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Chess types › Stabilizers

PSRO The Thinker: Reads the opponent's plan first and answers from an unexpected angle. Picture: A bishop guards the square the enemy knight is aiming for, in advance
The picture A bishop guards the square the enemy knight is aiming for, in advance (white pieces are you, black pieces are the opponent)

PSRO The Thinker

Reads the opponent's plan first and answers from an unexpected angle

PPositionMany moves build lasting advantages: pawn structure, weak squares, piece placement. High positional and prophylactic scores.
SSafeYou prefer moves that hold up against any reply, and trades that tidy the position.
RReactiveYou parry threats and wait for the right moment to strike back.
OOriginalYou often play moves that people at your rating rarely play, according to the human-move model Maia3.

What a Thinker is like

The Thinker first asks what the opponent wants to do. They play prophylactic moves that stop the plan in advance, and find answers in places others don't look. They can look passive, but they are a deep type who leaves the opponent without a plan and off balance.

What shows up in their games

Strengths

  • Prophylactic thinking
  • Deep calculation
  • Neutralizing the opponent's plans

Weaknesses

  • Tends to use a lot of time
  • Few attempts to win first
  • Can miss simple tactics

Real moves by Thinker players

Picked from real games of Lichess players (names removed) that Stylish classified as PSRO when building its cutoffs. Routine recaptures and moves everyone plays were skipped in favor of moves that show the style most clearly.

a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
Signature move

12. Qf3

Rated 1495 · White

Prophylactic 65Defensive 60Solid 58

A move with high prophylactic and defensive scores. A human at the same rating would play it here 2% of the time, so it is an unusual choice that is hard to find.

a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
Signature move

53. Rf2

Rated 2235 · White

Prophylactic 75Positional 47

A move with high prophylactic and positional scores. A human at the same rating would play it here 4% of the time, so it is an unusual choice that is hard to find.

h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Typical mistake

25... Na4

Rated 1656 · Black · Blunder

Prophylactic 75Positional 55Defensive 41

This move dropped the expected score by 51 percentage points. The better move was O-O-O (green arrow). It leans strongly prophylactic and positional, the kind of mistake a Thinker makes when the habit goes too far.

How to improve

The opposite type

AWIE The StrikerKeeps pushing with proven attacking patterns. Every letter is reversed, so against this type your style either works best or not at all.

Other Stabilizers

Players who collect and keep small advantages, and win by making fewer mistakes.

PSIO Craftsman PSIOCraftsmanPolishes the position with quiet moves others overlook PSIE Manager PSIEManagerSlowly squeezes until the opponent runs out of options PSRE Goalkeeper PSREGoalkeeperWears the opponent down with a defense that never breaks

Are you really a Thinker?

Check with your recent games.

A type describes tendencies, not skill level. See all 16 types