The Open File - A Story to Study
Submitted by
NM Zug on Mon, 11/03/2008 at 7:21am.
The Open File
by Life Master Mike Petersen (Zug)
A Story to Study
A famous Grandmaster is giving a lecture before a simultaneous. A member of the audience asks how much time the maestro spends studying chess every day. Not to be outdone, after his answer our GM turns the question back to the audience. He asks, "How many of you get to study chess every day like I do?" A few hands went up in the room. "How many of you get to study chess once a week?" A few more hands went up. "OK, how many of you get to study chess once a month?" This time a lot of hands went up. "Now, how many of you study once every three months?" Fewer hands went up this time. "OK, last question. How many of you get to study chess only once a YEAR?" For a while there was silence. Then, one fellow in the back of the hall jumped out of his seat and started waving his hand excitedly into the air. He had a grin on his face from ear to ear. Slightly taken back, the GM looked at the man and said, "You mean to say you get to study chess only once a year?" "That's right!" came the animated answer. "Well, the fact that you are here tells me you love the game. So how come you're so happy if you only get to study chess one day a year?" Immediately the reply came back, "Because today's the day!"
A funny story. I like to tell it before giving simuls myself. But the question remains. How much time DO masters spend studying chess? Well, a lot less than you might think. There are the workaholics, of course. Perhaps the best known example is Lajos Portisch. He reportedly studied about eight hours a day in preparation for events. But he is an exception. Most GM's, if you ask them, will admit to studying in "binges." They will have a card file or computer database of the lines they study and play, so in reality studying might mean brushing up on the card/database file. A GM will "study" only if he has to face a new opponent (to study his games) or if he intends to play a new opening. Normal studying for GM's is really just doing some work on a part of their game they consider to be weak, such as a certain type of endgame or middlegame position.
But what about me? How much time did I study when I was active in chess tournaments over-the-board? The answer may be meaningful, as I am a master. Well, the only way I can answer that is to figure it out. Let's see...there are 365 days per year available for study. I had to work five days a week, so that eliminated 250 days right there. That leaves 115 days for study. I played in about 10 chess tournaments a year. Each took two days, so that left 95 days for study. I took two weeks every year with my family for a vacation, so that left 81 days. I had to spend at least one of the two days every remaining weekend with my family, so that left 41 days for study. I was sick about five days a year, so that left 36 days. Can’t forget the holidays, so that left 29 days. Oh, yeah, I forgot. My work took me out of town for about two weeks every year, so there goes another 14 days. That left 15 days for study. I wrote a chess column back then once a week, and it took about two hours each week, so that left 11 days. I had to take care of the house, the cars, the lawn etc. and I estimate that took about 10 days a year to do. That left me one day either to study chess or relax and do nothing.
Which one do you think I did?
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