Want to Play Impressive Chess? Simplify to Winify
#ImpressiveChess = #SimpleChess #SimplifyToWinify
Embracing the KISS Principle: Keep It Simple S****d
Hey Impressive Chessers! I want to share a principle with you today that I see too many players—especially those who are already up a couple of points—overlooking. You get an advantage, you’ve pressured your opponent into a blunder, and now you’re up 2+ points. So the question on your mind is: “What’s my plan to win?”
My advice? Don’t overthink it! You’ve already done the hard work. The focus should shift from winning to simplifying. I like to call this strategy "Simplify to Winify." The goal is to make the position so straightforward that your material advantage naturally converts into victory.
Why Simplifying Matters
When your opponent realizes they’re down material, they go into “comeback mode,” and they’ll be looking for every trick in the book to regain balance. Meanwhile, you might be mentally relaxed, already imagining the win. That’s a trap, and here’s why: complicated positions open the door to mistakes on your end, giving your opponent an opening to claw back.
By simplifying the game—exchanging pieces, reducing complexity—you shrink the risk of huge mistakes. Even if you mess up a little, it’s more likely to be a small misstep, not something that blows your entire advantage.
The Cost of Overcomplicating
Let me tell you about a former student of mine who got caught up in flashy tactics. During the pandemic, he got hooked on videos of brilliant sacrifices, especially Queen sacs. Naturally, when he was winning in games, he wanted to "look cool," going for risky sacrifices. His opponents, meanwhile, were already giving away pieces left and right—Knights, Bishops, sometimes even Rooks. But instead of capitalizing and simplifying, he would sacrifice his advantage right back and lose many of those games.
I encouraged him to try the Simplify to Winify approach for a couple of weeks. The result? His rating jumped by 160 points! He admitted that consistently winning and seeing his rating go up was actually more fun than trying out flashy sacrifices that worked once in a blue moon.
“Simple Chess” Triumphs Over Rating Disparities
Just last week, another student, a young player who struggled with keeping things simple, used this approach to beat someone 800 points higher-rated. He focused on making the position simple, and it made all the difference. His victory was less about tricks and more about making smart exchanges that led to a clean, straightforward win.
Puzzle #1
In the diagram below, my student, playing White, came up with a great plan to Simplify to Winify.
Lessons from the Master of the Sacrifice: Mikhail Tal
Even Mikhail Tal, a player famous for his sacrifices, understood the power of Simplify to Winify. He might throw out a jaw-dropping Queen sac, but he knew when to rein it in and clean up the position for a simple win. See below for an example of this in action!
Puzzle #2
Check out NM Sam Copeland's blog for more in depth analysis of the previous moves, including Tal's audacious Queen Sac, before this puzzle position.
Conclusion
If you’re still convinced you need a brilliant move every time, remember that it’s your strategy and consistency that bring the win. Save the flashy tactics for getting the advantage, but when you’re already ahead, simplify, simplify, simplify...
And Stay Impressive!
NM Craig C.
