Adisa Banjoko on Tupac, Machiavelli and Chess at Skyline College THIS SAT

From Machiavelli to Makaveli: The Strategic Life of Tupac Shakur

RTSB Facilitator: Adisa Banjoko

This presentation will cover Tupac’s life in jail and how reading the works of Niccolo Machiavelli and Sun Tzu’s Art of War helped him prepare for his years at Death Row.

If you live in the bay area you should come out to this!!! 

For more info visit www.rocktheschoolbells.com 

HHCF Classes on Chess & Life Strategies NOW Enrolling!!!

HHCF is now enrolling kids in classes on chess, chess and life strategies and chess and jiu-jitsu and youth entrepreneurship . Our classes are fun, all ages and help kids of all backgrounds learn to value the power of their own mind and body.  We also offer amazing Hip-Hop dance classes taught by Grant Torino and Karate classes taught by Sensei Anthony Thomas! Visit www.hiphopchess.com to learn more. 

Watch Video: How Your Enemies Improve You by HHCF Founder Adisa Banjoko

Watch the new video channel by Adisa Banjoko and learn how your enemies improve you. Don't forget to subscribe to the channel. Be sure to subscribe to see more in the series.

BREAKING: Adisa Banjoko Hosting Conversation on Tupac Shakur: From Machiavelli to Makaveli Sept. 26th!!!

This talk will focus on Tupac Shakur and his life after reading the works of Niccolo Machiavelli in prison. It will cover how reading Machiavelli's The Prince changed his life, and the course of Hip-Hop forever. This is a FREE and ALL AGES event.

After the conversation, Adisa Banjoko will host a Q&A with HHCF Education Director, Itoco Garcia (who ironically went to school with Tupac Shakur in his youth).. Mr. Garcia is a Principal at Cherryland Elementary in Hayward, CA. He is also a thought leader in the discussion of youth literacy issues in American schools.

There will be open chessboards for gaming and open mats for brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners to practice on. The doors open at 1 PM for the chess gaming and jiu-jitsu. To reserve your spot now visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1652677918339814/

See you there!!

Tupac and the Search for Lost Gold

 

“ If they had lived in another kind of society, their exceptional mathematical talents might have been better used. But they were Black.” - Malcolm X

Malcolm X was mentored by many people as he learned to hustle on the streets of Boston and New York. One of the main people to help him survive on the streets was a man by the name of West Indian Archie. He was a numbers runner. The numbers game was kind of like a lottery for the hood.

West Indian Archie's claim to fame was that unlike other numbers runners who needed to write every customers number on paper, he had them all memorized. In the course of Malcolm’s adventures on the grimy underbelly of American cities, he came across many Black men who had brilliant, innovative minds. These minds were not refined by the American schools and polished for a higher purpose. Because of their color, and class they often fell to street violence from the drug trade, or were imprisoned. Just the other day a teacher at my job was asking about why we needed to teach the metric system since America does not use it. I told her the hood uses the metric system every day. Those kids know how to convert milligrams to ounces and pounds to kilograms all day. Sadly, its just for all the wrong reasons.

I created the Hip-Hop Chess Federation in 2006 in part to help find those gifted young souls who were unaware that their gifts could be cultivated for leadership at Google or on Wall Street. This idea came after meeting with a group of incarcerated kids who displayed amazing cognitive skill and ability on a chessboard, but made poor life choices and ended up in juvenile hall. I started taking the positions on the board, reframing them as life situations and helping them escape the traps in the street.

Under the alias of “Makaveli” Tupac Shakur arguably wrote some of his most aggressive raps ever. The name “Makaveli” came after Tupac (known to be a voracious reader) studied The Prince by Italian military strategist Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli, like Tupac was far ahead of his time. He wrote things like “Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.” Niccolo Machiavelli was a logical man not mislead by emotion. I believe this helped Tupac greatly as he assessed his enemies and ideas about how to deal with them.

Niccolo Machiavelli, Author of The Prince

The works of Machiavelli resonated deeply inside Tupac on a near spiritual level. Almost as soon as he was free, the identity of “Makaveli” arises.  He wrote some of his most discussed work under this pen name. In the song Don’t stop, he spits “Mr. Makaveli moving pieces like telekinesis/ It’s a chess game, lets play with real pieces”

For the casual listener, this rhyme may have little to no meaning. However, I believe a deeper look at Tupac’s life inside Clinton Correctional Facility in New York State highlights a deeper experience unfolding.

Inside, many prisoners enjoy chess as a way to stay mentally sharp and gain philosophical clarity. Most jails however, are not supportive of prisoners playing chess. Despite a newsworthy victory in 2008 of New Jersey inmate over the Princeton Chess Team.

One of the alleged main fears of correctional officers and wardens is a false fear that prisoners might use algebraic notation (the method in which chess games are documented) as a way to pass on notes and messages that would be indecipherable.  

Nevertheless, many prisoners find themselves in solitary confinement without pieces or boards to play with. Lost in the blackness of “the hole”, inmates  communicate through the walls. One way they pass time is by playing chess. They do this by visualizing the chessboard and speaking to one another through the walls in the language of algebraic notation. This is a feat not easily achieved by those who can do it accurately.

One might call out ‘e4” signaling whites kings pawn moving the center. It is often a common way many start a chess game. A most common response by black is “e5” and so on. These kinds of game are commonplace in prisons across the country.

Famed French psychologist Alfred Binet conducted some of the earliest works on how the minds works while playing chess. He wrote in part “If one could see what goes on in a chess player’s head, one would find a stirring world of sensations, images, movements, passions and an ever changing panorama of states of consciousness.”

I have never researched his stint in prison long enough to know if Tupac went to the hole, or played chess in the manner listed above. I do however, personally know prisoners who played in that exact manner while held in solitary confinement. It would seem nearly impossible to me that he would not have heard about these kinds of games happening in “the hole”.  When Tupac speaks about playing with real pieces, he speaks, like the man he was. He was newly freed, and not always having the luxury of physical pieces he was sought to experience the entirety of all the game that chess and life have to offer.

Hip-Hop Chess tournament about to begin at juvenile hall in St. Louis, MO.

Any self taught chess players who can function at that level, should for all intents and purposes be builders of the next Apple, Intel and Adobe- not just work for them. These lost youth could be building a new digital infrastructure for the world. I’m talking about coders, designers, innovators of new technology methods and business models are boxed out before they can begin to change the planet. If we approached the identification and cultivation of these minds with sincerity and strategy we might be able to cut outsourcing for American businesses in half.   

These are the kind of people Malcolm X lamented in his autobiography. Some of the brightest innovators in business, education and science are not located in India or China. They are right here, right now, having their talents neglected and undermined by schools that do not value their gifts. That is why I walk the streets of the hood mining for lost gold. If you are in the hood and you want to know where the lost gold is that I’m seeking out, look in the mirror.

Adisa Banjoko is Founder and President of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF). The HHCF is the first non-profit 501(c)3 to fuse music, chess and martial arts, to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence. To learn more follow on Instagram @realhiphopchess or visit www.hiphopchess.com .

 

Sacrifice All for the Empire

Sacrifice All for the Empire

By Adisa Banjoko, Founder of Hip-Hop Chess Federation

Sometimes you have to be willing to sacrifice your queen, in order to win the game. - Lucious Lyons, EMPIRE

Everybody is talking about the TV smash Empire these days. In just a few short months the show has overtaken the ratings and the streets. The show is, at it’s root, an amazing Black soap opera with a bangin’ soundtrack and more cliffhangers than the rocky mountains.

One thing a lot of people miss in the show is the ever presence of the 64 squares of psychological combat. The board is often in the foreground, or the background during many serious conversations taking place about business and life. The main character, Lucious Lyons is a ruthless business man who will do anything it takes to keep his label at the top of the game. He has enemies outside of the company and even within his own family that seem to undermine his vision.

Lucious Lyons is no poster boy for a model citizen. He is, some might rightly argue - nuts. But one thing he is not, is foolish, over emotional or ignorant of all of his options. In the last episode he said the opening quote as he was being taken off to jail. His mention of sacrifice really struck me deep.

The word sacrifice comes from two greek words that essentially mean “to make sacred”. On the chessboard, any piece lost for the greater good is purified by the ultimate success of the king.

As a jiu-jitsu guy, I’m somewhat familiar with the judo concept of  sutemi-waza (sacrifice throws). These are takedowns that “involve putting oneself in a potentially unfavorable position, such as on the ground, in order to execute a throw”.

In our American pastime of baseball we have sacrifice bunts where you get yourself thrown out of the game, so the team can score.

This value of sacrifice is known throughout many different cultures, faiths and nations.

When Lucious spoke about sacrifice, it was on a borderline fanatical level. His character will do whatever it takes (lie, cheat, steal etc.) to get what he wants. Now, I do not advocate that. But his dedication and commitment to his cause, gave me pause in my personal life.

I had to ask myself, “How much have I been risking to get what I want out of life?”

Long ago I observed that one’s level of success is almost always in proportion to the level of sacrifice.

Navy SEAL founder Richard Marchinko once stated, “The more I sweat in training, the less I bleed in combat.” That is sacrifice. I used to remind myself of that when I was first training in jiu-jitsu. It helped me stay unafraid to go against higher belts.  I did not mind getting caught in deep chokes and trapped in places that inspire panic. Slowly things that used to make my heart jump in physical situations didn’t have the same effect.

Michael Jordan sacrificed many hours on the court alone, perfecting his shots. Jimi Hendrix spent endless days on his guitar mastering the potential sound of every string. Dan Gable and many other American wrestling champions shadow wrestled to stay clear when the battle was real.

If you are just giving the average input, you should expect the average output. But if you consistently give more than average, eventually your return will be higher than average.

How much are you willing to get that degree? How much are you will to study and out hustle the next man with new ideas to get and keep the next job or promotion? They say it takes 10,000 hours to master anything. Take some times this week to soak up the idea of sacrifice and apply it for your own life path.

WATCH: New Video by The Chessmen introduced by RZA (kids get your parents permission)

New Video by The Chessmen !!! Kids get permission from your parents....It has some explicit lyrics. Nevertheless it shows the connection between chess and Hip-Hop like nothing else in recent years.

Jen Shahade giving great tips for beginners!!

NEW MUSIC: One Big Chess Game feat. Adisa The Bishop, Ramen Jamaal & Asheru

LISTEN NOW: One Big Chess Game by Adisa The Bishop feat. Rahman Jamaal & Asheru Production by: DJ Rob Flow

HHCF Philosophy: A Technical Flow: Chess and Jiu Jitsu

A Technical Flow: Chess and Jiu Jitsu

By: Adisa Banjoko

 

 

On the mat I battle cats, the same way I’ll take your back/  A strategized a plan of attack- Kalhi  A Technical Flow

zug·zwang

   [tsook-tsvahng] A noun

In chess a situation in which a player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect.

For many years people have discussed the connections between chess and martial arts. I’ve been a casual student of chess and jiu jitsu for a while and I have seen many overlapping themes. My earliest memory of the correlation is watching Rickson and Royler Gracie play chess before one of Rickson’s matches in the movie Choke. In recent years we have seen the emergence of the Checkmat team (known for being very aggressive and strategic in competition) and recently an instagram photo of champions Roger and Kyra Gracie playing chess in their gi’s popped up on the net. If that was not enough, jiu jitsu clothing brand CTRL Industries has dropped a limited edition set of gi’s named after chess pieces. “The Rook” and “The Knight” have gained a lot of internet buzz among jiu jitsu players online. Little by little the connections seem deeper and more authentic.

In his book Black Belt Techniques, Jean Jacques Machado wrote “As in a game of chess, you don’t simply concentrate on taking one piece; all your moves contribute to an overall plan. An advanced student already has engraved in his mind a set of positions, along with the natural reactions that these positions will induce in his opponent.”  

I train at Heroes Martial Arts in San Jose, CA. Its a very cool school. I don’t say that from a place of arrogance. We have some tough dudes there. Some world champions, some national champions and some unknown, ridiculously rugged folks on that mat.

Our head instructor Alan “Gumby” Marques is pretty amazing. He’s a quiet dude. Very deep intellectually and technically. He never says or does anything more than he needs to. I don’t say that lightly, to suggest he’s lazy.

On the contrary he’s got a serious work ethic. One so big that when his instructor Ralph “The Pitbull” Gracie handed him a black belt...it was the one on Ralphs waist, that he handed to Gumby.

On your first day of class at Heroes, you’ll be taught the essence of what Gumby thinks jiu jitsu is about, and life: Safety, Position, Finish.

That’s it. Sounds so simple but it's so complex.

Essentially Gumby feels your first job in any conflict is safety. Get yourself safe from whatever is coming at you. After that, do what you must to improve your position. It can be a quick substantial movement, or it can be in incremental inches. Once you have achieved the best possible position, end the conflict by finishing them. In jiu jitsu, it would be a submission hold ( a choke, armlock, wristlock, kneelock, footlock etc.). On the chessboard, its checkmate in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Gumby believes that this method is what’s best on the mat, in the boardroom, on the chessboard etc. No matter your conflict, you can use the “filter” of safety, position, finish to assess, re-evaluate and elevate your situation with great clarity of mind and purpose. Its so beautiful, I believe it shines brightly in the shadow of military minds like Sun Tzu and Machiavelli.

So much of what we learn about jiu jitsu is related to the chess theme known as Zug zwang. I first learned of this going through the Chessmaster game in the Josh Waitzkin academy. For those unfamiliar with the term, Zugzwang means to put your opponent in positions that force them to make positionally or materially worse position again and again until there is nothing left.

In jiu jitsu, one of the most ideal positions is called The Mount. I’m not really sure who “discovered” the immense value this position, but Carlos and Helio Gracie (founders of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu system) created an entire methodology  based on its importance.  From this position you are pinning your opponent with your hips, and arms (kind of like the skirmishes you might have gotten into with your older brother or sister. Once there you can change the pressure on the chest and the belly. You can threaten the neck with chokes or torque the shoulder. Or, you can just smother your opponent with clean movements until panic sets in and they move right into another position called The Back Mount which essentially assured almost no effective defensive responses. At that point a choke called “The Lion Killer” is applied and the match is over.

 

 

This video of Helio Gracie’s grandsons Rener and Ralek Gracie is a clear illustration of zugzwang elements within the jiu jitsu methodology.

I caught up with Josh Waitzkin,  the American chess icon and Black Belt in jiu jitsu under Marcelo Garcia . I asked him about zugzwang. He told me “A lot of heavy guard passes play on this principle. Fabio Gurgel [legendary BJJ fighter and coach] embodies it hugely. In chess, the dynamics of "opposition" with king and pawn vs king are the easiest way to help people understand it. Adding  “King  and pawn vs pawn positions are mutual zugzwang.”

Rey Diogo Black Belt Oliver Reich says he sees the connected themes of zugzwang and jiu jitsu as well. “When guard passing leads to positional control,  guiding their opponent  into chained submission attacks- its almost identical to zugzwang.”

Observe Henry Akins perspective on guard passing. The positional shutdown illustrated here screams zugzwang to me.

As much as I love chess, I’m nowhere near a master level of playing. I needed to talk to someone who could help me drill down a bit on the concept. I called Dr. Daaim Shabazz, founder of the chess news and culture  website The Chess Drum to ask him his thoughts on zugzwang.

“Seeing zugzwang emerge in a chess game takes quite a bit of understanding and experience” said Dr. Shabazz. “Many world-class players can see certain patterns emerging that restrict an opponent’s options. It may be capturing control of squares or restricting the opponents ability to execute their own plans. In jiu jitsu you have many of these scenarios where submissions are set up because the opponent no longer has any viable options to escape. “

“Thus it is not the submission itself that is the focus, but the way it is set up. In chess, it is similar. The process of restricting an opponent until they cannot move any pieces is an intricate one and one that totally demoralizes the other player. Usually when the player is suffocating, they will try to break free all of a sudden. In chess, as well as jiu jitsu, this is a mistake since that person leaves themselves exposed while trying a sudden tactic or escape. However, in chess it is also easy lose concentration and allow an opponent to escape from your vice grip and turn the tables. Sun Tzu taught that you should always provide an opening for an opponent so that they will not fight so ferociously. However, in zugzwang, the opening also leads to an immediate loss.”

To share a clearer idea of how this plays out positionally in chess, Dr. Shabazz gave a great example.

“I recall former World Champion Garry Kasparov playing the computer Deep Blue (developed by IBM) in 1996. In this game, Kasparov developed a lasting space advantage with a simple opening called the Reti. In those days, you could play positionally and watch the computers go astray because they lacked deep positional understanding. Slowly, but surely, Kasparov continued to grab more and more space from the computer. It is like being in a dominant position in a grappling sport. He then closed the position giving the computer fewer options, but appeared to give the computer a way out by sacrificing a pawn. However, this sacrifice gave Kasparov an even tighter grip on the position. In the final position, the Deep Blue team resigned since the computer had absolutely no moves, yet many pieces were still on the board! “

WATCH HOW THE GAME PLAYED OUT:

http://www.thechessdrum.net/palview/Kasparov-DeepBlue.htm

Of the many similarities between chess and martial arts, specifically jiu jitsu I find this to be the most profound. Zugzwang is always masking itself. On the board a seemingly silly blunder by your opponent incites you to quickly snatch up a knight- only to find the horror of a discovered check. Prepositioned pawns and bishops cut the board off, giving the king little room to breath. Its almost as if your opponent is saying “I am everywhere.” That discovered check soon walks the king slowly to the gallows- zugzwang.  

Daaim trains in Capoeira but his understanding of chess and jiu jitsu methodologies make him sound like a seasoned guy on the mat. “The ability to create a zugzwang takes positional understanding, knowledge of opponent’s tendencies and excellent planning. These skills are developed by a depth in the understanding of the middlegame where advantages are lost or gained. This is also where one’s wealth of experience comes in. Again zugzwang maneuvers are rare in chess and often occur in the endgame, but when they do occur in the middlegame, they are instructive since it usually shows complete mastery over an opponent.”

The first step in developing zugzwang is really just doing one move checkmate chess puzzles that help you see the reality of the situation for what it is. This is clearly a benefit of chess that helps martial artists as well as average citizens. Once the reality of the situation is clear, you can then observe and innovate on the potential future in the game,a jiu jitsu match or your life in general.

RZA from Wu-Tang Clan is one of Hip-Hop’s most talked about chess players. He writes about the many connections between chess and life in his book,The Wu-Manual. I’ve played him and lost twice. Most recently we played at the Rock The Bells tour when it came to The Bay Area. The thing I noticed about his game this: He sees a greater potential threat in your moves before you do. He slowly cuts them off. By the time you realize what could have happened, you’re immobile. Its almost like for him zugzwang is in play from the first move. Reminds me of rolling with my instructor, Gumby. Its impressive.

The clarity of mind that comes from doing one move checkmate puzzles is how I try to cultivate my eye for zugzwang. I get the most fun reading Eric Schillers One Move Checkmates or Play Like A Girl, by Jen Shahade.  A few times a year or so I test my “chessvision” with those books . Another great one is the Chessmaster video game puzzles.  You think you see all the entries and exits that are blocked for the king and its not there. You try to move the bishop when its the rook that gets it done. You over think the position and try to smash with the queen when its the pawn that lands the final blow. That last scenario is so crucial to understand. Its why my instructors personal way of always using exactly the right amount of effort for any job is so mind blowing. The Confucian teachers from the Ming dynasty had a quote that resonates with me when I think of those situations. “To go too far, is just as bad as not going far enough.” Focused effort, the right tools for the job, proper planning, zugzwang.

Adisa Banjoko is the founder of the Hip-Hop Chess Federation. He holds a purple belt at Heroes Martial Arts in San Jose, CA. For more information visit www.facebook.com/hiphopchess

HHCF Street Games Vol. 1 Mixtape Drops on HALLOWEEN!!

Alright so, HHCF is about to announce all the artists, producers and tracklist for our upcoming mixtape Street Games Vol. 1. This thing is a very original and hard hitting piece of work. I expect it to drop on Halloween. There were a lot of submissions for this. It got hard really to narrow everything down. We are STILL cutting songs from the mixtape because so much dope Hip-Hop came in it was har...d to figure out who should be on and who should not. Many were not cut because of wackness, but maybe they talked about weed or cursed too much. Sometimes, it was a lack of production quality (not skill). Some people who were slated for Vol. 1 originally, will be featured on Vol. 2 which will drop in May. I will notify those people myself to let them know. The only thing I'm sure of, is that this will be one of the most banging, lyrical, fun, honest and inspirational mixtapes to drop in recent years. I wanna shout out DJ Rob Flow, Ronnie Lee Music, Sunspot Jonz, Zumbi, Rakaa Iriscience, Kalhi, Tajai, A Plus, Asheru, Quadir Lateef and others for their support in making this happen. More soon.....t-shirt info coming....

The shirt is a tribute to the old school Ice T shirt from the Original Gangster album. If you had one of these way back, you were one of the realest. Now we're giving you the ability to roll with the realest...The HHCF.

 

In The Shadow of Sun Tzu, Chess & Jiu Jitsu

I train at Heroes Martial Arts in San Jose, CA. Its a very cool school. I don’t say that from a place of arrogance. We have some tough dudes there. Some true champions, some national champions and some unknown, ridiculous rugged folks on that mat.


Our head instructor Alan “Gumby” Marques is pretty amazing. He’s a quiet dude. Very deep intellectually and technically. He never says or does anything more than he needs to. I don’t say that lightly to suggest he’s lazy.


On the contrary he’s got a serious work ethic. One so big that when his instructor Ralph “The Pitbull” Gracie handed him a black belt...it was the one Ralph took off his waist, that he handed to Gumby.

On your first day of class at Heroes, you’ll be taught the essence of what Gumby things jiu jitsu is about, and life: Safety, Position, Finish.


That's it.


Sounds so simple but its so complex.


Essentially Gumby feels your first job in any conflict is safety. Get yourself safe from whatever is coming at you. After that, do what you must to improve your position. It can be a quick substantial movement, or it can me in incremental inches. Once you have achieved the best possible position, end the conflict by finishing them. In jiu jitsu, it would be a submission hold ( a choke, armlock, wristlock, kneelock, footlock etc.). On the chessboard, its checkmate in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.


Gumby believes that this method is whats best on the mat, in the boardroom, on the chessboard etc. No matter your conflict, you can use the “filter” of safety, position, finish to assess, reevaluate and elevate your situation with great clarity of mind and purpose. Its so beautiful, I believe it shines brightly in the shadow of military minds like Sun Tzu and Machiavelli.


One of the clearest connections between jiu jitsu and chess is a chess theme called zugzwang. It's a German word, made specifically for the game of chess.  It means "move compulsion". I first learned of this going through the Ubisoft Chessmaster game in the Josh Waitzkin academy. For those unfamiliar with the term, zugzwang is when you place your opponent in positions that force them into positionally or materially worse positions, irrespective of what move they choose. Each move leaves them worse for the ware until there is nothing left but the checkmate.




In jiu jitsu, one of the most ideal positions is called The Mount. I’m not really sure who “discovered” the power in this position, but Helio Gracie (founder of the Gracie Jiu Jitsusystem) created an entire methodology  based on its importance.  From this position you are pinning your opponent with your hips, and arms (kind of like the skirmishes you might have gotten into with your older brother or sister. Once there you can change the pressure on the chest and the belly. You can threaten the neck with chokes or torque the shoulder. Or, you can just smother your opponent with pressure and clean movements until panic sets in. The onset of panic forces them to make mistakes. Most often they move right into another position called The Back Mount. Now the opponent is not facing you, your chest is on their back. Your legs hook their lower torso and your arms clasp the upper torso. From the Back Mount, there are a limited set of effective defense responses from the opponent. At that point a choke called “The Lion Killer” is most often applied and the match is over.



Of the many similarities discussed between chess and martial arts, specifically jiu jitsu I find zugzwang to be the most profound. But even more profound is how zugzwang can be masked by different players. Especially according to their psychology. A seemingly silly blunder by your opponent incites you to quickly snatch up a knight. Now you discover the horror of a discovered check as a penalty for your lack of observation. That discovered check soon unveils a series of checks. Soon we see the king escorted slowly to the gallows- zugzwang.  



The first step in developing zugzwang is really just doing one move checkmate puzzles that help you see the reality of the situation for what it is. In jiu jitsu it would be studying the nuances of a cross choke form the mount to ensure all the elements of your base are in tact, the depth of the choke is proper etc. This is clearly a benefit of chess that helps martial artists as well as average citizens.

The clarity of mind that comes from doing one move checkmates is almost unreal. You think you see all the entries and exits that are blocked for the king but the mate is not there. On the mat you squeeze with all your might but the wrist position is off. You try to move the bishop when its the rook that gets it done. You might apply the choke with all your might but give no regard to the placement of your feet- allowing him to escape. You over think the position on the board and try to smash with the queen when its the pawn that lands the final blow.

That last scenario is so crucial to understand. Its why my instructors personal way of always using exactly the right amount of effort for any job is so mind blowing. Not as much a mind blowing idea, but a mind blowing function in reality.  The Confucian teachers from the Ming dynasty had a quote that resonates with me when I think of those situations. “To go too far, is just as bad as not going far enough.” Balanced effort, the right tools for the job, proper planning, zugzwang- learn to apply it on the mat, on the board and in life. Please look into these ideas and let me know what you think. I encourage you to share your thoughts directly with me at www.facebook.com/hiphopchess