Psychology in Chess

By: Tony Rich

It is important in a tournament game to use every advantage available in order to produce the desired result. Many people choose openings that they feel are the strongest and provide them with the most winning opportunities. In addition, most tournament goers will, at one point or another, spend time reviewing middle game tactics and endgame scenarios. Studying each of these phases in a game is paramount to a strong performance. However, there is one aspect that is equally important, and is usually overlooked: psychology. The psychological aspects can be equally as important in deciding the outcome of the game as the chosen moves. In his book, "Becoming a Grandmaster", Raymond Keene said "Games like [Penrose-Botvinnik] impressed on me that 'wanting to win' was perhaps more important than playing good moves."

Chess psychology can be broken down in to its constituent parts. First of all, there is the inner battle one must master. A French proverb says "You cannot play at chess if you are kind-hearted." This may sound harsh, but it does point out the fact that a desire to win a game will often inspire and drive a player to dig deeply in to a position and find the best moves. Bobby Fischer was a good example of this type of player; he was interested only in winning. His attention did not wane; he did not get cold feet. Instead, he attacked the position and his opponent with ferocity and often came out the victor. It is this will to win, or fighting spirit, that differentiates the upper echelon of chess players from the rest of us; where you or I may get discouraged or feel nervous, they hunker down and slug it out. It takes a lot of chutzpah to play for a win when you are intimidated, either by your opponent, or the situation over the board. Conquering this inner fear will certainly improve your results. Even the great Mikhail Tal faced his own nerves at one point or another. He is quoted as saying, "Later, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because I realized a very simple truth: not only was I worried, but also my opponent."

In addition to this fighting spirit that one must possess, there is another, perhaps more important psychological battle: you versus your opponent. Lasker was probably the finest example of a master who played his opponent at least as much as he played the position. He often used psychology over the board to influence the game. From Richard Reti's "Masters of the Chessboard": "For him the essential element is this contest of nerves; he uses the medium of the chess game to fight above all his opponent's psyche, and he knows how to bring about the nervous collapse, which, otherwise, occurs only after a mistake, even before a mistake has been made and to make this the very cause for subsequent errors... All of a sudden Lasker begins to play magnificently and to show his real strength. The opponent's nervous collapse and shattered morale finally results in a catastrophe at the chessboard."

Strong masters will often make, perhaps not the objectively best move, but the move that poses the most problems for an opponent. A fine example of this is the second game of the match between Tarrasch and Lasker in 1908.

Tarrasch - Lasker, 1908

Black to move

In the diagrammed position, Lasker has made a few passive moves, leaving Tarrasch with the better of the opening. However, Lasker made a good psychological decision and decided to play 14... Ng4, leaving his opponent with the arduous task of finding the best reply. Tarrasch was obviously thrown off his game. Play continued: 15. Bxg7 Nxf2! 16. Kxf2. In the book Emanuel Lasker, The Life of a Chess Master, Dr. Hannak says, Instead of winning the [pawn on f2], Tarrasch, by [16. Qd4] could have gone in for a very strong and probably irresistible attack. Against an attacking player, Lasker would almost certainly have lost this game; but then, against an attacking player Lasker, the psychologist just would not have played [14... Ng4]. The game concluded 16... Kxg7 17.Nf5+ Kh8 18.Qd4+ f6 19.Qxa7 Bf8 20.Qd4 Re5 21.Rad1 Rde8 22.Qc3 Qf7 23.Ng3 Bh6 24.Qf3 d5 25.exd5 Be3+ 26.Kf1 cxd5 27.Rd3 Qe6 28.Re2 f5 29.Rd1 f4 30.Nh1 d4 31.Nf2 Qa6 32.Nd3 Rg5 33.Ra1 Qh6 34.Ke1 Qxh2 35.Kd1 Qg1+ 36.Ne1 Rge5 37.Qc6 R5e6 38.Qxc7 R8e7 39.Qd8+ Kg7 40.a4 f3 41.gxf3 Bg5 0-1

To give you an idea how powerful psychology can be in chess, look at the Fischer-Spassky match in 1972. Now, I'm not advocating the use of infantile tactics like Fischer used against opponents, but I am interested in the effect they had. Going in to this match, Fischer's score against Spassky was -3 (0 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses), making Spassky the favorite. However, Fischer made one demand after another. He demanded an increase in the prize fund after the official opening ceremony (which he did not attend). He protested television cameras after losing the first game, and refused to show up for the second game all together. This put Fischer at a lifetime record of -5 against Spassky going in to the third round. However, all of the emotional turmoil took its toll on Spassky. He went down in a series of mishaps; he wasn't the person he was before the match.

It is important to realize that sportsmanship and ethics are very important. It is only appropriate to use psychology in your move selection and mental preparation. Bobby Fischer's behavior is appalling, and he is suffering the consequences of his actions.

I'd like to leave you with an example of psychological play. Tony Miles was known for outlandish openings and psychological chess. The most notable example is when he beat Karpov in the following game.

The notes to this game are those of Tony Miles, edited by Raymond Keene. I have removed comments that don't pertain to the psychological battle over the board.1. e4 a6 After a few moments hesitation. I watched Karpov's face as he returned to the board - there was no reaction at all. The audience, though, was another matter. Conditions for spectators were not wonderful so at first only a few noticed, but after some nudging and pointing a general hushed sniggering broke out. [...] I tried to look serious. 2. d4 b5 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Qe2 e6 6. a4 c5 A sharp reaction, but the natural 6...b4 is quite a reasonable alternative. Note that White was threatening to win a pawn by 7 e5. The text still offers the pawn, but only in return for the bishop pair and an initiative. While playing ...c5 I felt sure Karpov would avoid such tactical lines.7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Nbd2 b4 9. e5 Nd5 10. Ne4 Be7 11. O-O Nc6 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. c4 As expected, still playing quiet moves. The only alternative to defend the [e]-pawn was 13 Ng3 when Black could either challenge in the centre with ...d6 (simplest) or ...f6 (sharper), or as his king is still uncommitted, even consider ...h5!?. 13...bxc3 14. Nxc3 Nxc3 15. Bxc3 Nb4 16. Bxb4 Bxb4 17. Rac1 Qb6 18. Be4 O-O 19. Ng5 After half an hour's thought. 19 Bxh7+ was interesting - though again I was sure that Karpov wouldn't play it! On 19...Kxh7 20 Ng5+ of course not 20...Kg8?? because of 21 Qh5, but 20...Kh6 also fails to 21 Rc4! threatening Rh4+ and if 21...g6 22 Qg4 and Black loses the B(b4). Correct is 20...Kg6 and if 21 Qg4 either 21...f5 22 Qg3 (22 exf6 Kxf6) 22...Qd4!? to block on g4 (23 h3? Kh5! winning) or even 21...f6!?. Afterwards it was established that 19 Bxh7+ is quite dangerous but Miles was confident that Karpov would regard it as speculative and avoid it. The commencement of an artificial manoeuvre which ultimately loses the game for White. The simple 19 Bxb7 Qxb7 20 Rfd1 is perfectly adequate for equality. 19...h6 20. Bh7+ Distinctly artificial. I expected 20 Bxb7 Qxb7 21 Qe4 though Black is certainly not worse in the resulting ending. I suspect the text was rather due to the psychological effect of 1...a6. Karpov, having got nowhere from the opening, felt he should be doing something forceful. This is too optimistic and White should prefer the simple 20 Bxb7. 20...Kh8 21. Bb1 Be7 22. Ne4 Rac8 23. Qd3 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Qxb2 25. Re1 Qxe5 26. Qxd7 Bb4 27. Re3 Qd5 28. Qxd5 Bxd5 29. Nc3 Rc8 30. Ne2 g5 31. h4 Kg7 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. Bd3 a5 34. Rg3 Kf6 35. Rg4 Bd6 36. Kf1 Be5 37. Ke1 Rh8 38. f4 gxf4 39. Nxf4 Bc6 40. Ne2 Rh1+ 41. Kd2 Rh2 42. g3 Bf3 43. Rg8 Rg2 44. Ke1 Bxe2 45. Bxe2 Rxg3 46. Ra8 I now sealed 46... Bc7 but Karpov resigned without resumption.