05-09-2009, 08:48 AM
Quote:International politics is not a game of chess, but since you bring up the analogy: you don't win chess by judging your opponent. That's poker. Chess is played by recognizing patterns on the board and knowing which outcome various moves will give in those patterns. It is *all* based on what is on the board, which, one could say, is the result of previous actions. So yes, it's about reacting to what already has been done.
To what was already added above, I'd like to add that grandmasters know other grandmasters and their playstyles. They would choose particular openings depending on whom they play in advance. They would know what kind of a position would potentially give their opponent more problems than another kind of a position. So, yes.... the top players, just like big-time politicians play their opponents also.