To the lower rated players

Submitted by Jaguarphd on Sat, 10/10/2009 at 12:42am.

Is chess a waste of time? A waste of money? A waste of hope chasing a black cat in a dark room. A waste of love? I am not talking about little children with little ratings who have developed a likeness of the game. The ones chock full of potential. I speak of the old people or relatively young teens that show no natural talent for the game and can only be good if they study like a trained dog. Basically imitating grandmaster moves and will probably never contribute a combination or game that will be reflected in awe many years from now. Is our desire to be like the chess giants blinding us? Is it better to save $200 entree fee. $100 hotel rooms. $1000 chess education (teachers, books, software) for something else? I love this game. More than anything in the world. I neglect everything in study to hope I will someday have an article on chess.com or something with a key move in analysis and have people say "Play like Justin" or something. I have been playing this game and studying it since 4 years old yet here I stand 13 years from when I first learned to move the pieces as a 17 year old approaching 1400. Being surpassed by young chess prodigies. People like Fischer, Tal, Kasparov, Speilmen, Waitzkins, Alekhine, Christensen, Topalov, Morphy, Anand, Keres, and the rest worth mentioning players inspired me. I play chess for 6 hours a day or so and study for 3. It seems I am going no where fast.

» posted in Jaguarphd's Blog

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Comments:

by Ice-9 - 44 days ago
Sacramento United States

Member Since: Aug 2009
Member Points: 2

justin u r a very good chess player. some times things dont always happen right of way 4 us & some times we need to take a step back and look at ourselves. but in due time u will see all your hard work come to fruition. :):):)

by Evenstaroflight - 44 days ago
California United States

Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 39

Keep enjoying the game Justin, just don't make it to important to neglect what is most important in your life.

by CPawn - 44 days ago
Sacramento, California United States

Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 762

Hi Justin,

After reading your post, let me say this. I admire and respect your passion and dedication to the game. Now to the things that dont come across very well. You neglect everything else for chess? Life is about balance, and without that yu will not be successful. For a perfect example take a look at Fischer. Unbelievably gifted, and possibly the greatest player of all time. But look at the rest of his life...a wreck. Is chess worth that?

You need to ask yourself why your into chess. If you are neglecting everything else in life just to have people say "play like Justin" youre in chess for the wrong reasons.

Also lets be realistic here Justin, you are not a chess prodigy. Youre almost 18, and after 14 years if you are at 1400 (Even though after playing you i know for a fact that you are a much stronger player that that) chess isnt going to be your ticket to wealth and fame as a profession.

"Little children with little ratings"? Do you understand how condescending this comes across? I know because this is what i get at work when i take time off for a tournament. I submit for vacation and explan why, and this is the response i get. "Oh...do you have one of your little chess tournaments to go to?"

You very well may not have meant it that way, but that is how it comes across.

My best advice to you is to enjoy life. Make chess an important part of it, but a balanced part of your life. Youre 17...ENJOY and LEARN from all of the life experieinces that have come and will come your way.

Lastly...Love is never a waste. It doesnt always turn out the way we want it to, but you took a chance and opened your heart. That says alot about someone.

Ive met you, and spoken with you. Youre a good kid, but you are 17 :-)

See you in Reno!

God Bless!

by babyMasterCC - 44 days ago
Hong Kong

Member Since: Sep 2009
Member Points: 80

wow justin its deep..the motto that i go by - just have fun in chess.

by erikido23 - 45 days ago
United States

Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 953

If you love it more than anything else in the world it certainly isn't nothing.

But, this struck me(not that it is a bad thing it just stood out)

I neglect everything in study to hope I will someday have an article on chess.com or something with a key move in analysis and have people say "Play like Justin" or something.

vanity- of course we all do want this but also keep in mind the love of the game and the learning process.

To learn you always have to be in the mindset of just that-that you are going to work on something which you aren't necessarily all that good at(You would not study anything which you had already completely mastered for as long as you do) and probably fail many times. When you start getting slightly better at it and recognize it then your game will be slightly better and you will get a little more amusement out of it and you will have more confidence learning really is fun.

just keep in mind to be more than a one trick pony(I am not talking about chess-but life.) u need more than one thing in your life. If one is failing you you need at least one back up.

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