Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
pragmatist school of chess
References
Britannica AI Icon

pragmatist school of chess

Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

The pragmatist school of chess, which gained prominence after 1970, emphasizes a practical approach to competition. Pragmatists believe that games are often decided by mistakes made under time pressure rather than by brilliant moves. This philosophy suggests that while there are critical moments requiring precise play, players don't always need to find the absolute best move in every situation.1

This approach contrasts with earlier Soviet thinking that advocated unbalancing positions to force opponents into difficult choices. Pragmatists, like Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov, shifted focus slightly towards the endgame and de-emphasized the value of the bishop, sometimes trading it for a knight for minimal compensation. This practical mindset aims to minimize risk and capitalize on opponents' errors, particularly when time is short.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. chess - The pragmatists
  2. chess - The classical era

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.