To Be or not to Be (aggressive), that is the question

You can play defensive all the time (see: TIgran Petrosian) or you can be wildly aggressive (See: Mikhail Tal) and in both cases you can be successful.

It's finding the right mix for YOU. Especially since you and I are not trying to be Grand Masters...just better players. You can actually test the waters by playing gambits (aggressive) and making sacrifices in your games. This is one of the rare times, I actually recommend playing fast time controls (blitz is fast enough - let's not get crazy). You can play a lot of games and see if you enjoy being a little reckless. Who knows? This may be a secret, guilty pleasure.

Of course, aggressive doesn't mean reckless per se, but it will give you a good indication if you enjoy being the attacker. We're not playing reckless to win as much as to see if we enjoy the style of Tal. If you decide that you really enjoy being a swashbuckler (see Maurice Ashley's games) then you can pattern your games after some of the most famous aggressive players in history. This includes Bobby Fischer. Enjoy!

If you don't like it, and prefer to defend or even counter-punch, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Some of our greatest champions have been counter-punchers. They play quietly, waiting for their opponent to overstep and reach for too much. Then they pounce on them and destroy their will to continue.

You might find that you enjoy being aggressive with the white pieces and prefer to defend with black. Or you might like the opposite. Remember, being on the Offensive is EASIER than defending. And any good defender is just waiting for their chance to turn the tables and attack.

Either style can be rewarding and enjoyable. So find what fits your style!