Candidate Moves
Candidate Moves
Definition
In chess thinking, candidate moves are the short list of promising moves a player deliberately selects for deeper calculation. Instead of trying to analyze every legal reply in a position—a task even computers struggle with—human players first identify 2-6 moves that appear to meet the positional and tactical needs of the moment. These moves are then examined one by one, often in a tree-like fashion, until the player is satisfied that the best continuation has been found.
Origin of the Term
The phrase comes from the Soviet school of chess psychology. It was popularized in the West by Grandmaster Alexander Kotov in his influential book Think Like a Grandmaster (first English edition, 1971). Kotov introduced the metaphor of a “tree of analysis,” beginning with a trunk of candidate moves that branch into variations and sub-variations.
Typical Usage in Practical Play
- During tactical calculation: identify forcing moves (checks, captures, threats) so nothing critical is overlooked.
- In positional planning: compare strategic plans (e.g., 1…c5 vs. 1…e6 in the French structure) before committing.
- For time management: limiting the number of moves under scrutiny helps avoid time trouble.
How to Generate Candidate Moves
- Checks – look at every possible check first.
- Captures – forcing exchanges often clarify the position.
- Threats – moves that create an immediate menace.
- Improving moves – upgrades in piece activity, pawn breaks, or king safety.
The mnemonic “CCT” (Checks, Captures, Threats) is widely taught to juniors as a starting point for building a candidate list.
Example from Master Play
Position after 17…♛a5 in Kasparov – Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999 (diagram unavailable). White to move:
Kasparov reportedly considered four candidate moves: 18. Rxd7!, 18. Bf4, 18. c4, and 18. Re1+. Correct selection of Rxd7! led to one of the most celebrated queen sacrifices in chess history.
Strategic Significance
Selecting the right candidate moves:
- Prevents horizon effect—missing deep tactics because the critical first move was never explored.
- Sharpens evaluation skills; comparing moves forces objective assessment.
- Enables long-term planning; you can weigh structural vs. tactical factors by pitting one candidate plan against another.
Modern Training Techniques
Today’s players use engines such as Stockfish or Leela to verify analysis after first listing their own candidate moves, preserving the value of human critical thinking. Puzzle books often specify “Find the best move and list at least three alternatives,” thereby drilling the habit.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Kotov confessed he sometimes fell into what students now call a “Kotov syndrome”: analyzing one line so deeply he forgot the others and had to start over, a cautionary tale against over-fixation on a single candidate.
- World Champion Anatoly Karpov was famous for usually having only one or two candidate moves, trusting his positional feel; Garry Kasparov, by contrast, often calculated four or five.
- Magnus Carlsen has stated that he begins many positions by “feeling” the best move instantly, then uses candidate-move logic to verify his intuition.
Summary
The art of choosing effective candidate moves lies at the heart of human chess mastery. It bridges intuition and calculation, allowing players to cope with the game’s vast complexity in a structured, disciplined way.