Opinion | Game strategy shows there can be no good outcome in the US-China-Russia power contest
- The war games being played by the US against its two rivals are a combination of chess and Go, in which it must anticipate its opponents’ moves while claiming as much space on the board as possible
- Such a complex game can only end in negotiations with no clear winner, but much damage may be done before then
The current geopolitical scenarios are so scary that we need new narratives to try and understand where it will all end – nuclear annihilation or climate burning?
Games are imitations of real life. They teach players to read their opponent and anticipate his actions, with better players learning to appreciate how their opponent reads them.
So, back to how a player reads the game, and how the others read him.
The kiddie’s game of draughts teaches players to think linearly, but smart players quickly learn that if you offer the other side a quick win and he takes it, you crush him by thinking several moves ahead of him.
The game of chess is much more complicated, with pieces that have different power, and can be promoted (e.g. pawn to queen). The moves are intricate, with psychology and stamina key to winning.