Picture this, a quiet game of chess on a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Now imagine an interview for a job, filled with uneasiness and nervous tension. The two don’t seem very similar do they? Yet, there are untold similarities between the two, specifically, in the tactics and strategies that would be used in both of these cases to achieve their respective goals. Though not obvious at first glance, the tactics and strategies that one would use to achieve these objectives are in fact, one and the same.

It is easier to see what strategies are used in conjunction with chess. In chess, the different strategies are employed in order to achieve the final goal of capturing the king. These strategies include along with the reactive style, the combinational and positional styles. Various tactical moves are used to help complete strategic goals. In chess, the moves are more obvious, they can be readily be seen and studied. In job interviews, these kinds of styles, or the tactical moves used to help make them possible, are more subtle and harder to see. A chess game that gives a good example of the use of both the positional and combinational strategies to win the game, is a game played by Adolf Anderssen in Berlin in 1853. The game is known as The Evergreen Game.

In the Evergreen Game, for a full listing of the moves, see exhibit 1, Anderssen shows his brilliance as a tactician by creating one of the most memorable games in history. Oddly enough, a close look at the game reveals the different tactical moves that can be used while interviewing for a job. For instance, Anderssen begins the game by using an opening known as the Evans Gambit. The Evans Gambit starts out in a very similar fashion to another opening, known as the Giuoco Piano. Both of these openings are versions of the Italian Game, which means that the first three moves are e2-e4, g1-f3, and f1-c4 for white, and e7-e5, g8-f6, f8-c5 for black.

The next move in each opening, however, shows the difference in style in each opening. In the Evans Gambit, the next move is b2-b4, whereas in the Giuoco Piano, the next move is c2-c3, see Exhibit 2. The move c2-c3, is a developing move, setting up the pawn thrust d2-d4. The move b2-b4, however, is a specific kind of positional sacrifice called a gambit. Whites plan is to develop his pieces, while pushing the black bishop around, 4…Bxb4 5) c2-c3 b4-e7. 6) d2-d4, thereby getting a lead in development by not letting black develop his pieces. White gets the same position as in the Giuoco Piano with the advantage of black being behind in development, but at the cost of a pawn.

A positional sacrifice in chess and in general is defined as a material sacrifice to improve ones positional parameters. The outcome of this sacrifice is unknown, it is a long term move and an advantage, if any, will not become apparent until the end of the game.

The same kind of positional sacrifice can be seen in real life with regards to job interviews for students assuming that one’s goal is to obtain employment after graduation. A student at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, for example, lets call her Nili, will most likely have many interviews during her senior year. Many of these interviews will not be on campus, but in a different city, such as New York. In order for Nili to attend all of her interviews, it will be necessary for her to miss some classes. Nili might not want to miss some of her classes, for example her OPIM 402 class, An Aesthetic Approach To Decision Making. However, her interviews in New York are scheduled at precisely Thursday at 1:30 pm. In order for Nili to make her interview, she will have to sacrifice her enjoyment of that class, as well as spending money to travel to and from New York. When Nili goes to New York for her interview, she does not know for certain the outcome of her meeting. Her material sacrifice is represented in terms of the money, time, and effort that she has put into the interview. She has also improved her positional parameters by putting herself in a position to get a job, make a good impression, and obtain contacts for future networking. This, in chess terms, is a positional sacrifice. Nili is investing time and effort into her interview, without knowing for sure, whether she will get the job. Even if she does get the job, it might not be her first choice and she might decide not to accept it.

As the Evergreen Game continued, Anderssen followed up his opening by making a whole series of positional moves. Each move he made, was made with the intent of improving his position and furthering his development. Once or twice Anderssen made a move that would threaten the opponents queen, but those moves were made in order to improve his position and not to capture his opponents pieces, thereby making them positional moves. Although he was in a clearly dominant position, Anderssen knew that to attack prematurely would mean almost certain defeat. He therefore let himself get on the brink of defeat before he made his move Anderssen’s last positional move, 19. Rad1 right before his amazing tactical display, was simply brilliant, see Exhibit 3. Anderssen knew that in order for his attack to have any chance of success, he had to have additional pressure on the D-file.

Before going to her interview, Nili knew that she would have to make a good impression if there was to be any chance of her getting the job. Therefore, Nili put herself in a position to make a good impression: She researched the company to find out how they started and what their key to success was. She bought a new suit to wear at the interview. Lastly, she arranged her transportation to make sure that she was there a half hour early for her interview. Although none of these actions in and of themselves would directly get Nili the job, taking care of all of these things put her into a position where she would have a better chance of getting the job.

The last part of the Evergreen Game demonstrated the use of the combinational style of play. Anderssen has gotten his pieces into positions where they control a lot of territory. His opponent has checkmate in one move, whatever Anderssen had in mind, he had to do it now. Therefore, Anderssen proceeded on his 20^th move to sacrifice his rook for a horse. Black recaptured with his other horse and Anderssen then sacrificed his queen for a pawn, see Exhibit 4. Blacks only recapture here was with his king which then quickly lead to his demise. This tactical display was one of the finest combinations that has ever graced the chess board.

"Nili, lets talk about your salary". The interview has gone well for Nili. With her sacrifice to come to the interview, and all her preparation for the interview, she made a good impression and is now in the process of discussing what benefits and starting salary she will receive. The trade off between salary and benefits is a utility curve. Nili knows that under her husband’s insurance, she is covered for just about anything that could happen to her. Therefore, while she is negotiating for her salary, Nili is willing to sacrifice any benefits that the company is willing to give her for an increase in her salary. Nili has just made, what we refer to in chess, as an combinational sacrifice. Nili had a clear short term goal in mind when she gave up her rights to the company’s benefits. That goal was an increase in salary.

Combinational and positional styles are the heart and soul of chess. They compliment each other, and are useless without one another. What can a great positional player do if he is unable to exploit his positional advantage by using combinations to win the game? By the same logic, what can a brilliant tactician do if he is unable to put himself in a position to utilize his tactical brilliance? Anderssen demonstrated how these two styles can be used in perfect balance on the chess board. The Nili example proved how these concepts, that are predominately found in chess, can be used in conjunction with one another to achieve specific goals in real life. The strategies that are found in chess, can be applied to more than just warfare. They can be correlated to many functions of daily life, and should be studied and applied to as many things as possible, for as Nili and Adolf Anderssen have shown us, the results are very promising, as shown in Exhibit 5.

White: Andrerssen

Black: Dufrense

White Sacrifices a piece to open the central files against the uncastled Black king, and despite his seemingly adequate development and counterattacking chances, Black comes out a tempo short in one of the finest combinations on record, justly known as the Evergreen Game.

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