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Chess is 99% taking pieces

Chess POV:

https://lichess.org/study/jmdRkHuI/PCw6OcC1

Chess POV: https://lichess.org/study/jmdRkHuI/PCw6OcC1

You can actually solve https://lichess.org/training using voice controls... "takes, takes, takes..."

You can actually solve https://lichess.org/training using voice controls... "takes, takes, takes..."

I do acknowledge there's a degree of truth in the "chess is mostly taking pieces" view, but isn't it often poor strategic understanding which leads one to get into difficult positions, where avoiding losing a piece becomes really hard? For example, if I develop slower than my opponent, they're probably going to have opportunities to win material because of the passivity of my pieces.

In that case the real root of the problem is strategic, not tactical.

I do acknowledge there's a degree of truth in the "chess is mostly taking pieces" view, but isn't it often poor strategic understanding which leads one to get into difficult positions, where avoiding losing a piece becomes really hard? For example, if I develop slower than my opponent, they're probably going to have opportunities to win material because of the passivity of my pieces. In that case the real root of the problem is strategic, not tactical.

It's all about push and pulls.
Push the material and pull some ideas together.

It's all about push and pulls. Push the material and pull some ideas together.

Interesting opinion but if you simply count the moves when either player takes a piece vs the moves they don't you can sort of empirically confirm that chess isn't 99% taking pieces. For example sometimes you just want to push your opponent's pieces into disadvantageous positions or play for safety/unsafety of the king, and sometimes you even sac pieces to obtain positional advantageous etc etc Chess isn't checkers after all.

Interesting opinion but if you simply count the moves when either player takes a piece vs the moves they don't you can sort of empirically confirm that chess isn't 99% taking pieces. For example sometimes you just want to push your opponent's pieces into disadvantageous positions or play for safety/unsafety of the king, and sometimes you even sac pieces to obtain positional advantageous etc etc Chess isn't checkers after all.

Not counting the kings, 29 pieces need to be exchanged in 40 moves (80 ply) to end the game with a K+R vs K
29 captures over a 80 ply game = 36.25% exchanges !!

100% push = Total game moves. (A move is 2 plies)
100% pull = Total game pondering. (Brain pondered to cause a move)

"Chess is 36.25% tactics vs 63.75% strategy" (Calculated percentage for a KR vs K)

Not counting the kings, 29 pieces need to be exchanged in 40 moves (80 ply) to end the game with a K+R vs K 29 captures over a 80 ply game = 36.25% exchanges !! 100% push = Total game moves. (A move is 2 plies) 100% pull = Total game pondering. (Brain pondered to cause a move) "Chess is 36.25% tactics vs 63.75% strategy" (Calculated percentage for a KR vs K)

When I'm reading "Simple Chess" or studying the games of Karpov and feel my brain swelling with positional understanding, I am inclined to disagree with the author. The day after blundering a full rook in an OTB classical game, however, I am inclined to agree with him.

When I'm reading "Simple Chess" or studying the games of Karpov and feel my brain swelling with positional understanding, I am inclined to disagree with the author. The day after blundering a full rook in an OTB classical game, however, I am inclined to agree with him.

an interesting opinion, but like.... no?

an interesting opinion, but like.... no?

about the post, i haven't read any comments btw.

about the post, i haven't read any comments btw.