Many people are forever working hard on their chess. While some seem to climb up the chess ladder quickly, others end up frustrated when they are stuck far behind. Only a few – about 0.3% – players eventually become grandmasters or world famous chess players. Below are some of the most critical skills that you can learn from the best chess players in the world. These skills go beyond the board since it is not all about the board. Entirely different personalities that took very different paths are becoming elite players. However, there are a few things such players have in common; more than what you see at first glance. You can apply these two aspects to your chess game play and check out why you are not a grandmaster yourself – at least not yet!
Passion for the game
The most fundamental characteristic to becoming a world famous chess player or even Grandmaster is a passion for the game. However, it goes much further than that – you have to be absolutely thrilled, even obsessed with it. In fact, passion is one way to create positive emotions that will keep you motivated towards your goal at achieving greater success in the chess world. When the chess bug bites, you are emotionally invested in your games, and the emotions can last for days. Take, for example, Garry Kasparov’s return to chess. The Grandmaster’s return to the game is a clear indicator that he loves the game and it makes him happy to play and share the joy with chess enthusiasts. For such people, chess is a game filled with combinations, motifs, manoeuvres and structures that help show the inner logic. This unique and vibrant combination of elements is what keeps people attracted to the game for the rest of their lives.
Dedication and discipline
Compared to World Champion Magnus Carlsen, some of the best chess players may be considered lazy when it comes to training intensity. Getting back to reality, getting to the top is a task that requires hard work. In fact, all those top chess players usually have dedicated large parts of their lives to playing chess – since childhood! The players missed some normal activities like attending friends’ birthday parties, taking on family vacations and even just hanging around with a few friends. Instead, your favourite chess players spend hours on end dealing with chess, reading books, playing in tournaments, analysing chess games and using software. Overall, this may look like a one-sided or too specific way a child should be spending his or her days. If you are wondering how you can put in more hours and improve your game, Barnebys has a huge assortment of chess-related products that can help you.
