Rolling and Chess Openings
Friday, April 24, 2009 at 08:58PM 
Photo Credit: Estherase
We have all heard the analogies of how chess is like bjj. I have always like the idea that bjj was chess played out in physical form on the mat. Unfortunately, I am not yet good enough to be thinking any moves ahead. Maybe one day.
When I roll, I typically begin by playing open guard bottom, and against people with decent guard passing, the match is over before it begins. I am very quickly playing defense from side control, hoping my arms don't get trapped. Not good.
It stuck me how similar this situation is to chess openings. If I sat down to play Garry Kasparov, I am sure the game would effectively be over in the first 5 moves. At that point, he could swap me with a Grandmaster and that guy would be against the ropes for the rest of the match. A bad start is that disastrous.
I really need to work my open guard retention and offense.
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Reader Comments (3)
You have a very intelligent blog.
Dont stop blogging
I read a novel with a strange premise-- two chess grandmasters on the same cruise ship. A total unknown on the world chess circuit challenges both grandmasters to a game with a huge purse-- the trick is they are to be played at the same time. Basically the unknown runs back and forth between two ballrooms on the ship, playing the grandmasters against each other.
That's often how I feel when I'm learning jits. Some brown or purple will show me the first 5-8 moves they like from some position. I'll try that on someone else, getting to move 3 before I'm stuck. I bring whatever move "stuck" me back to them later-- then I carry their response to the next opponent. Gradually adding on a move or three here and there.
My favorite lately has been "Dan's guard" which is kind of half butterfly-- bottom leg hook in, top leg with knee into their collarbone, thigh vertical, and top hand has a cross collar grip deep with knuckles into their other collarbone. I'm enjoying it a lot for defense and base-checking, as long as I remember to keep my hips active. Sweeps are supposedly easy from this position, but not for me... not yet...
@Tomaz - Thanks for the kind words. I'll do my best to live up to them.
@Georgette - Sounds like a great way to pick up some new stuff. My favorite recently is to take a new idea and practice it on the lower belts until I get comfortable. Then I move up the ladder. Keep it playful.