Buddhist Wisdom on the Chessboard: Learning from Mistakes to Triumph in the Future

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In the intricate dance of life, where strategy and mindfulness intersect, Buddhism and chess surprisingly share common ground. Both offer profound insights into the art of learning from mistakes to pave the way for future victories. In this exploration, we delve into the parallels between the ancient teachings of Buddhism and the timeless game of chess, unveiling the wisdom that lies in reflecting on the past to shape a triumphant future.

  1. Mindful Reflection: The Power of Presence Buddhism emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment. Similarly, successful chess players recognize the significance of mindfulness during a game. Reflecting on each move, acknowledging mistakes without judgment, and cultivating a deep awareness of the current position on the chessboard are vital for growth.
  2. Embracing Impermanence: The Ephemeral Nature of the Game Buddhists understand impermanence as a fundamental aspect of life. In chess, no position is permanent, and every move alters the dynamics of the game. By embracing the transient nature of the board, players learn not to dwell on mistakes but to adapt, evolving their strategies with each passing move.
  3. Non-Attachment: Liberating the Mind from Past Errors Chess players, like Buddhists, benefit from a non-attached mindset. Dwelling on past blunders can cloud judgment and hinder progress. By letting go of attachment to specific moves or outcomes, chess enthusiasts can approach each game with a clear mind, free from the burdens of previous mistakes.
  4. Patience and Perseverance: The Endgame of Enlightenment Buddhism teaches the virtues of patience and perseverance on the path to enlightenment. Chess, too, demands these qualities, especially when navigating through challenging positions. Recognizing that setbacks are stepping stones to success, players can approach each move with resilience, understanding that the endgame is a culmination of strategic decisions.
  5. The Middle Path: Balancing Risk and Caution Buddhism advocates for the Middle Path—a balanced approach to life. Similarly, in chess, finding the equilibrium between risk and caution is crucial. Learning from past games helps players discern when to take calculated risks and when to adopt a more cautious strategy, leading to a harmonious and effective gameplay.

Conclusion: As we draw parallels between Buddhism and chess, a profound synergy emerges—one that underscores the transformative power of learning from mistakes. By embracing mindful reflection, acknowledging impermanence, practicing non-attachment, cultivating patience, and navigating the middle path, both the Buddhist practitioner and the chess player can embark on a journey of continuous improvement, ultimately paving the way for triumph in the games of life and on the chessboard.

Why buddhism?

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Our followers from Facebook and Instagram sometimes ask what are the common aspects between chess and Buddhism. Buddhism and Chess share a number of similarities and principles that make them a perfect match. Both require mindfulness, concentration, and a strategic approach to life. In Buddhism, one strives for enlightenment by letting go of desires and attachments, and by developing wisdom and compassion. In the same way, a chess player must think ahead, anticipate the moves of their opponent, and make wise decisions in order to win the game.

The game of chess is often seen as a metaphor for life, with each piece representing a different aspect of the self, such as the king as the ego, the queen as the intellect, and the pawns as the common people. In this sense, the game of chess can be seen as a way to reflect on and understand the complexities of life. Similarly, in Buddhism, one is encouraged to examine the self and understand the nature of reality.

In both Buddhism and chess, the key to success is in developing a clear and calm mind. In chess, this means avoiding distractions and remaining focused on the game, while in Buddhism it means developing mindfulness and awareness. A calm mind allows one to make wise decisions, avoid impulsiveness, and stay on track towards their goals.

Another important aspect of both Buddhism and chess is the idea of non-attachment. In Buddhism, non-attachment means letting go of desires and attachments, and accepting reality as it is. In chess, non-attachment means not becoming attached to the pieces on the board, but rather focusing on the strategy of the game as a whole. A chess player who becomes attached to their pieces is more likely to make impulsive and unwise moves, just as a person who is attached to their desires is more likely to suffer.

In conclusion, Buddhism and Chess share many similarities and principles that make them a perfect match. Both require mindfulness, concentration, and a strategic approach to life, and both encourage the development of wisdom and non-attachment. Whether you are a Buddhist or a chess player, incorporating these principles into your life can lead to a greater sense of peace and understanding.

Victory through initiative

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Initiative is important in chess and in life

Many people find it difficult to manage their time in order to achieve their goals or even to carry out daily tasks. There are several professional and personal activities that end up consuming our time, and we end up neglecting very important actions and people in our lives. This situation leads, in some cases, to discouragement and the desire to leave tasks for later, in other words: to procrastinate.
We should not sit back and believe that the day will have more than 24 hours or that your problems will solve themselves. As military strategist Sun Tzu said:

Those who arrive early at the place of conflict will be in a position to take initiative. Those who arrive late must hasten into action troubled. Thus, those are skilled in conflicts will make the first move to prevent others from taking initiative.

As we will see in this article, chess and Buddhism teach us the importance of initiative in achieving victory.

Chess Initiative

Bob Ficher and Mikhail Tal – Kings of initiative

As we know, in chess, the player who plays with the white pieces starts the game and therefore will have an early advantage, thanks to the possibility of maintaining the initiative. This means that with the initiative the player manages to create threats to the opponent, which cannot be ignored. In this way it is possible to impose the desired offensive rhythm, develop the pieces, or even prevent the development of the opponent’s pieces.
We can’t always keep the initiative in the game, but it’s important to keep in mind that it’s necessary to defend yourself while preparing a counterattack, and thus regain the initiative.

When the player has an advantage in terms of the moves of the pieces, we say that he has x tempos of advantage. Therefore, in the opening, one should avoid superfluous movements of pieces that do not guarantee the conquest of the center, the development of the pieces or the protection of the king.
Initiative is so important that in many situations it is necessary to sacrifice pieces to regain it.
In short, whoever has the initiative is the one who defines the flow of game and, certainly, who defines the path to victory. Keep in mind that if you don’t fight for this initiative, your opponent certainly will.

How Buddhism sees the initiative

If we look at successful people in life, they all have some attitudes that collaborate to achieve victory. They decided to be the protagonists in their lives, rather than mere spectators.
Soka Gakkai International President Daisaku Ikeda said:

Everything begins with the resolve to take the first step. From that action, wisdom arises and change begins. No action, nothing changes.

The first step is very important! Start with simple things in your daily routine, things that you tend to put off for later because you are so busy right now.

No actions, nothing changes

If there is insecurity and lack of confidence, Buddhist practice can help. Buddhism teaches that we all have immeasurable power and that with it we can have a happy life. It is possible to create the courage to move forward and transform impasse situations into a great victory.

So, whether in chess or Buddhism, we learn that taking initiative means having control of the situation and not being dominated.

If you want to know more about Buddhism and Chess, download our BuddhaChess app, which brings daily encouragement quotes from chess masters and about Buddhism

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Creating patience for daily life

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In the present day, we all suffer from hardships and deprivations that normally make us worried. A very present behavior in our society is anxiety. To give you an idea, I just did a Google search for the word anxiety and got a result of 4,200,000,000 pages on the subject! According to the Anxient & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders affect 18.1% of United States population every year. Personally, I believe these numbers must be much higher, considering that many people do not like to talk about their own problems, preferring to suffer in silence.
One certainty we have: problems are part of our life. Many of them can be avoided, others not. What is up to us is to learn to react appropriately to these problems.
Therefore, our theme today will be Patience. I have been a Buddhist for 20 years and many friends associate this philosophy of life with a “Zen” posture. They believe that problems don’t affect me and that’s why I’m always happy. Big mistake! I prefer to develop my patience. I have checked the Cambridge dictionary and I believe that the definition is very close to what I believe and seek to apply in my life:

“the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed.”

Patience in Chess

It is a common behavior in children who do not yet have a minimal understanding of reality, to want or even demand something they want very much and still receive it immediately. Many people grow up, but in their maturing process they don’t completely get rid of this kind of attitude, do they? Do you know anyone like that?
Returning to the chess board, we can see several tactical and strategic behaviors in which players, due to lack of patience, end up losing important pieces or even the game:

  • Premature departure of the queen,
  • Unnecessary exchanges of pieces,
  • Unnecessary checks,
  • Attacks without sufficient support from other pieces, among others.

Time management in chess is very important. It’s not about getting things done quickly, but efficiently. As the definition above describes: “the ability to wait” – wisdom lies in making the right move at the right time. Getting ahead or delaying a move can get in the way of your plans. “Keep doing something despite difficulties” – the opponent wants to see your defeat, so don’t worry about the difficulties.

Patience in Life

Up to a point, anxiety is acceptable, but when it affects your quality of life, your sleep, your health and relationships, it’s time to do something. We have talked before that the universe and our lives are governed by the Law of Cause and Effect. An effect cannot be expected without an adequate cause having been created. It’s like waiting for a plant to grow without having sown it first. Acting wisely is learning to create causes first, not just waiting for results: “The ability to wait”.
“Keep doing something despite difficulties” – Each person has different karma and so our difficulties are also different. Health, money, disharmony, war, there are many problems, but as we said before, we are not in control of these problems, but in the way we choose to react to each one of them.
President of SGI Daisaku Ikeda says:

“Appreciation and gratitude increase good fortune. Complaint and negativity erase it.”

We all can live a full and happy life by developing these attitudes in daily life. It’s not a quick process, but if you try to exercise patience a little each day, happiness and victory will be more and more present in your life.

If you want to know more about Buddhism and Chess, download our BuddhaChess app, which brings daily encouragement quotes from chess masters and about Buddhism

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Simultaneity of Cause and Effect

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Attack and defend at the same time?

In our articles on the site, we will frequently explore the theme of the Law of Cause and Effect, because as we saw in our first text, it is present in all phenomena in the universe.

Simultaneity in chess moves

You’ve probably watched the movie “The Butterfly Effect”, where each action or change in the protagonist’s action triggered a series of new effects, many of them catastrophic. This artistic and fictional vision served to illustrate the complexity of this law of causality that we often do not realize how it works in our lives.
Returning to the chess boards, we already understand that each piece movement (cause) has a series of effects, such as, for example, your piece starts attacking an opposing piece or defending new squares on the board. Realize that that piece came out of somewhere. And the moment it leaves a square, it simultaneously stops attacking another piece or protecting other squares. A practical example would be for the player to concentrate his pieces on the queenside, which at the same time will strengthen the control of squares in that quadrant, but possibly weaken his defenses on the kingside.
Another example would be capturing a piece. On the one hand it can be an effect of the lack of protection or even a blunder on the part of the opponent, but on the other hand it will be the decisive cause for the advance and victory in the match.

Simultaneity of cause and effect in Buddhism

Lotus Flower

This characteristic has been present since the beginning of Buddhism. A good example is when we see a lotus flower. This flower, very well known and present in the East, is considered as a Buddhist symbol in several lineages of Buddhism. The lotus flower blooms and generates seeds at the same time, so it is often associated with the description of the law of causality. A thought, a word or an action, everything we do in daily life ends up presenting itself as cause and effect, simultaneously.
This simultaneity in Buddhism can still be interpreted in many ways. One is that there is no gap between a cause and an effect. The effect is created instantly, but can manifest at a later time. Another approach, described in the Lotus Sutra, is that the cause can be compared to the living conditions of an ordinary mortal and the effect is likened to Buddhahood, and that both exist simultaneously in our lives.

Living in accordance with this great law, through Buddhist study and practice, guides us towards the development of this great state of life of happiness and peace.

If you want to know more about Buddhism and Chess, download our BuddhaChess app, which brings daily encouragement quotes from chess masters and about Buddhism

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Follow the Middle Way

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Victory through the middle way

Welcome, kings and queens!

If you still don’t know BuddhaChess, this is a site where we decided to bring a Buddhist view of aspects of life that can be well understood with examples of the game of chess.

Control the center

Although the chess player has numerous possibilities to make his first moves, some are more efficient than others. If you don’t observe the correct development of your pieces, you may have difficulties in attacking and problems in defending yourself, as well. A principle that is followed by both beginners and experienced players is controling the center of the chessboard. If you quickly gain control of the squares in the center of the board, you will have a better chance of winning.

Strategies

It is common to find players with different styles of play. There are those chess players who are quite offensive, who tend to quickly advance with the queen and soon seek to make checks or traps on the opponent. This can be dangerous, as leaving a valuable piece like the queen early in the game increases the risk of its capture.

On the other hand, there are those who value positional play and spend a good part of the game strengthening the king’s defense. This posture is more observed in more experienced players, but it is important to remember that the victory occurs for the player who applies checkmate.

What is the best style of play? I believe it is important to escape extremes. Not having such an aggressive game, not too passive. It is what in Buddhism we call the Middle Way.

The Middle Way in Buddhism

Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama was a prince who lived in wealth and surrounded by material goods. He decided to abandon everything in pursuit of his spiritual development and better understanding of life. He went on to live only to meditate and fast, performing extreme religious practices. During this period he almost died for health issues.

After a few years he understood that virtue was in the middle way, that is, one should avoid extremes in life. From that moment he corrected his practice and attained enlightenment.

In teaching his disciples how to best follow this middle path in life, he structured them on the so-called Eightfold Path:

  1. Right understanding 
  2. Right thought 
  3. Right speech
  4. Right action
  5. Right livelihood
  6. Right effort
  7. Right mindfulness
  8. Right concentration
Eightfold Path

One who manages to follow the middle path will be closer to developing his buddhahood and being a winner in life. In chess or in life, take the middle way.

If you want to know more about Buddhism and Chess, download our BuddhaChess app, which brings daily encouragement quotes from chess masters and about Buddhism

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Calculating moves in chess and in life

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Strategy to victory

Welcome, Kings and Queens!

If you still don’t know BuddhaChess, this is a site where we decided to bring a Buddhist view of aspects of life that can be well understood with examples of the game of chess.

Calculating in Chess

In chess there is a big difference between moving pieces and playing. There are numerous variables that need to be considered, such as opening, midgame, endgame, tactics, strategy, etc. If we make an analogy with life, it would be like the difference between surviving and living.


There is a necessary attitude that differentiates the player who just moves the pieces and the player with a great vision of the game: the ability to calculate the moves. Calculating in chess means thinking ahead in terms of moves, not just your own, but your opponent’s. Which move will give me the biggest advantage? Will I be following the strategy I planned? What obstacles will be in my way?

Calculating in life

Notice that each move (cause) can generate a series of strengths and weaknesses on the board, for you and for your opponent (effects). When we are unable to correctly visualize this relation, we usually choose poor movement options for the pieces, which in many cases can lead to defeat.
Buddhism recognizes this same characteristic that we observe in chess as a universal law: the law of causality. Everything that happens in the universe ends up creating an effect. From the movement of the planets in the sky, to the relationship between people, everything is under the action of the law of causality.


What a person thinks, says or does will create a direct or indirect effect, which can manifest itself now or at some future time (just like a move on the chessboard). Just as the ability to calculate moves in chess is important to achieving victory, Buddhism teaches that to live fully we must understand the law of causality and apply it to our lives.
A common practice in Nichiren Buddhism is the chanting of the mantra “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo”, which means devoting one’s life to the law of cause and effect. Incorporating this vision into your day-to-day makes you a person with wisdom in making decisions and relating to others.
This is an important life choice: continue as a beginner forever or become a life GM!

If you want to know more about Buddhism and Chess, download our BuddhaChess app, which brings daily encouragement quotes from chess masters and about Buddhism.

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Enlightened Pawn

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Welcome, Kings and Queens!

If you still don’t know BuddhaChess, this is a site where we decided to bring a Buddhist view of aspects of life that can be well understood with examples of the game of chess.


Chess is played on a board with 64 squares and 16 pieces on each side: eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, a queen and a king. The objective is to checkmate the opponent’s king, that is, a threat of capture in which the king cannot escape or protect itself.
There is a hierarchy of value between the pieces, according to their power on the board, with the queen being the most valuable piece and the pawn the least valuable.


However, there is an interesting rule in the game: although the pawn is this piece with the lowest value, if it manages to reach the last row of the board, it will be promoted to queen. This is a fact that, when it occurs in a match, it usually generates a power boost so big that victory is almost always certain.

Can we upgrade to Buddhas?


Buddhism similarly approaches the live conditions of ordinary people. According to Buddhism, all people have the potential for Buddhahood. Shakyamuni Buddha (Sidhartha Gautama) attained enlightenment after persevering in his Buddhist practice, achieving a life condition of great wisdom, insight and happiness.

This condition is not a privilege of the few, but an inherent condition in the life of all people. Ordinary people can go a lifetime without knowing Buddhahood (just like most pawns are not promoted to queen). Buddhist practice guides us on the path to this enlightenment. Thus, to reach the last line of the board, the pawn overcomes several obstacles and threats, but in the end the reward is worth it.

Can you imagine transforming your life condition – power, reach, influence – from pawn to queen? We can all develop this same grandiose condition of life of infinite wisdom, happiness and benevolence.


If you want to know more about Buddhism and Chess, download our BuddhaChess app, which brings daily encouragement quotes from chess masters and about Buddhism.

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BuddhaChess

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Chess is a strategy game that attracts players of all ages around the world, and its primitive version (Chaturanga) was created in India (6th century AD) and later spread to Persia and other western countries.

It is currently played by around 800 million people worldwide. In addition to being fun, chess encourages the ability of situational analysis, creativity, resilience and other qualities of its players.

Buddhism had its origins in India around the 6th century BC, through Siddhārtha Gautama, popularly known as Buddha. Buddhism spread to several countries in Asia, such as China, Nepal, Korea and Japan, and over the centuries different lineages were created due to the doctrinal and cultural influences of each nation.

Although for centuries it was restricted to the countries of the East, Buddhism has spread to several country in the world and today it is practiced by more than 500 million people.

Far beyond making its practitioner a “Zen” person, the buddhist is a person who is dedicated to understanding the great law that rules the universe and thus becoming better people.

By identifying numerous points of similarities between Chess and Buddhism, I decided to create this portal to present, detail and discuss important teachings that we can learn from this game and this philosophy of life.

In his teachings, the Buddha often used parables and metaphors to convey to his disciples some matters that were difficult to understand.

So BuddhaChess now brings you an unprecedented approach to presenting Buddhist teachings of life using chess as a reference for understanding.

BuddhaChess app for Android

On our website BuddhaChess.com, we will weekly bring texts, concepts and teachings for your personal development with the use of language and references that facilitate the understanding of chess players.

In parallel, we have the Android app BuddhaChess, which brings 366 quotes of encouragement and daily wisdom, both from chess grandmasters and the Japanese Buddhist writer and philosopher Daisaku Ikeda.

Who is this website and app for?
1 – For chess lovers who want to expand the personal skills they have acquired with the game;

2 – For buddhists who wish to better understand buddhist teachings in this environment full of references to chess;

3- For everyone who realizes that in the universe and in life every action generates an effect.

Welcome to BuddhaChess!