they are, in fact, quite doable. Let’s look at Strategic Flexibility now, and the others in future articles.

To have a truly great strategy in your Internet-based or conventional business, having more than one arrow in your marketing quiver is an absolute must. In fact, I would advocate that you had better have a varied portfolio within your business, or you have put yourself at great risk of failure.

The point is to have Strategic Flexibility. You want to be in a position where, even if some of your assumptions are wrong (and they will be), your business is still viable.

One way to create flexibility is to think like a chess champion. You need to master the concept of “Down Board Thinking”. World class chess players do not simply think about their own moves, they look ‘down board’ and consider their opponents’ (competitions’) possible responses to their moves, and plan a number of alternative moves ahead. This kind if thinking is particularly relevant both in creating your strategy, and in managing and monitoring the implementation of your strategy.

Much like a modern ‘smart bomb’, your strategy, once launched, requires constant monitoring of its progress. Down board thinking will help you anticipate the world in which your strategy will exist, how market conditions might change, and to help shape that world in such a way that you greatly enhance your chances of success. Do this, and you will be light years ahead of your competition.

Another way is to have enough actions (tactics) going on at roughly the same time, so that even if some of them don’t turn out as well as you expected, and that will happen, you will still prosper because you have enough right actions happening.

Everyone has heard some tried and true principles of strategy like, “Expect the unexpected,” “Always have a plan B,” or, “Better to have more options than you think you need, because you might have thought wrong.” These common sense principles have their echoes in the most successful companies in the world.

Strategy, to match reality at all, has to be based on the expected and unexpected reactions of all the participants, plus the inevitable curves that Fate will throw at you.

I want to dwell on that last notion—strategy as an engineering problem—for a moment. We have a tendency to look at business strategy as questions of what we are, or are not doing, should and shouldn’t be doing. In other words, we often do see it as an engineering problem: apply some precisely-targeted tactic here, a little marketing there, and voila! you have victory.

We all know, the real world isn’t that simple. Most of our careers have not been any kind of a straight line. I know mine sure hasn’t!! Most of our lives have not followed any simple set of steps where we can easily predict what tomorrow will bring. The world changes, and today it is changing faster and faster. A well thought out strategy gives you flexibility, and flexibility is the only way you will survive and thrive in today’s hyper-changing world.

The real aim of Strategy then, is to have a set of actions in place consistent with your view of your desired future. Once you have those actions in place, with systems, processes, metrics, and exit plans (because all strategies end), you can also begin to manage strategic uncertainty, that is, you can begin to think of other ways to grow your business that take into account the certain failure of some parts of your overall strategy..