Lessons from Chess for Life

 Life is similar to chess with some elements of poker thrown in. I have note down some elements in how life is similar to chess and what lessons I take from chess. 

1 Life is a 4 dimensional chess game

In life our actions have consequences. Every such consequences lead to further action and consequences. Further consequences are influenced by not only ours but also other people actions. 

So nobody is playing chess but life plays multi dimensional chess with every one, where we face consequences of our and others actions every move. 

But life is not out to harm us. So planning for future often gives great dividends.

2 Value of pieces - Priorities

For any calculation in chess, you need to know relative value of pieces. It is not possible to give checkmate every other move.  So in each move, calculation is done to maximise value of pieces.

Similarly in life, for any planning , our priorities should be clear. Often we make wrong decisions in life due to wrong priorities. We should strive to incrementally improve your life based on our priorities. Not worry why we are not already successful.

3 Playing aggressive  with a plan-create luck

One of the most frequent lament in life is lack of good luck. 

I have observed in games then when I am playing passively, only reacting to moves, then more and more my opponent plays flawlessly. But if I play with a certain plan in mind, opponent makes more and more blunder. It does not have to be a perfect plan. No one can calculate perfectly. 

Any action taken as per a plan with goal in mind, can give more return than lifetime of playing defence in career and life.

4 Keeping Margin of Safety

Certain Chess games are very beautiful. Super Grandmasters often sacrifice large amount of material to win a game. It looks very beautiful.

But unlike in games, nobody can predict with any certainty in life. Its important to take only measured risk in life.

5 Focus - Living in Present

While choosing a move in chess game, only the current position matters. Howsoever you reached the position, does not matter.  If one spends time, stressing about he got into his bad situation or congratulating himself for his good position, then he is likely to blunder into a worse position or miss an opportunity to improve his position.  

Similarly in life, it does not matter how many opportunities you missed. It does not matter how many mistakes you made. All you have to do is the best in the present moment. It is best not to judge how we are doing, as there always many people with better or worse fortunes.

So we should not allow our emotions to block our thinking process. We shall let our self be guided by it but not let it impede us.  

Ever wondered why become most angry or tense when we need to be most calm or why we become most nervous when we need to be most confident or assured. 

6 Winning - happiness 

In chess,  game is decided by checkmate. If we win, we are happy.

But in life, if we keep waiting to reach our goals, to be happy. Then we remain always miserable. For outcomes in life are not always in our control. We should not tie our well being with things not under our control.

For reaching our goal, we should lay down the process. And seek happiness in following the process.


At the end we should always remember that life gives us multiple chances. Every failure in life leads to a new chance to win again.  



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