Strategy vs. Tactics
I have recently been reevaluating my decision framework in a whole new light, so this seems an apt time to write about the transition. I recently started the Chess Masterclass taught by International Grandmaster Garry Kasparov, and from the little that I have learned so far, I can already draw parallels between decisions made in life to decisions made on the chessboard.
I used to think I knew chess — but I only ever knew the rules of the game. Actual gameplay, and playing the game well on top of that, is a different matter altogether.
The biggest lesson to me so far has been the difference between strategy and tactics. As Kasparov put it, “Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do. Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do.”
Moves are never just moves. They are calculations: measures and countermeasures that adapt and advance our ideas in constantly shifting landscapes. Of course, the fundamentals are needed to play any game; you have to know the rules and understand the game. But after that, knowing what to do, when to do it, how to do it, how to back it up, what to hide and what to show, how to anticipate, how to trick, and eventually how to win— these are all skills critical to competitive gameplay and the result of an interplay between strategy and tactics.
We always have ideas in the making. I’ve had multiple ideas of how to write this article in the past minute. But how I plan and choose to focus my efforts with respect to my goal — that’s my strategy. Strategy has to do with the bigger picture, the aims and objectives on the larger scale. It is the planning and replanning in any goal-oriented venture. It is the heading which the ship takes, the “vision” of a company, or the lesson plan for a teacher. Strategy can change, but needs to change only when our goals have changed. In a chess game, we may choose an opening strategy of holding a strong pawn center if our goal is to mitigate center attacks from the opponent. But this strategy may change in the endgame to advancing all our pieces when our goal becomes pawn promotion to a Queen.
Tactics, on the other hand, is all about responding to immediate circumstances. Tactical situations usually require quick analyses and actions and have the goal of mitigating undesirable outcomes, or securing exemplary results. Tactics can be the quick maneuverings that save the ship from the iceberg, the discounts that retain frustrated customers, or the funding that prevents a teacher strike. Of course, recognizing tactical situations is crucial to the deployment of effective tactics. In chess, the opponent controlling multiple rows may or may not be a concern. But seeing multiple attackers lining up on our King — this needs to be recognized as dangerous and we need to respond tactically. We have to temporarily step away from our long-term strategy to eliminate the attackers, block the coming attack, or move our King to safety — that’s tactics.
Putting these two together, strategy and tactics, brings about an absolutely lethal combination. If one understands the interplay of the two well enough, one can venture to be like the great Kasparov in their operational behavior. I am beginning to implement these skills in my daily thought process already. It is these skills and mindset that I want to sharpen so that in chess, and other situations, I can plan, anticipate, and execute effectively.
