The Name of the Game: Protect your Vision

Chess is arguably the ultimate game of strategy. Likened to battle, its concepts are commonly intertwined with those of war. It is a game of tactic and maneuverability. More so than being able to read the opposition, one must be able to see multiple steps ahead while also being prepared to act upon the opposition’s counters. The objective is to protect the most sovereign piece on the board- the king. Though it may not be your most powerful piece, it is the most integral because its presence and positioning determines the strategy. Essentially, the king is the general. He is facilitating commands throughout the board in order to protect his kingdom while expanding his reign.

            When studying the styles of different chess players and dissecting the game of chess, it can be seen that this game is truly a game of vision. Those who can see further ahead are the most successful. By taking a satellite view of the chess board, one can appreciate all the possibilities that exist. A multitude of game plans can be extracted to achieve a particular goal. By moving your sights to the ground view, the possibilities don’t change but the perception does.

            Incarnate yourself into the piece of the king, and see yourself as the ruler of the kingdom. As ruler, you have many people who seek you for guidance and leadership. With such responsibility bestowed upon you, vision must be present. In respect to this   incarnation, a new concept can be applied to chess as it also applies to life. This new concept is to protect the vision.

            In many ways, chess is like life and at any moment one move can profoundly affect, not only your goals, but your vision. The first move made in chess, begins before a single piece is even touched. It is the recognition of the pieces around the king and their roles in respect to their positioning. Thus is the same in life, where as, you must have a keen awareness of those in your camp and the roles they play in respect to their relationship to you. The importance of this is crucial because these ties play a key part into the manifestation or demise of your vision.

            The next step is to be familiar with your landscape. It is of extreme importance to know your terrain, and to recognize your strong and weak points on the board. Familiarity in this sense allows you to attack and maneuver effectively and efficiently. To maintain vision you must know your surroundings- the physical and nonphysical. In all aspects of life, it is imperative that potential roadblocks and pitfalls are identified, and that opportunities are taken advantage of. With vision comes a sense of awareness that allows to you to understand that all that is visual may not be what it seems. Life is filled with metaphorical terrains, such as nature having its peaks and valleys, oceans and rivers; but having the ability to envision success on the other side (just as you can see the same across the chess board) allows for the appropriate path of getting there to unfold.

            As with anything in life you will be faced with opposition. Common physics asserts that every action has a reaction, and that any force placed on an object will exert an opposing force. The same applies in chess in which one move will, in response, result in an opposing move. From the offensive viewpoint, the opposition’s goal is to attack and impede progress. It blocks paths, marches inward, and takes prisoners all the while weakening the camp of its rival. The opposition obscures vision, and it destroys dreams. It prevents movement and it counters actions. Whether dealing with people or feat, your opponent possess the power of deceit and illusion that can stray you away from your goal, if you are not prepared and well-equipped.

            Even on the offensive front, the strategy is crucial. Each move opens up paths of maneuverability akin to lines of sight. Key pieces clear the way for success, and key people aide the growth of your vision. They encourage, support, and extend help to the success of your cause. To the contrary, there are pieces that are positioned in such a way that prohibits movement and traps you. They allow for the opposition to surround you.  There are people in your life that pose the same threat. They reside in your camp as friends and families but their actions and words inflict harm to your vision. They pull on you and prevent forward progression. They lack insight and bring forth no positive input. They deceive and place guilt upon you. However, in chess, pieces are sacrificed for the overall success of the game, and in life the same sacrifices are necessary for manifesting the vision.

            Ultimately, the objective of chess is to checkmate the king; meaning the king is captured and has no other move. When a king is in check, he is in direct line of danger, but has escape routes. He is threatened but not destroyed. With vision, there are people and obstacles that put you in check. They obscure your vision. They tell you that you can’t; you believe you can’t. Tasks become more difficult than they seem, but like the game of chess there are escape moves and it is up to you to prevent your vision from being destroyed or “checkmated.”

God Bless