Strategy and Tactics
Using the military aspects of Chess to enhance your Martial Arts
Chess and its Military Past
I first started playing chess when I was 9 years old and by the time I was 13 years old, I had a chess coach, played in several tournaments a year, was ranked and actually won my division at a prestigious local competition. I also started my martial arts journey when I was 13 and considering the time and effort commitments required for both chess and the martial arts, I knew one of these endeavors was going to suffer.
Unfortunately for chess, as a 13-year-old boy, practicing Karate was a lot cooler than playing chess, especially to the girls that I was trying to impress at that time. Notwithstanding, I never left the game and followed it as best as I could, even though the majority of my attention was on school and my newfound interest in Karate.
I also noted the mental discipline required by both and knew that chess was founded on military principles. Chess was (originally) played primarily by Military and Political leaders due to its intrinsic strategic and tactical intensity. Chess originated in India over 1,500 years ago; it was originally known as Chaturanga and represented various divisions within the Indian military. Considering the warring nations at that time, chess quickly spread across the continents, both to China and Persia.
While most of this migration was through various generals and diplomats, ultimately chess made its way to the general populous. Before the Bobby Fischer craze of the 1970 ‘s, chess was primarily associated with a small, intellectual segment of the population. However, following Fischer’s rise to fame, the game began to attract players from all walks of life and social backgrounds.
Coincidentally, this timeline was also the height of Bruce Lee’s fame, so my personal interest shifted from the rising popularity of chess to the skyrocketing popularity of martial arts. Even though my personal focus had changed, I still was proud of my chess accomplishments and would regular read magazines and books covering the comings and goings of chess and those that excelled at it.
Strategies and Tactics
I also read a ton of martial arts material and recently came across a couple of quality books wherein one author was discussing Martial Arts Strategies and Tactics, while the other book focused on Chess Strategies and Tactics.
I wasn’t too surprised to note the similarities between the two especially seeing that chess is a game on how best to defeat an opponent at the same time keeping one’s self safe. In addition, chess, thanks to its history as well as its relationship to military strategy and tactics is another excellent example of combining martial arts and culture known as Bunbu Ryodo – 文武両道
While martial arts and chess would seem to be completely unrelated, one being a physical endeavour, the other a board game, nevertheless both disciplines involve dedication, application of both strategies and tactics as well as anticipating your opponents moves by being fully educated in all aspects of your martial arts or chess training.
In the most basic premise, martial arts strategy is developed to keep oneself safe, to have the ability to defend yourself and ultimately defeat your opponent, or at the very least not lose the confrontation. With chess strategies, your primary objective is to defeat your opponent while at the same time properly defending your position. The secondary strategy of chess is not to lose (a “draw” in chess parlance) so the similarities to martial arts is obvious.
Most people start the martial arts in order to be able to properly defend themselves against some form of violence. When developing a martial arts strategy, you must first determine what possible dangerous scenarios you may encounter in your everyday life. These will in turn allow you to develop different strategies or variations thereof that can be considered the “arrows in your quiver” to deal with each scenario.
In chess, you must learn a variety of opening, midgame and endgame strategies, knowing several scenarios based on what your opponents does and how well defended your position is. At the highest levels, each player knows their opponents well and would be prepared to counter the variety of attacks and tactics just like any martial artist. To this end, we have noted the following comparative analyses on the similarities between Chess and Martial Arts Strategies and Tactics.
Base Principles
Obviously, both martial arts and chess require intense concentration, strategic thinking, and mental determination. While chess and martial arts do appear to be worlds apart—one involves physical combat and the other a board game, nevertheless, considering that chess started out as a military strategy game in India, there are some fascinating similarities including creating strategic opportunities, anticipating your opponents moves, remaining disciplined and mentally ready at all times.
One of the primary similarities between chess and martial arts is the ability to outthink and outmaneuver your opponent. With martial arts, you are constantly testing and probing your opponents’ defenses and, in turn, trying to anticipate their actions. In chess, players must also anticipate their opponent’s next move and must plan multiple replies, each having to be analyzed in depth.
For martial artists, strategy development must include being able to read your opponents body language, looking for weaknesses in their position and alter your strategy accordingly. For example, in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), the practitioner relies on positioning, control, and leverage to outmaneuver their opponent, regularly modifying their approach depending on the opponent’s reactions. The strategy decided upon is highly dependent on the flow of the fight and the unexpected turns it might take.
In chess, the entire game revolves around strategy. A player must think several moves ahead and consider the potential outcomes of their decisions. Chess involves not just tactical skill but a profound understanding of position, timing, and the relationship between different pieces. Chess can be considered a battle of wits where the player must assess both the offensive and defensive potential of each move, similar to what we see in martial arts.
The most basic elements of chess strategy involve controlling the center of the board, developing pieces, and ensuring the safety of the king. As the game progresses, more complex strategies emerge, with players often engaging in tactical skirmishes and creating long-term plans for checkmate.
Mental Preparation and Focus
Both martial arts and chess require a high level of mental preparation. In both chess and martial arts, the mental aspect can often be more important than the physical. The need for mental clarity, emotional control, and focus is vital in both, as a lapse in concentration can lead to unwanted results.
In martial arts, mental discipline goes hand-in-hand with physical training. Before a fight, a martial artist must not only be physically ready but also be mentally prepared. Visualization techniques, mindfulness, and breathing exercises are often part of the preparation process. A martial artist who is mentally strong is better able to stay calm under pressure, is able to make quick decisions, and is able to recover from setbacks during a fight.
Overcoming fear, managing adrenaline, and maintaining composure in the face of danger are essential requirements of martial arts training. In addition, most martial arts philosophies also emphasize humility, patience, and respect, which can contribute to a mindset that supports life long personal growth.
In chess, mental focus is paramount. A player must remain completely focused throughout the game, for losing focus even for just a moment can result in a critical mistake (known in chess parlance as a “blunder”). Like martial artists, chess players use mental techniques such as visualization, where they picture potential moves and sequences in their minds before committing them on the board. This was wonderfully illustrated in the Netflix series “Queen’s Gambit,” where Beth Harmon visualizes chess pieces on the ceiling.
Concentration and mental discipline are key to success in chess. Famous grandmasters like Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen have spoken extensively about the mental stamina required to compete at the highest levels. The ability to manage stress, avoid distractions, and maintain focus is essential, particularly in long games where fatigue can set in.
Training Methods: Practice and Repetition
Training in martial arts is normally structured around drills, sparring, and technique refinement. A martial artist’s journey typically starts with mastering the basics and slowly progressing to more complex forms and routines. Free sparring allows a martial artist to test these techniques in a more realistic environment, allowing them to learn how to react under pressure and how to adjust their strategy in real time.
The concept of “muscle memory” is crucial in martial arts and the reason kata is still important in most styles. Repeated practice allows techniques to be executed instinctively and without thought during a fight. This is similar to how chess players memorize opening sequences, endgame patterns, and tactical patterns, which they can draw upon in the heat of the game. The more experienced a martial artist becomes, the more automatic their responses become, allowing them to focus on strategy rather than technique.
Chess training also revolves around repetition, but the focus is more on studying patterns, openings, and endgames. Chess players often study famous games, solve tactical puzzles, and work through various strategies to build their mental toolkit. Much like martial artists drilling techniques, chess players repeat certain exercises, practicing various openings, and endgame positions until they can recognize them instantly during a game.
At higher levels, chess training involves analyzing past games, learning from mistakes, and refining strategies. Just as sparring allows a martial artist to test their skills in combat, playing and analyzing games (both wins and losses) helps chess players understand their strategic strengths and weaknesses.
Philosophical Foundations: Discipline and Mindset
Martial arts and chess, though different in many ways, share similar philosophical foundations, especially with their emphasis on discipline, respect, and continuous self-improvement.
Martial arts often include some form of a philosophical element. The journey of mastering martial arts is seen as much a spiritual and personal growth experience as it is a physical one. The concepts of humility, respect for the opponent, and overcoming personal limitations are the basis for many martial arts systems.
While chess does not maintain the same spiritual philosophy normally found in the martial arts, they do share similar traits like patience, humility, and respect for their opponents. The idea of “losing gracefully” is still a central belief in both practices, with chess, like martial arts, encouraging self-reflection and learning from failure.
Conclusion: A Shared Journey of Mastery
In conclusion, both martial arts and chess are rich, complex disciplines that demand strategy, mental discipline, and adaptability. Whether one is preparing for a physical confrontation or a mental one, the core belief of both practices lies in the ability to outthink and outmaneuver an opponent while maintaining discipline, focus, and respect for the art.
While the methods and environments may differ—one requiring physical movement, the other intellectual focus—the underlying principles of strategy, tactical preparation, and continuous self-improvement are universal.
As martial artists train their bodies to respond instinctively to any situation, chess players train their minds to do the same. Both practices require a mindset of resilience and an unwavering commitment to mastery. Ultimately, whether on the battlefield or the chessboard, the pursuit of excellence in both martial arts and chess is a path toward deeper self-awareness, mental acuity, and personal growth.
Pruim Shihan has regularly travelled to Japan in order to train with one of the world's foremost Karate masters, the late Kanazawa Hirokazu Soke (10th Dan Shotokan Karate) and his present instructor Shuseki Shihan Manabu Murakami (8th Dan).
Pruim Shihan also attended the International Budo University, located in Katsuura, Japan on several occasions for advanced Budo training where he was introduced to Atarashii Naginata.
Andries Pruim has written several articles over the past 30 years, with his most recent work focusing on the business side of the Martial Arts Industry.
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