It is easy to become a great leader with knowledge, even basic knowledge, of the game of Chess. For some reason, I gained access to a board game early in my life. But for some reason, we learned how to play draft, and not Chess. Unlike Chess, Draft is a basic game that lacks rigor, creativity, and strategy. Though I was so good at it. It was the wrong game!
That is where nature makes a difference. The mentorship to young ones about the right moves and career choices to embrace. You can imagine my exasperation and disappointments, when later in life, I got to learn about the game of chess. The ultimate game. As Mr. Strategy, I took time and made it a new year resolution. To learn the basics of chess. The more I learn about this game, the more I fall in love with it. Now I encourage executives on my mentorship, to learn it. It gives logic to their leadership thinking.
In chess, the outcome is simple: win the game by capturing the opponent’s king. Before you start the game, you know the end game – capture the other king by checkmating it – doing in such a way that the king has no escape, and failure to move it gets it captured!
Each player is given the same materials.
And the playing field is made level as much as possible.
Each player has a turn to move. The only thing that makes a difference is in brain processing power. Chess is so fantastic that it is very difficult to anticipate 5 or more steps ahead, because of the possible variations by your opponent. Maybe few people may anticipate the next two or three moves during the mid or end-game, but it is not easy to make the computation. And that should not be your focus.
Thus far, I have learned to win a Chess game, you need a strategy to give you an advantage, which includes the following:
- More materials of high value in terms of forcee. the strength of the pieces (men) you have. In the end, game, having the queen (a highly trained, war-hardened first-rate commando), and rook (highly trained and agile commando) you have more advantage to win the game against an opponent with just his or her king (President) and three pawns (private soldiers, newly recruited), which are yet to cross to the fourth rank! Even if they are on six, the power of the queen is too much to allow the pawns to move when the king is under too much firepower.
- A superior piece or men development. The way you place your pieces (read men) is key to winning. If you do not support your pieces or men, when they cross into enemy territory, chances of being humiliated and captured are high. Even highly trained commandos like the Queen could easily be close in on and captured!
To be continued in part 2.
Copyright Mustapha B Mugisa, 2020. All rights reserved.
