4 ms·

If Magnus is making strong yet unexepected moves relative to his opponents - doesn't that mean he simply has a higher degree of mastery at the game?

lifeformed 13y ago
Well, "unexpectedness" isn't just a failure to anticipate by weaker players. A non-optimal move could be intentionally made with the intention to be unexpected, in order to play mind games with the opponent. Unexpectedness could be a factor in what makes a move strong, not just an after-the-fact observation.
- oinksoft 13y ago
  More to the point, the players have minutes to hours, not days, to study the position. It can be a very good strategy to play a surprising but perhaps less than optimal move to break the opponents' concentration and hopefully get them into time trouble. That's why correspondence and tournament chess don't really intersect apart from studying the same game.
- beefman 13y ago
  Chess is a game of perfect information. Chess players at this level do not intentionally play suboptimal moves hoping to trick their opponents. They try to find the best move given the position on the board. In some cases two moves may be roughly objectively equal, one leading to more complex positions than the other. In these cases players do sometimes choose according to the situation on the clock, their style, or their mood. For instance, if I have more time left than my opponent, I may choose the more complicated continuation, and vice versa. This sort of practical savvy is important, but not nearly as important as many casual players assume.
  - lifeformed 13y ago
    True, I was thinking more of the latter example. Several equally-optimal options are at hand - most people would pick the one they are most familiar with. A more devious player might pick the option that the opponent has least likely considered, taking advantage of their unpreparedness.
  - zwischenzug 13y ago
    I refer you to the infamous Lasker-Capablanca game where Lasker played a dull drawish game to throw Capa off his guard.

lifeformed 13y ago

Well, "unexpectedness" isn't just a failure to anticipate by weaker players. A non-optimal move could be intentionally made with the intention to be unexpected, in order to play mind games with the opponent. Unexpectedness could be a factor in what makes a move strong, not just an after-the-fact observation.

oinksoft 13y ago
More to the point, the players have minutes to hours, not days, to study the position. It can be a very good strategy to play a surprising but perhaps less than optimal move to break the opponents' concentration and hopefully get them into time trouble. That's why correspondence and tournament chess don't really intersect apart from studying the same game.
beefman 13y ago
Chess is a game of perfect information. Chess players at this level do not intentionally play suboptimal moves hoping to trick their opponents. They try to find the best move given the position on the board. In some cases two moves may be roughly objectively equal, one leading to more complex positions than the other. In these cases players do sometimes choose according to the situation on the clock, their style, or their mood. For instance, if I have more time left than my opponent, I may choose the more complicated continuation, and vice versa. This sort of practical savvy is important, but not nearly as important as many casual players assume.
- lifeformed 13y ago
  True, I was thinking more of the latter example. Several equally-optimal options are at hand - most people would pick the one they are most familiar with. A more devious player might pick the option that the opponent has least likely considered, taking advantage of their unpreparedness.
- zwischenzug 13y ago
  I refer you to the infamous Lasker-Capablanca game where Lasker played a dull drawish game to throw Capa off his guard.