Garry Kasparov has had an extraordinary career as a professional chess player and many consider him the most successful champion of all times. His retirement from serious competitive chess on March 10, 2005 was mainly caused by a lack of personal goals in the chess world. His new life, free of a strenuous schedule of travel, play and preparation, gave him the time and perspective to look back on his experiences. The outcome of this introspective journey led him to write a book, “How Life Imitates Chess.”
The idea to write this book dates back to the late 80s. After he became the world’s youngest world champion at the age of 22, people wanted to know how he had become so successful. What went on his mind during a match? What did he eat? Did he possess a photographic memory? “It didn’t take long for me to realize, that my audiences, were disappointed with my answers. Everyone seemed to be looking for a precise method, a universal recipe they could follow to achieve great results every time,” explains Kasparov. “How Life Imitates Chess” strongly dispels all notions of a universal formula for success.
At the beginning of the book, the author even tells us that there is little to support the theory that aptitude at chess signifies great intelligence or genius. He also acknowledges “that chess, along with music and mathematics, is one of the few pursuits in which superior ability and originality can manifest itself at a very young age.”
Garry Kasparov’s main aim in this book is to show us how he developed a formula to succeed, and who contributed to his success. The analogy, between life and chess, is obvious and deceptively simple: In chess just like in life, success depends mainly, on making good decisions.
What differentiates this book from other self-improvement books are the numerous anecdotes, drawn from Kasparov’s outstanding chess career. He acknowledges, that it would not have been possible for him to stay at the top for so long, without the education Karpov gave him about his own game and his own weaknesses. The matches he won against Karpov helped him realize that one must become aware of the methods available to make a proper decision: “Self-awareness is essential to being able to combine your knowledge, experience and talent to reach your peak performance,” says Kasparov.
Reading the book can be at times tedious, boring and certain sections give us a strong sense of “déjà vu.” The number of self-help books published on how to succeed in life, certainly does not help. There are, however, some excellent passages, especially where failure and mistakes are concerned. Bad experiences can trigger new ways of thinking. This is especially true in the world of science, where important discoveries are sometimes derived from failed experiments and wrong arguments. Thomas Edison famously said: “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found ten thousand ways that didn’t work.” Garry Kasparov also stresses the importance of questioning success because present success can be the enemy of future success. He wants us to question the status quo, especially when things are going well, because failing to do so can lead to stagnation and even breakdown. Knowing the reasons behind our success is as essential as knowing the reasons behind our failure.
Kasparov suggests that inner strength is necessary to question success, to face failure and to accept that changes are needed. He quotes Churchill who said that: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” He credits the great British statesman for his decision to play an active political role. Churchill’s greatness lay in his ability during a political crisis to resist public opinion and make the right decision.
The author strongly feels that one can learn from a crisis: “Crises are when we are tested and develop our skills and our senses. If you cannot recall a recent crisis in your life, even one successfully averted, you are either very lucky, very bored or both.”
“How Life Imitates Chess” gives a bit of everything: Chess anecdotes, revealing and instructive stories drawn from Kasparov’s greatest games, lessons in strategic planning as well as strategic ways of thinking, self-help advice on how to succeed and how to benefit from mistakes, the importance of courage and a fascinating insight into the life of a great champion.
I am convinced this book can help chess players improve their decision-making. Although, I am not a chess player and the book has not inspired me to try the game, the author has inspired me to face new challenges and I wholeheartedly agree that, “the secret of success is inside.”
Thanks to a winning record likely never to be rivaled and to a deep commitment and love for the game of chess, Garry Kasparov is most fitted to share with us the reasons behind his failures and successes and show us how life itself can be seen as a game of strategy.