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CHESS THEORY
It's by the Idea that we understand the world. In this way we succeed in conquering the reality, shutting it up into frameworks of thought ... It's precisely what is named «conceptualization». This kind of thought, far from being the prerogative of strong in math(s), is familiar to everyone. A simple exemple will be suffisant to convince you at this subject. Imagine you are drawing a car on a freeway having any concept neither about yourself nor concerning your vehicle, the traffic, car lanes, tolls, traffic lights etc... and too the landcape ? In this case any doubt you are heading for disaster! More you have to understand what mean terms like brake, speed up, pull out, apply opposite lock, skid, change down, speed etc... and many other concept you and us have in mind. It's the same about Chess. People may compare the Chess Game with an «experimental science». Not evidently an exact science like pure mathematics. Chess Theory is constituted by the set of all general concepts developed to understand mechanisms of the Chess Game and in fine to reach a better level playing chess. Hence, this way we wish to present first «theories» we recognize like «current» ones (then the «CCT: - Classical Chess Theory» and the «MCT: -Modern Chess Theory» ). Both constitute the: «CUCT: - Current Chess Theory» Then why search going farther ? The answer is simple : you don't make theory only for the pleasure, in other words in the abstract; but with the idea to account for «praxis». Hence it's the desire to better understand Chess in all its complexity who lead us to investigate more and more its theoretical approach.
All take place todays like if «Chess Theory» had get a sufficient stage of maturity to allow us to proceed no further. Nevertheless this point of view is the total opposite of all human experience in any knowledge domain. Now we have to explain clearly such an opinion. If a subject is exhausted the corresponding science don't develop more. For instance it's the case of «classical mecanic», concerned by the study of forces acting on solid bodies. In this field, effectively, has been found «Mathematical Model» exhausting totally this subject : this way, don't remain any secret in this field!
Who'll may affirm today's we have wholly discovered the «Chess secret»? We know very well this isn't right at all. If you search to understand the main reason of this unfathomable secret, you'll discover easily it's situated at the level of «numbers» which govern the Chess game. The explanation is simple: it's possible to treat problems bringing up not too big numbers by counting methods or using data processing tools. But unfortunately such methods become inoperative facing «very great numbers». It's easy to understand what we want to say here thinking, for exemple, at the insects multiplying rapidly through our planet or at the particles constituting the universe. Now rightly Chess Game make intervene «very great numbers», and so their exhaustive study is strictly unapproachable, by mathematical counting methods or by data processing tools. Perhaps you'll be surprise to know what reveal a rather elementary calculation : if all the computers in the world are interconnected and work together during a thousand of years, with the only objective to exhaust it, they'll come to nothing in this fantastic endeavor! Consequently it isn't natural at all to think the conceptual vision of Chess, we have gotten today, is optimal. The theory related to our favorite art has to be developed more and more; if we don't work at this development ourself other will realize this; today or tomorrov. Effectively, it's very striking to observe this: During all the already very long Chess History, it's essentially by the reflexion of greatest chess players of their time that was developed the understanding of Chess and was progressively founded a particularly rich and structured theory. In particular we are thinking about Greco, Philidor, Tarrasch, Leipnitz, Nimzowitch, Reti and then, for the most recent period, especially Max Euwe. Evidently we have to take many other contributions into consideration. That way you may think about works of Ludek Pachman, J.R. Capablanca, Hans Kmoch, Maizelis, Averbach, Kotov and some others.
On the contrary we may affirm, without any risk, that greatest chess players of our time, since the incomparable Robert James Fischer, seems to be really unconcerned about chess theory, at least concerning the General and Fundamental Chess Theory, concentrating all their exceptional knowledge in the quality, the level of ther game; hence at the only service of the «praxis» ; in this way we observe the triumph of singular on the general! Evidently you find at the present time some books, published by grandmasters, bringing significant contributions; but, in our opinion, not so much so that it's possible to talk about a real innovative point of view. For a better understanding of our purpose, it's interesting to specify, once and for all, what means exactly the term «theory» in chess field.
It's possible to specify this way varied meaning of the term «theory» in chess: 1o) Chess Opening Theory : Use of the word «Theory» concerning the Openings is particularly incorrect, but nevertheless perfectly codified. «Chess Opening Theory» is the set of all the Chess Knowledge acquired in view to play a chess game as correctly as possible during the fist moves. In fact this is currently a sector of Chess Knowledge having a lightning development, this essentially for five distinct reasons: i) The spectacular development of the Chess Game, in particular through the western world. ii) The intense growth of the communication. iii) The generalized use of DataBases. iv) The systematic research of theoretical novelties and new lines of a chess game. v) The abundance and quality of publications devoted to Modern Chess Openings. 2o) Chess Endgame Theory : The more material on the chessboard is reduce the more Chess take a rigorous form and may be treated by mathematical methods. Nevertheless, excepted for Endgames comprising 5 pieces or less, and equally some particular cases, Engames stay very arduous. In fact you are at the present time very far from an exhaustive knowledge of this fascinating stage of a chess game. Currently we have the choice between many interesting books devoted to chess endgames; for exemple the beautiful and rich Alain Villeneuve's treatise: «Les finales» Grasset Europe Echecs 1998. 3o) The art of playing pawns : You and us think here first at the memorable Hans Kmoch's book «Pawn Power in Chess». Like is indicated on a web site we visit recently : 
«The Great Pawn Hunter Bookstore» : "This book is a
classic on pawn formations. Knowing pawn formations is a key to
good piece play and reaching master". But many other
interesting books may be consulted at this subject.
4o) Global Chess Theory : In our opinion, and it's exactly the start point of our researches presented on this site, as well as in the C.D.E. («Courrier des Echecs», Official Revue of the French Chess Correspondence Association) «Chess Theory», in the literal sense, is a «general-interest» theory; in other words is a theory endeavoring to understand the Chess Game in this totality, in its entirely; from the fist move to the last. This without underestimate the interest of various «Specific Chess Theories».
The «New Chess Theory», we are developing and presenting progressively on Chess-Theory web site, is effectively a Global Chess Theory, conceptually New. This new theory don't have for object to substitute for acquired knowledge, but on the contrary spin out and go deeply the Chess Theory currently developed; but nevertheless we point out the «NCT: New Chess Theory» is not at all a simple rewording or improving of the «CUCT: Current Chess Theory»; but it's a New Vision of Chess depending on some concepts and ideas we think really unusual at the present time. Finally, like it's easy to understand, the «NCT: New Chess Theory» is currently under construction and is developed step by step, using the continuous confrontation between conceptual thought and current practice. Through the modest experience of the author of this lines, indeed; but much more because of the inexhaustible "palette" ("range" if you wan!) offered by the «Chess Praxis», at all levels, from yesterday or today, through various open or closed tournaments, playing in blitz, or semi-rapid cadence, on line, by correspondence etc .... * * * CLASSICAL CHESS THEORY : MODERN CHESS THEORY : NEW CHESS THEORY : DYNAMIC CLASSIFICATION :
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