International Chess Beginner's Tutorial

Author: Lin Feng
Editor-in-Chief: Gu Gangchen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features:
Excerpt: Chapter Introduction Section The Nature and Function of Chess
1. The Nature of Chess
Chess was known as "Wanguo Xiangqi" in old China and as "Xiyang Xiangqi" or "Xiyang Qi" in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Its English name (chess) originally means "to checkmate the opponent's king," and it is one of the most popular board games in the world. It is called "international chess" to distinguish it from China's traditional chess.
(1) Universality
Chess is one of the world's oldest, most widespread, and most popular competitive sports. Its world organization—the International Chess Federation (FIDE)—currently has 156 member countries (or regions), with 300 million enthusiasts worldwide. Currently, international chess competitions are held frequently, with events taking place almost nonstop throughout the year. In the years following World War II, in addition to the traditional Hastings tournament in Europe, only one or two international competitions were held. However, by the 1990s, as many as 200 such international tournaments were held around the world each year. If national tournaments and correspondence competitions are also counted, there are tens of thousands of officially recorded games each year.
(2) Attributes
Due to its magical charm, for over 1,500 years, not only have generations of chess players dedicated themselves to it, but also numerous politicians, military strategists, philosophers, writers, artists, and scientists have been captivated by it. Some call it "pocket warfare," others "the art of thinking," and still others "an intellectual teaching tool." There has been long-standing debate abroad about the attributes or definition of chess. Former World Champion and former FIDE President Dr. Max Euwe once wrote in a book, "Chess blends sport, art, and science into one. Of these, sport accounts for about half, while art and science each account for about a quarter." This view is quite representative. Fewer and fewer people now oppose classifying chess as a sport. According to medical tests abroad, a master-level match lasting 4 to 5 hours consumes as much mental energy from a player as a boxer does physical energy in a boxing match. Therefore, if classified more finely, it can also be considered an intellectual sport rather than a physical sport. The reason it is classified as a sport is mainly because it requires the willpower, psychological qualities, and strong physique that all sports must have. It is a confrontational sport that determines a direct winner and loser face-to-face, and is strictly limited by time and rules. The reason it is considered an art and culture is that it requires rich imagination, keen insight, and unique creativity—the same imaginative thinking required by literature, aesthetics, and other arts. The reason it is considered a thinking science is that it requires the ability to objectively judge the situation, meticulously plan strategies, and precisely calculate variations—the same logical thinking required by mathematics, military science, and other sciences.
Postscript:
Postscript: On the occasion of the release of these three textbooks, as the author, it seems appropriate to communicate with the readers. In the fifth issue of the British magazine Chess in 1997, a special report was published on the state of Chinese chess. This authoritative magazine devoted a full 10 pages to the topic and repeatedly mentioned the term "Chinese Chess School" in the article, a "labeling" that had never been seen in foreign publications before. July 27, 1997, was the final day of the World Youth Chess Championship held in Zagan, Poland. Before the closing ceremony, a veteran Polish journalist and chess writer interviewed me for nearly an hour. In addition to expressing strong interest in the rapid development of Chinese chess in recent years, he focused on asking about the theoretical development of Chinese chess. Among the questions he pursued relentlessly was, "Does China have its own published Chess Teaching Textbook?" In fact, this question had been seriously considered more than two years ago. At that time, the number of people interested in Chinese chess was growing exponentially, and representatives from Beijing Sport University Press came to the Chinese Chess Association to invite them to compile textbooks on beginner, intermediate, and advanced chess. These textbooks were intended to serve as teaching references for universities and teaching materials for chess coaches at all levels. The target readers included teachers, coaches, chess players at all levels, and chess enthusiasts with reading ability. I would like to thank Mr. Chen Zude, President of the Chinese Chess Association, and Ms. He Huixian, Director of the Publicity Department of the State General Administration of Sport, for taking the time to write the preface despite their busy schedules. I also extend my gratitude to the State Education Commission, Beijing Sport University Press, and fellow chess professionals for their strong support, which made the timely publication of these three textbooks possible. I have been playing chess for 37 years, with years of theoretical, but writing a series of textbooks was a first for me. After planning in 1995, writing in 1996, and reviewing in 1997, I finally managed to fulfill this mission. Given my limited level and the tight schedule, it is inevitable that there will be omissions and errors, and I sincerely ask experts and readers to point them out. The author has two wishes: First, I hope this textbook can play a theoretical role in promoting and improving Chinese chess and in the formation and development of the Chinese Chess School. Second, as China's chess performance continues to rise, I hope this textbook can add new chapters on the Chinese Chess School when it is republished next year. Lin Feng, August 1, 1997