Posted: Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009
Outward deception and concealment are inimical to competitive chess.
In fact, there is little to hide since most of what happens – except the move – occurs in the opponent's head.
As the master of chess epigrams, Savielly Tartakower famously noted: “Only the strong player knows how badly he plays.”
Often, strong players will not challenge a surprise and unclear move – preferring to avoid a head-on response. The premise: If their adversary has made the move, it is probably OK.
Grandmasters rarely bluff with a deliberately unsound play. It is a matter of integrity and reputation.
If their bluff is called by a clearheaded opponent, they risk an embarrassing defeat.
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