Chess strategy for the older player

[Neill Cooper]

Perhaps we need to define what we mean by 'older player' and by 'a stronger player'.
I think how we do as an older player can depend upon how we developed as a young player.
When I was young I choose "a low-maintenance opening repertoire" (e.g. Morra Gambit, Vienna Gambit), and nearly 40 years later that is what I still play, with little need to find out about changes in opening theory. I do not often find myself at a disadvantage against players graded up to 210 by this opening strategy.
Also, I've always been a tactical player and have found that these abilities have not decayed (yet!).
I did have a break of 10 years not playing competitive chess, and this meant that I returned with increased interest and enthusiasm.

[Richard Bates]

Another problem is a low-maintenance opening repertoire. Again, okay for drawing against stronger players (particularly as white) but not so good for beating them. To beat stronger players, you have to join battle in some of the sharper lines and so you have to be au courant with them. Could be the Sveshnikov, KID, Najdorf, Grunfeld, .... And of course if you play these sharp lines you have to play them in their true spirit -- which means dynamically, concretely, and not shying away from sacrifices.

Surely this depends on who the stronger player is? Not much point heading for a "sharper line" if they know it very well.

Just as effective as a strategy can be to be solid and wait for the stronger player to overpress trying to win.

[John Moore]

I always thought Simon Webb got it wrong in Chess for Tigers. Generally, it seems to me that if you are significantly weaker than your opponent, you should stay solid. If you think you are going to outcalculate your opponent, then you are likely to be wrong.

Mind you, you might have more fun with Simon's approach.

[Angus French]

At the age of 44 and nearly 30 years after I started playing seriously I have just had my best season - +9 = 7 -1 against an ave opponent of 140-150.
DHEA and the right vitamins (and good sleep) certainly keep you fresh and up for the challenge.

Gary

DHEA is a steroid, right?... I'm wondering whether drugs *can* help one's chess ability (or at least the ability of a subset of the population - maybe not the younger and better players).

Not wishing to boast but I've also had my best season. Maybe being fitter (and drinking a little less) has helped.

[Arshad Ali]

I always thought Simon Webb got it wrong in Chess for Tigers. Generally, it seems to me that if you are significantly weaker than your opponent, you should stay solid. If you think you are going to outcalculate your opponent, then you are likely to be wrong.

It's all relative (as Einstein showed). If I'm a 150 player (say) pitted against a 120 player, no tactical melee for me. I'll outplay the opponent positionally. He won't know what hit him because it'll be subtle positional stuff. Now pit me against a 180 player and my only chance is a tactical melee. His positional understanding will at least equal mine -- when and where to make exchanges, weaknesses of pawn structures and how to use them, how to employ prophylaxis against my strategic plans, when and where one pair of minor pieces is stronger than another pair, the subtleties of strategic endgames. I'm not going to let him pull a Karpov on me. Instead I'll pull a Kasparov or Shirov on him.