“CHANCE FAVORS THE PREPARED MIND” – Louis Pasteur
We love to win. But do we do everything we can to achieve this goal? Games in which the opponent is known well in advance start before the first move. If you skip this phase, you are already making a mistake and playing with a handicap. Already here, on “move zero ”, the following questions must be answered:
- Where is there likely to be a clash between the two repertoires? Depending on the versatility of both opponents, this may be the case in several places.
- Where are my opponent’s weak points? Where do I get the best positional evaluation?
- Which of the possible positions do I like the most? Where do my skills come into their own best?
- Which sequence of moves do I have to use to achieve the best result? Can I moveorder (outsmart) him?
- Do I want to learn new variations to target his weakest points?
- How can I surprise my opponent so that his preparation comes to nothing? Left to his own devices, he will inevitably make mistakes.
As you can see, preparation is a science in itself and therefore an opportunity to further increase your Elo rating. Tricking your opponent before the first move and imposing your will is an intellectual challenge that can be a lot of fun. It is also important to remember that every preparation expands your opening repertoire and thus has a long-term effect on your chess career.
Of course, any preparation is time-consuming, but it can be shortened with professional help. Here is a possible procedure:
1. We meet online via screen-sharing.
2. Your opponent’s games are merged into a large variation tree.
3. We now look at the intersections with your repertoire.
4. I mark the weak points of your opponent’s repertoire and point out where the most value can be gained.
5. Now you know what you need to learn. Of course, I can also help you with this final step.
