5 Timeless Chess Principles You Can Apply as a Strategic Leader, Illustration by Author

5 Timeless Chess Principles You Can Apply as a Strategic Leader

Gaurav Jain
ILLUMINATION
Published in
9 min readFeb 10, 2024

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Chess is well-known as the game of strategy.

I have always enjoyed learning the principles and strategies of the game that can help me become a better player.

And they have taught me so much more than just the game of chess.

They have taught me how to become a better leader, and in particular, a strategic leader.

In this article, I will discuss 5 timeless chess principles that you can apply as a strategic leader.

Principle #1. Think Ahead

Principle #1. Think Ahead, Illustration by Author

Ever wondered what chess players do most of the time?

They think.

And they don’t just think. They think ahead, well into the future of the game.

Skillful players plan multiple moves ahead and have a long-term vision of the game. Their ultimate goal is to win the game.

For example, a player may choose to sacrifice a pawn in the current move to create a strong position or launch an attack several moves later. Maybe the pawn’s end brings a new angle, a new perspective to the game. Maybe it opens…

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ILLUMINATION
ILLUMINATION

Published in ILLUMINATION

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Gaurav Jain
Gaurav Jain

Written by Gaurav Jain

Experienced technology leader by day and passionate storyteller by night. I write about leadership, engineering and life in general.