vrijdag 21 maart 2008

The birth of a Motorskill (a small tribute to Temposchlucker)

Before I started blogging I had a very extensive email exchange with Temposchlucker on chess improvement. Some of this is reflected in his last posts. A central topic in these emails was "motorskills". In this post Tempschlucker tried to explain what these skills were.

For reasons outside chess, Temposchlucker has decided to give blogging a rest. And although I understand that life can force a person to prioritise other activities than chess, I hope that the following occurrence will motivate him someday to resume where he left the blogosphere.

My wife and I have two sons, 6 and 4 years old. I do not actively endorse them to play chess. They are more inclined to engage in physical activity. But of course they see me play chess and sometimes, spontaneously, they are interested and ask me about the movement of the pieces. very occasionally they take it a step further and do some exercises of the first step of the stepsmethod (movement of pieces). The "chess" game they like to play most is "Troyis". A game that is all about knight moves.

A few days ago I had the position below on screen. My eldest son walked by, looked at the position and said: "Hey dad look, the knight can take the rook." As patient and understanding as I am, I replied with: "No L, that is not a rook, but a bishop". Or at least I tried to say that, because half way he interrupted me and said, pointing at the screen: "look, first there (f2) and then there (h1).


I was struck! Because I think I have witnessed the birth of a motorskill of my son. Something I would never have perceived in the same way without the discovery of these skills by Temposchlucker. Therefor Tempo I dedicate this post to you!

Thank you!

Me and my sons "castling Seaside"

6 opmerkingen:

Temposchlucker zei

Thanks for the cheering, I feel honoured. Don't be afraid, I will be back blogging in a month or two.

What you demonstrate here is one of my favorite subjects, the blind spot. Without our conversation the birth of the motorskill of your son would have went by without notice. It would have been in your blind spot.

Since we don't see what is there in our blind spot, we are used to think that there is nothing there. But your post indicates otherwise. Other people often see what we don't see, but they don't realize that we don't see it, so they don't get the idea to tell it to us.

So if you want to know what is in your blind spot, in chess and in life, you need to be alert for circumstancial evidence. If somebody reacts in a way you don't understand, it can have two causes.
The first is that he sees (knows) something that you don't see. The second is that you see (know) something that he doesn't see.

That is why a chess coach can work, because he sees better what is in your blind spot.
At the same time it is often the very same reason why a chess coach doesn't work. Since he doesn't realize that you don't see what is obvious to him.

transformation zei

what temposchlucker is describing, well known to him, and known to him that i know, is what Russian-Armenian esoteric philosopher of personal growth called "chief feature" (of a personality).

this is the esoteric way he described what temposchlucker aptly calls the 'blind spot'.

i have many of these in my own personality, despite what some think is my vast cognition, but, really, i am a tiny insect walking on the soil with his eyes closed.

nice to see you talking more personally, and i know the best is yet to come, and you are still just warming up, or as we say in english, 'getting your sea legs'.

authenticity rules!

warmest, dk

Glenn Wilson zei

Troyis is great! Thanks for the link.

Phaedrus zei

Temposchlucker, indeed tuning in to your pupils as important as difficult for a trainer. Blind spots are everywhere.

Transformation, the swallow you see may be the first sign that summer is coming, but then again, maybe it isn't a swallow after all.

Glenn glad I could be at service, but the honor again is Tempo's who brought Troyis under my attention.

Sir Nemo zei

wow. how old is your son? that's pretty darn impressive.

Phaedrus zei

Hi Nemo,

Thank you, to proud a father to dare to think or say this myself. He is six years old, and your named after his favorite movie!