Chess is a game where profound strategic thinking must be allied with clever short-term tactics. Most previous works on strategy focus on specific aspects of chess strategy, but Hansen's aims here are different. He creates a framework in which the various elements can be systematically included and organized - a framework that will help chess-players how to think about chess strategy during practical play. The theory of business strategy is extensively developed, and Hansen adopts the novel approach of investigating whether any of the vast amounts of research and modelling done for business purposes can be applied in chess. He finds that there are indeed many useful parallels, and focuses on how these ideas can be used to good effect by chessplayers both in their preparation and when making over-the-board decisions.

List of Content

004 Symbols

004 Dedication and Acknowledgements

005 Introduction

007 1 What is Chess Strategy?

017 2 The Factors Shaping Chess Strategy

021 3 The Opponents: The Role of the Human Factor in Chess

036 4 Characteristics of Reflectors

062 5 Characteristics of Theorists

089 6 Characteristics of Pragmatics

118 7 Characteristics of Activists

146 8 Environmental Factors

174 Index of Players

176 Index of Openings