Chess: Tactic vs. Strategy
“In chess, a tactic refers to a short sequence of moves which limits the opponent’s options and results in tangible gain. Tactics are usually contrasted to strategy, in which advantages take longer to be realized, and the opponent is less constrained in responding.” – cited from Wikipedia
“Strategy requires thought; tactics requires observation.” – Max Euwe
It is important to understand that, tactics are short term moves while strategies are for long term gain. A number of tactics can be used to achieve a Strategic goal. Example : Having a plug-in to track number of unique visitors to your blog is a tactic in line to the strategy focusing on evaluating your site’s competitiveness.
Evaluation of Strengths and Weakness
There are a number of ways to evaluate your given position at any point of time. In chess it is done in a wide variety of ways. During evaluation one must consider the value of pieces on the board, pawn structure, king safety, position of pieces, control of key squares and group of squares.
Similarly the strength and weakness of a blog can be ascertain by number of feed readers, number of hits per day, average time spend on the site, your monetization etc. It is important to know how to measure the strength properly. Say for a social service blog, times spend and number of hits would be deciding factor. The same may not be the case for other blogs.
Opening Move
Most important opening move is placing the pawn in the center of the board to control that area. Another move can be to provide castling for the King. Important pieces should be avoided to move too early or too deep into the enemy territory.
Likewise, while creating a new blog or just a new post, care has to be taken as the Blog Title is catchy, or the post content is tempting to grasp the attention of your viewers. Getting good relevant pictures help a lot. Some funny comic strip or Cartoons can do the trick for you.
Chess Board Space
As the name suggest, it is measured by how far you have gained the total portion of the Chessboard. It helps if you have your soldiers spread across the battlefield rather than concentrated in a group at a corner.
Similarity can be drawn with the Blogging Arena, by estimating the reach / penetration of your blog to your intended market. Within your scope of your subject, your blog topics should vary enough to keep you readers come in again and again. If you have a music blog of Hip-hop genre, don’t just fill it up with Eminem and 50cents, cater also to the thousand others who comes under the umbrella.
Defending pieces
It is important to defend one’s pieces even if it is not threatened. The basic idea is that each and every weapon in your arsenal is important.
Often you while posting may have cited examples and words from other places, but forgot to reference it. Imagine a irritated blogger claims you have copied his content and proves it by showing you and your reader database the link to it… It’s the last nail in the coffin.
Exchanging pieces
Exchanging pieces involves capturing a hostile piece of enemy while sacrificing a piece of yours in return. It is usually desirable for a player with an existing advantage as it brings endgame closure and gives your opposition less time to react.
How can we implement it with respect to Blogging? Guest authors, exactly. By inviting guest author, you gain a chance to bring some of his readership to your blog as well. Mind it, this can be both a Win-Win and a Win-Lose situation. First, it is difficult to see why an establish problogger would like to share few words on your blog. Second, more importantly, even if he brings a few readers on your blog, how can you preserve them?
Just to recap, in part one of the series, we have learnt how you can benefit from different
Creative Imagination
Systematic thinking
Decision making ability
Evaluation of situation
Concentrated and lasting efforts
Also in part two above, we have learnt how the following strategies
Evaluation of strength and weakness
Difference between strategy and tactic
Opening move
Chess board space
Defending pieces
Exchanging pieces
Hope you like it. Check and Mate.
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[...] concludes part one of the two part series. Click here for part two where we discuss some of the famous strategies used [...]