Vishy Anand, World Chess Champion 2010

Anand won a QGD-Lasker (playing black) against Topalov, in round 12

of the World Chess Championship 2010

Before it all began in Sofia, Bulgaria- the home turf of Topalov, the challenger, there were doubts whether an aging Anand would retain his world chess crown. Topalov surely wanted to exploit the age factor (and the fatigue of the road journey due to the volcanic ash flight delays) as he pushed Anand to play on in some games which were all but drawn. He was severely criticized as it is impolite to continue a game which would logically end up as a draw, unless your opponent blunders. 

But soon this approach paid off. Anand blundered a game (playing black) with an opposite bishop ending, which on another day would have ended as a draw. He placed his king in manner in which Topalov could gain a pawn and push to win (a pawn advantage in chess endings will win only if your king vs opponents king meets certain alignment criteria). 

If that was not all, Anand let Topalov off the hook in Round 9 playing white. This was again unbalanced with 2 rooks vs Queen (for Topalov).  Anand had succesfully kept his opponent Queen tied up to support a central knight, while his rooks were mobile on the back rank. He somehow let Topalov's king escape the back rank and eventually let Toppy's queen perpetual check his king. Topalov earned a draw from what should have been a clear loss. Many GMs said that this can have a devastating effect, when the scores were in balance and you created winning chances with white, only to end up as a draw.

GM Nigel Short- on chessgames.com- was so disappointed with Anand that he classified him as a 'middle-aged flabby Indian' (it was not a personal attack on Anand, and clearly wanted him to win- as he later summed Anand's victory as a win for the veterans, as he too is one).

So coming into the 11th Round, Anand had his last chance with white. He played 1.c4 - an English opening- which is way off his natural attacking style. It did seem (to spectators like me) that in the middle game he might have had tactical exchanges which could leave him with some advantage- but as WGM Natalia Pogonina clarified, that 1.c4 by nature leads to a postional struggle with very little chance for aggression. 1.d4 is closed compared to 1.e4, but can involve sharp lines as the game progresses- but it was evident that 1.c4 was going to be a long and winding affair. It was amazing that Anand's e-pawn moved only in the endgame! 

This championship was getting to all the flabby middle aged to spectators as well!

In the last 12th round- Anand played black. As expected Topalov stuck to 1.d4 but Anand deviated from the Slav/Catalan lines played earlier and played a QGD Lasker variation- which can lead to passive play. And it indeed looked like it and an early draw would be agreed. But the middlegame was a bit tricky and with lots of space, isolated pawns, and all minor/major pieces being mobile- it somehow looked like a position which Anand can get to, in rapid games. Toppy got cute with his f/g pawns and with Anand's bishop on the a8-h1 diagonal- he marched his e, f pawns to crack open the weakness of his King's castle. Anand ran through this extended 'drawn' game- this time Topalov fell a victim to his methods.

I am glad it is over folks, because Anand, flabby or otherwise, will always be able to handle it. For me, flabby (or othewise?) this is worth two years of chess education in two weeks. I better get back to what I had left off, before this tournament... was it work... or IPL... my iPad app... I forgot..

Congrats Vishy, 

saumilzx

Mumbai, India

Congrats Raina- IPL Finals 2010

Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Superkings,
DY Patil, Mumbai Apr 25, 2010

Chennai have won their first IPL T20 title, after having a tough time this year with MS Dhoni missing a few matches. They have been the most consistent team in the past 3 years, making it thrice to the final four, and twice to the finals, although they have never been the best on the league table (strange, but they usually have had massive bowling combination issues).

This year they finally won, by beating Mumbai Indians on a turning track with spongy bounce, which favored both bowling sides a bit. Chennai had three spinners, whereas Mumbai had one, Harbhajan, and pacers who could mix up yorkers and slower balls.

So what were the factors in the finals?

1. R. Ashwin - in both semis and finals, he has been an offspiner with uncanny variations- a bit like dealing with Ajantha Mendis, though Ashwin is more orthodox. He was the masterstroke from Dhoni which made the difference. Ashwin mixed up pace, spin and angles in the first six overs, and except Tendulkar- has had Gilchrist & Gibbs, Shikhar Dhawan, and Abhishek Nayar all frozen up- without getting them out!. Hats off to this guy. It is not easy and automatic choice for Dhoni to pick Ashwin, when Muralitharan is also in the same team.

2. Raina's karmic cycle was on the up!
Remember, Raina dropped Yusuf Pathan off Muralitharan in the inaugural IPL 2008, which Rajasthan won. This time it was his day. He was dropped on 13, then on 28 and then had one just go over Shikhar Dhawan for six. Raina survived, that was just the luck Chennai needed, as their batting momentum was just as frozen as Mumbai's till 10 overs. Getting to 168 was already 20+ for this pitch. (It must be noted that Murali Vijay was the only Chennai Batsman who actually batted in control on the given day).

3. Catches by Chennai!
With 106 runs needed off 60 balls, Mumbai were in with a chance as they had lost only a wicket. This really was the only way to approach this chase on a track which was not really any advantage in the first six overs for either team. 10 an over is very much likely, with a strong lineup yet to follow. But the catches of Tiwary (by Raina) and Duminy, ensured that more dot balls got squeezed in and the rate went from 12/over to 18/over.


4. Polard's late entry?
It has baffled most why Polard who eventually hit 27 of 10 was not sent in earlier. The reason is that he does not make runs all by himself! I do not think it was wise to risk Pollard against Muralitharan, who had an over left on this turning track. Tiwari, Duminy, and Harbhajan too are also capable of hitting big shots. Risking their wickets when 60+ runs are left, was perhaps worth a try. Someone had to cancel out Murali, and Duminy tried his best (and he attacks spin well), was well caught by a hopping Jakati on the boundary.


As a Mumbai Indians fan I am glad that they could put up a team which did not have their best picks from season one- Pollock has retired and Jayasuria (was there but out of sorts this year). They were the best team of this season and ran into a roadblock called R. Ashwin in the finals. I just felt they could have gotten Jayasuria in, perhaps in place of Dumniy, and pushed Dhawan at one down (Dhawan and Duminy are sort of similar). Jayasuria's spin would have been handy and even 20 runs of 10 balls, up front with the bat may have helped...

Good luck to India for the T20 World Championship!

Saumilzx
Mumbai

IPL 3- Taming The Natural Strikers

Gilchrist, Yusuf Pathan and Sehwag can be pinned? What about Jayasuria?
It is interesting that a format such as T20, which is made for those who play the game in only one way- destructively- has pushed bowlers to work out lines to pin them and force false shots.

In T20, scoring runs at a strike rate of 170%+ is destructive. And if you cannot knock out Gilchrist, Pathan or Sehwag in this format, it can be all over in a short time. You usually cannot tame them- while they are there, as they will be smacking it all over the park. They may in the process get themselves out... that is what the conventional thinking is..

But look at what is happening- bowling teams are finding ways to keep tabs on these blokes:

1. Adam Gilchrist
Usually unstoppable as he can smack you off the backfoot and frontfoot- as he drives as well as he pulls. But Kumble has had a better equation with him, in the last few years, keeping it full. He will still hurt you, but you have more options to control him this way. Kumble got him out in Australia (07-08) sliding it full and wide, got him in the last IPL Finals (ok, it lasted two balls) by preventing his backfoot game.

Yesterday, Delhi leg spinners bowled googlies from around the leg stump. Fuller again. Although Gilichrist got out, he was nonetheless showing signs of getting to terms with this length. Instead of charging down the pitch (and missing) he swept to square leg and slog-swept over mid wicket. Eventually, a very full googly outside leg stump got him.

2. Virender Sehwag
Mumbai Indians have shown a way to control him. Left arm- over the wicket onto leg stump and right-arm over the wicket- angled in. His favorite off-side play is all but taken out. Deccan Chargers were quick to adopt this plan and were successful as Sehwag was forced to fabricate inside out to Ojha, from outside leg stump- and scooped it over mid-off. With Gambhir injured and the Delhi middle order not quite firing, there is that little bit extra burden of Sehwag to consider constructive options, even in T20.

Will he play a more managed innings or just follow his natural instincts on an unnatural line of play given to him?

3. Yusuf Pathan
After his maverick 100 hundred against Mumbai Indians, he is back on the radar this year, after a poor IPL last time in South Africa, on bouncier pitches. Anil Kumble (Bangalore Royal Challengers), had special plans for him- bringing on Steyn and Kallis to keep it short and bouncy, since Pathan hits most of his big shots off the front foot. It worked for Bangalore (even after being dropped once at mid-wicket) and it also worked for Kolkatta (though they eventually lost, getting a taste of their own plans).

4. Sanath Jayasuria?
Yet to fire in this IPL, although did well in the first game against Rajasthan and was a bit unlucky against Delhi to be out after clearing mid-off, to a wonderful catch. There are questions lurking over his abilities as compared to two years ago, but teams can ignore him at their own peril. You can see that he is not given width and teams have managed to strike the right length to him. Steyn was brilliant to get him lbw- pinned without footwork- perhaps a sign of slowing reflexes?

But with 14 games in the league-phase there will be a few unlucky teams where his full fury might unleash, especially since Tendulkar is in good form, and singles are a good option for Jayasuria to play himself in (With Gambhir & Graeme Smith injured, Sehwag and Pathan may not have that luxury though).

Bowlers are getting more organized in T20, and showing that batters will need to be selective and be ready to blend in constructive phases (2/3 overs!) if needed. If batters come with a predetermined destructive 'natural game' mindset, they will find it a bit unnatural- as bowlers are the ones who initiate play.

Saumil
Mumbai
22 March 2010

Hail Karpov Kumble, 2007-10

Anil Kumble was (is) a positional style bowler- strategic rather than a tactical one (in chess terms). He essentially makes bowling plans which keeps batsmen out of their comfort zone- typically by choosing a length which is not natural to the batters, backed by field placements which look defensive, but are well calculated and induce intent in the batsmen. Converting a batter's intent into doubts and forcing errors, is then part of a deeper theme.

1. Australia 07-08 (Test series).
I do not recollect many horizontal bat shots from Australians, except perhaps Hayden- till Perth (3rd Test). The pace bowlers kept a good length mixed with fuller variations in angle. Add to that a compulsive 'natural' game tendency from the Aussies- it sure created problems for themsleves, even with front line Indian pace bowlers getting injured as the series progressed. It is unfortunate that India had lost the first two tests, essentially because of batting problems. But Australia 07-08 was a clear example of bowlers collectively sticking to a theme rather than each bowler trying to knock down wickets based on their personal impromptu skills.

2. India vs Australia '08 (Home Tests).
The first Test in Bangalore, was a flat track and Kumble had a deep point right from the onset, much to the bemusement of Ian Chappell- who described it as welcoming the Aussies with easy singles. But Kumble had plans to keep the run rate in check by preventing boundaries and giving perhaps a single or two, but retaining control on the nature in which the game is played. This was a pitch when 3+ runs an over was the 'natural' thing. And of course, he would have had plans to slip in enough straighter balls which may get you out trying to explore the gaps sqaure of the wicket.

The plans did not quite work, as Ponting made his first Test century in India. But Ponting had played a measured innings- cutting-off (natural) horizontal bat shots. However Kumble claimed that 430 as a bat-first score was not good enough. You can argue that by attacking, you could have knocked them over for a lower score, but before we criticize a plan, execution also must be considered. Kumble himself had not bowled too well in that match and had problems in Sri Lanka as well. And considering the below par execution, 430 it must be said that was not good enough and India drew the match. Not addressing run-rate issues and only going for wickets could have been double edged and worse.

3. Banglore Royal Challengers, IPL 2009
It is quite amazing that a positional approach works in a short format such as T20, which is more like blitz chess (tactical by nature, demanding quick threats and exchanges). But Kumble has the ability to analyze clinically- he said on commentary, that every two dot balls the batsman will try to fabricate something in T20. He sure got Gilchrist out for a duck in the finals, by pinning him for the two balls he faced with fuller deliveries, and then anticipating his charge, foxed him in flight.

But more importantly, in semis/finals, Bangalore had bowled angled into the batters (allowing singles to the leg side) and then some straighter- threatening the stumps. A strategy which worked as pitches were a bit slower and held up a bit- bizzare for South Africa. The batters let him down in the finals of IPL 2009, as is well known.

4. Banglore Royal Challengers, IPL 2010

In India, bouncing can be a tactical ploy- a surprise weapon- but Kumble has made it the strategic device this summer of IPL 2010. Bangalore dried up the runs for Yusuf Pathan (Rajasthan Royals), with short stuff from Steyn and Kallis, without slips, all inside fielders on the ring. Dots or singles or risk it and get out. Moreover, Kallis also bounced Pathan for two balls, bowling round the wicket, just to change the angle.

It is a strategic theme of short bowling with variations which are also positional, rather than knock-out tactical! ..from the mind of Karpov Kumble.

Last year, major Indian batters except Tendulkar and Dravid (Raina was good after Hayden took bowlers apart), had struggled in South Africa, on account of the bounce. This year Anil Kumble is repeating it, just that the bounce comes from the pace of Steyn and Kallis rather than the pitch. Today, Mumbai Indians faced the same plan and the (junior) middle order found it hard to get on the front foot. More importantly, Kumble is using all his wit to have a plan for each batsman, and also get his bowlers to slip in enough variations in swing and angles (also usually planned), as did Vinay and Praveen Kumar today.

It's not easy to bounce around in India, as there will be times when batsmen get stuck into it, if the ball rises only waist high. But Captain Kumble will have plans for that as well (hopefully you do not want to see top edges land safely in the semis/final).

Saumil
Mumbai
21 March 2010

Unfortunately, international cricket tournaments are not as sensible as chess tournaments. After a league of all 8 teams play each other, twice- home and away, they will decide it based on semis/finals as one match rounds. In theory, such an exhaustive league should pick out the best team without the need for a knockout round. But if you need sensationalism of a 'final', just pick the top two teams and have a best of 5 finals. Else, the brilliance of the league phase, where you are really tested to win consistently, can all be lost and forgotten- as AB de Villiers and Dilshan are now seen as let-downs this year.

Tendulkar out-chesses Kotla, again!

Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2010
Mumbai Indians Bang it in at Kotla

Over the last few years, Tendulkar has played many memorable innings in all formats of the game. In a country where fans love records, and pundits keep pointing out that it is not about records - yet, nonetheless quote records when analyzing - it is often that many classy knocks get forgetten.

1. India vs Australia 3rd Test, Delhi 2008.
Ricky Ponting had decided that they would bowl straight and bang it a bit short on this pitch which is slow and low, with uneven bounce. This will prevent batters from getting to the front foot and with the weird pace/bounce, make horizonatal bat shots dubious. Pinned! Then a 'carrot' ball would be slipped in fuller but at angles not easy for driving.

Sehwag was out early, Gambhir to his credit hung in and made 20-odd till lunch (went on to a double ton), and Dravid was out trying to drive a fuller (surprise) ball. Tendulkar walked in and played brilliant punch-off-the-backfoot shots. Sure horizontal shots were not on, but a compact backfoot game was on. He gave momentum with a lovely 68, by overcoming the initial dot-chess.

2. Australia again, 3rd ODI 2009

This time Sunny Gavaskar gave a hint, in his pitch report, that Sehwag and Gambhir could struggle. Tendulkar again played wristy shots to straight balls and gave a start chasing a modest score. However the chess that Yuvraj handled was unusually interesting- see my old post

3. Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2010

Gambhir put Mumbai into bat and left the field early with an injury. We cannot say exactly what he had in mind, but the Delhi bowlers bowled it at length or fuller, mixing slower balls. Tendulkar was up for it by coming down the track to pacers- to nullify the uncertainty of pace variations- and working it into the gaps on both sides. It went all wrong for Delhi with Mumbai posting over 200 for the second time in two matches.

Now when Mumbai bowled, Tendulkar's experience of being at the receiving end of the dot-chess at Kotla in the last few years, was translated to a plan for opponents. Moreover, if other teams study the way Mumbai bowled to Sehwag they will have a lot to gain (left-arm over the wicket to leg stump, and right arm over, angled into him- taking his off-side play out). Eventually, Sehwag still made a decent score (26 of 16) but scooped it to long off as Bravo angled it in.

The length though, was just perfect in general- bang it a little short of length and at varying speeds. Pinned! Cannot come forward and horizontal bat shots are dubious, unless you have a compact/wristy backfoot game like Tendulkar's.

The result? Malinga banged it in a bit- straight- and Dlishan plays all over and around trying to pull. AB de Villiers tried to square cut a ball just outside off and played on. The big guys were gone (Gambhir was not fit), and it was too much work for the others to chase 218.

Tendulkar has had some good outings at Kotla with the bat, but this might have been sweet, dot chessing as a captain with the ball!

Saumil
Mumbai
18 Mar 2010

Tendulkar interprets length on his own terms

2nd ODI, India vs South Africa, Gwalior, 24 Feb 2010.
Sachin Tendulkar became the first player to reach 200 runs in ODI history, against a strong South African bowling attack. Some advanced footwork lessons from the masterclass...

It was a great day to win the toss and the pitch looked just perfect for batting as the ball came on to the bat at a comfortable height- not too low, not too high. This means that if you lunge on the front foot to a slightly short ball- no problem the ball would be within waist height. Comfortable enough to punch on the up- in front of point. If the ball was full and slowish, it would not trickle away, but would be still be knee height.

Tendulkar cashed in on this pitch by interpreting length to maximize productivity. Early on against the quick bowlers, he was quick on the front foot to balls just short, and willing to play in front of his body- on the offside gaps in front of square. When the slower bowlers bowled it fuller and little wider, he was well inside the crease, guiding the ball to wide third-man.

When the spinners bowled it flatter and fuller, he went back to get under the moderate bounce, and lofted a few over the bowler and to long off. Just perfect to buy more time to swing the bat. Then later in the innings when slower variations and fuller lengths are to be expected from the pace bowlers, he smacked them off the back foot over mid-wicket, from outside off.

So if we are used to going back to short balls and front to fuller ones, Tendulkar surely altered that, owning to the favorable conditions- of nice bounce (moderate) and nice pace (coming on the the bat) of the pitch.

Nice lessons in this exciting innings.
Saumilzx
Mumbai, India

Note: In the recent Tests, both Tendulkar and Amla played spinners on the back foot (or just standing), often to pitched up deliveries, owning to the slowness of the turn, waiting and watching the ball, off the pitch. In Kolkata (2nd test), a lot of South Africans fell on the front foot- lbw or caught. Duminy actually went back in the second innings after falling lbw to Harbhajan on the front foot in the first. But he chose the wrong ball to be on the backfoot, it was quicker and flatter. The trick is to know which ball to definitely smother by coming on to the front foot. Amla did that to perfection in the Tests.

Non-Stop Cricket's Biggest Casualty? Fielding.

Fatigue due to the amount of Cricket played, is affecting Test Matches. Bowlers are getting tired but they are not being helped by fielders for sure.

Pakistan had a horrible time in New Zealand and then in Australia. They dropped Watson and Katich on Day 1 of the series. Then it was Hussey- thrice by keeper Karmal Akmal, in the second match- which was supposedly in their pocket. Then in the dead rubber Ponting was dropped on 0, when he tried to hook Mohammed Asif to fine leg. For Pakistan, it might be a case of lack of match practice.

Recently, Tendulkar made two chancy tons against Bangladesh. He was dropped a few times and I tweeted about how the law of averages will catch up with Tendulkar and he would make a flawless hundred! Well, guess what, it did not and he made yet another hundred being let off in the second innings of the 1st Test against South Africa. Finally, yesterday, the law of averages did catch up with Tendulkar. He made a chance-less hundred!

But I guess it would not have mattered even if he edged a few early on, as South Africa have let themselves down in this much hyped - World Championship - match. Sehwag was dropped on 47 by Duminy in the slips, then A.B de Villiers - the stand in keeper for Boucher- missed an easy stumping off Harris, soon after Sehwag's century. Laxman, was dropped by Kallis in first slip, when he had just walked in after Harris had gotten Tendulkar in a similar manner (bowling round the wicket, and tossed up on off stump). Harris was visibly distraught- getting Laxman at the end of day 2 would have opened the doors for South Africa.

This was not all! On day 3, Mishra scored a few dozen after being dropped a few times! Laxman inside edged Morkel- and a diving de Villiers could not reach it. He was dropped again by Duminy at point. Dhoni was dropped in the slips off Harris...

Will the verdict on Harris as a spinner touring India, account for these missed chances? He got Tendulkar and Dhoni out few times in the series already, and should have had Sehwag, Laxman and Dhoni (again). I guess the scorekeepers and analysts are perhaps just as tired of three months of Test Cricket, in this T20 era. Let's move on to the IPL party next month.

... and, oh yes, you will hear about why Test Cricket will survive in the T20 era, since it is very different and has its own charm. It is ODIs which will be impacted, because they are sort of similar but not as exciting as T20... this is all fine, but I have always doubted how bowlers would bowl all day(s) in Tests, when they are used to bowling 4 overs per T20. But it now seems that even fielders are going to find it tough to concentrate beyond a session. Perhaps, T20 and Tests will just have a different set of players. But then maybe not, as both formats will not make the same money:-)

@saumilzx
Mumbai,
17 Feb 2010

Links referenced in Apple Tablet Chess

This is the list of links and concepts from my last post some of which are already ready for an Apple Tablet and those concepts which can shift paradigms with more gestures and 3D for the UI and 3D FX within documents too-

3D and Realism

Times RSS Reader
Apple's GUI Patent of 1995
Magic Cap OS
Headspace Lite
Bee Docs Timeline

VR Shopping and in-app upgrades
iVerse Comics

OpenDoc-like parts/drag-drop tools & services
Posterino
ImageWell
Circus Ponies Notebook
TapIt4me
Speak it
PDFpen

Easy Rich media creation
SonicPics
Organizer
Magic move in Keynote 09!

Gaming and Entertainment
Dock the tablet into a larger screen- my 2009 wishlist
Wooble iBoobs (not tested, but pinch-shake apps will wobble the adult industry for sure).

As mentioned in the last post Apple used to innovate for survival, today it is in a position to innovate to shake the industry. Whether an Apple tablet shifts paradigm(s) or not, many of the cool apps/ideas on the Mac OS X and iPhone are already begging for a tablet and will change the way we work - in a very big way- by just running/porting them to a tablet.

It is all about is Apple's Positional karma!
One more day to go!
@saumilzx
26 January 2010

Apple 'Tablet' Chess

Apple's secretive approach is more like poker or bridge, where the others are left guessing. But concepts of chess (where the pieces are visible), can also be applied. We can anticipate natural advances to their core technologies of both the iPhone and the Mac, since a tablet- it better be so on 27th Jan- is in between.

Gradual positonal advances and tactical game changing experiments are imminent! Lets see what kind of chess Apple needs to play...

Apple's Strategic Anchors- iPhone and Macs
The Mac and the iPhone are well placed as revenue earners and technically solid. 10 years ago Apple innovated to survive. Today it can innovate to unleash something experimental. (Tactics flow from strong positions!). It took many sharp steps for Apple to get here. But now it is time to overhaul some technologies, and shift paradigms...

So lets see which concepts Apple can address, some of which were unfulfilled dreams for Apple and for the industry-

1. Publishing and ebooks
Fluid Positional Play- advance core technologies from what they already are.
This is obviously what everyone is eagerly waiting for. eBooks already look nice- with page flips and annotations on the iPhone. But a tablet will make it look and feel like a book. Apple can, and this is a natural next step. Fluid Positional Play, considering core-quartz FX/transitions already in the OS X.

Scrolling and book dimensions are the major issues when it does not fit the tablet form factor. See Times RSS Reader for a cool newspaper like view for feeds on Mac OS X. But one can expect page tilting (to reduce scrolling) and subtle brightness changes with an accelerometer for enhanced feel.

2. Personalized 3D GUI
Tactical mobility on an open file! The competition is barely just catching up with Expose. 3D is far away.

Remember how an Apple Patent 08/052,865 was supposed to revolutionize a GUI with 3D icons in 1995. Unfulfilled!

Magic Cap tried to simulate a room with real objects (it was brilliant then in 1995), and even today there are 3rd party desktops which swivel and skew to give you a 3D look. But real 3D needs to be touched, not explored with modifier keys.

The road is clear, with multi-touch moving on steroids, and the widgets/icons are begging to be felt! The technical skills of rendering 3D with todays processing power and touch gestures makes this an 'open file' with both rooks aligned on it. Apple can then use 3D output in various fields- forcing tactics- to just boost almost all types of display, interaction and report generation.

Fast user switching of Mac OS X accounts already flips desktops as rotating cubes. This could well be the way Spaces works too.

For a feel of navigating space with interactivity try iPhone app Headspace Lite (like Apple's Hot Sauce Browser in 90s). Or try BeeDocs Timeline (OS X) to get an idea of how a simple timeline can knock you over by 3D skews.

3. Virtual Reality-Shopping
in-app purchases was Apple's Postional Shot!

Shopping online failed in the 90s because of cumbersome checkout processes and lack of realistic feel of products. The former, has already been solved with an app store and now in-app purchases makes every store or bookshelf- dynamic. iVerse Comics (iPhone app) update a bookshelf by push notifications already.

If the 3D enhancements and touch gestures as indicated earlier, are done, this will pave the way for virtual shopping (what the heck cover flow alone might do it). Again all that is needed is a tablet to deliver goods and content- in a form factor that makes sense. Charging for the delivery is what an in-app purchase is all about. A silent chess shot with definite purpose.

4. OpenDoc, again?
some preparatory moves can be seen... contextual services!

In the 90s when Apple was looking for the next big OS with multi tasking and all that, they worked on OpenDoc- a radical new way to work. There would be no monolithic applications! Just tools which would select themselves, based the 'part' you worked in. So every document would be like a layout program with many different parts- images, spreadsheets, text etc. The user could also install tools such as spell checkers from one vendor and say a formatting feature from another... too ambitious for the 90s...

But even though applications will not go away, this was what the internet needed then- as each brilliant programmer and designer could focus on their own niche skills- and the user would stitch the apt tools together. Photoshop plugins are a good example of how every developer does not need to re-invent the core editing program.

But if you see the Mac OS today, you can see widgets/HUDs hovering all over, small drag drop utilities which just do a simple but relevant task well - Collage tools (Posterino), Image sizing (ImageWell). You also have Outliner and Notepad files as a package- which can embed other files of any kind (How about Circus Ponies Notebook on a Tablet?). iWork 09 spreadsheets are already smaller purposeful sections instead of an ugly giant grid.

Most importantly, the services menu is now context sensitive in OS X Snow Leopard. So spell checkers, text expanders and text to speech type services which are universal will perhaps be enhancing the 'text parts' in a document, without switching apps. TapIt4Me and Speak it (iPhone apps) are waiting to offer their services to every text snippet - anywhere.

Even if a super-document centric paradigm is not adopted, if each document can host any media/data type and active widgets (web 2.0 style but as local apps), and they can be edited or run in their own 'part' - a enhanced document model will be the new big thing.
You will not have to make a presentation- that will be the way you work!

Something tells me that Apple may shock everyone here with a game changing document model... may be not... but for sure hybrid docs which absorb all types of data are a natural progression, sooner or later. (can I please scribble and annotate inside any document?, not just PDFs in Preview or PDFpen).

5. Multimedia for reference/education
forget chess- this just needs a tablet and docking options... (and Hypercard, anyone?)

CD-ROMs were supposed to replace text books? didn't... they were slow in the 90s, needed a clunky computer to load one. Most importantly, creating a multimedia demo, required fiddling in timelines or lots of programming...

Now with solid state memory and rich media tools, this looks solved. In fact all that is needed is a tablet- the iPhone has some cool AV annotation tools (SonicPics), Diaries/Journals with rich media (Organizer), and with a spotlight like search and tagging mechanism- reference work will be multimedia centric. For a kiosk like presentations- just take a look at how much can be accomplished by just one - magic move in Keynote 09!

6. Network Computing!
Deep positional play- with many silent steps over a few years...

This was yesterday's promise of Java and Netscape. But it is possible only today with Amazon S3, Dropbox and other clouds, that we can assume to save and open all data from a server. Then any Tablet will be 'my' tablet- as the data ain't in it. But if this will happen, it will happen with small but well planned steps-deep positional play- hosting more apps online, then backing up and synching data online... eventually saving data online.. until we will have an empty tablet- Tabula Rasa! ...an iSlate! The Tablet might just silently or incidentally fulfill the network-is-the-computer mantra

7. Gaming and Entertainment
Tactics to get every kid and adult on to the OS X ecology

My awareness about Computer Games is unfortunately not developed beyond chess. I do love sports but am not a Video game buff. But with touch gestures and even basic 3D, there will be scope for a different type of gaming- on the tablet and where the tablet is just an input console for another gaming gadget. (or if we could dock the tablet into a larger screen- see my wishlist).

Also, the entertainment apps invite you to touch, pinch and shake (Wooble iBoobs)...I cannot say how well it works, as I have many other things to buy, but I guess a larger form factor will help... umm this is more about Apple's chess positions not kamasutra.. though some excel in both (@pogonina, a Chess GM).

8. Augmented Reality (AR)
in another game of chess? with Steve you never can tell though- camera, GPS, action...

Summation

So what impact will a successful tablet have, assuming it becomes a must-have gizmo like the iPhone? If Apple does pull of half of what is possible, based on their Positional Advantage, of having a priority on key technologies of modern times - as in the iPhone and OS X - it could get every single tablet buyer to be a Mac user of sorts. Even now, every iPhone user is using a mobile version of OS X, but not really getting any work done- in the desktop sense. So an avid iPhone user is not Mac user, as such.

But the same may not be true for a tablet, which in all likelihood will not just be a content consumption device. If you create or do work on an iSlate - or whatever it is called- you are then close to being a Mac user as well.

In fact, the Mac vs PC wars may be about to end... as the iSlate will convert both of them, gradually... So Apple's positional path will then be- Mac technologies came to iPhone; both iPhone & Mac+more touch/3D come to an iSlate (now); iSlate technologies back to the Mac (like iPhone touch gestures enhanced Mac trackpads)...

The only major issue, is still about doodling and scribbling, which touch interfaces are weak, since fingertips are not precise and obstruct vision. Either an additional stylus or a virtual one, will surely be needed. Many iPhone apps try to address it in many ways, but Apple needs to nail this.

Let's see- 27th Jan ain't far away... 2010 may not just be 2010!

Time to catch up some sleep.

@saumilzx
Mumbai, India
24 Jan 2010