Foundations of Chess Strategy

Chess is a game where profound strategic thinking must be allied with clever short-term tactics. Most previous works on strategy focus on specific aspects of chess strategy, but Lars Bo Hansen's aims here are different. He creates a framework in which the various elements can be systematically included and organized - a framework that will help chess-players to think about chess strategy during practical play. The theory of business strategy is extensively developed, and Hansen adopts the novel approach of investigating whether any of the vast amounts of research and modelling done for business purposes can be applied in chess. He finds that there are indeed many useful parallels, and focuses on how these ideas can be used to good effect by chess-players both in their preparation and when making over-the-board decisions.

Lars Bo Hansen is a well-known grandmaster from Denmark. He has won the Danish Championship on two occasions, and represented his country in four Olympiads, winning a bronze medal for his individual performance in 1990. His many tournament victories include first prize in the strong Copenhagen Open in both 1997 and 2000. Away from the board, he teaches and lectures on business studies, with a particular focus on marketing, organization and strategy.