Chess.com Player Profiles: GM gmfinegold
"GM Ben Finegold is really a comedian at heart; the problem is that most of the funny stuff he says can't be ON the record for obvious reasons... So I would say Ben is even funnier than most people know", says IM Daniel Rensch. Ben Finegold was born into a chess family - he became a USCF Master at 14, a Life Master at 15, Senior Master at 16 and an International Master at 20. When he was 40 he became a Grand Master.
Name: Ben Finegold
Title: GM
Date of birth: Sept 6 1969
Fide rating: 2482
Country: USA
Chess.com username: gmfinegold
How are you?
Very well, thank you!
What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favorite movie?
And your favorite tv-series?
Boardwalk Empire.
What kind of food and drink do you prefer?
I am a vegetarian, I LOVE Indian and Thai Food. Coffee and Iced Tea for beverages.
What is your favorite book?
My 60 Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer.
What music are you currently grooving to?
Typical Pop Music.
Ben Finegold and one of his chess buddies who is also at Chess.com, IM John Bartholomew.
Tell me a chess secret?
Bf1.
What chess hero had the most influence on your chess development?
How old were you when you began to play chess?
Five.
Is the Internet a big part of your life?
Yes, teaching, playing, keeping in contact with friends.
What was your childhood like?
Played a lot of chess, my dad and brother were/are good chess players.
What was the most important advice your parents gave you?
Deny everything.
Here´s Ben with another chess buddy, Garry 
What is chess to you – a game of combat or of art?
More combat than art.
What is your inner being?
Comedian.
What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the chess world?
More sponsored tournaments in USA for top players.
If you could give a beginner in chess only one piece of advice, what would it be?
Capture your opponent's pieces.
Who is your most difficult opponent?
What is your favorite chess game?
Paul Morphy vs. Duke Karl / Count Isouard, Opera Game. It's very instructive and easy to remember.
Is there any chess book that has had a deep and lasting influence on you?
San Antonio 1972.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in chess?
Patience.
How would you describe yourself to an alien from another planet?
Old.
Do you think the future belongs to rapid chess and blitz?
Nope. Classical chess always the best.
What is your best chess memory?
Drawing Smirin down two pawns in the ending in the 2002 World Open.
Would you participate in a Chess.com Death-match?
For sure!
Do you have any thoughts on how Chess.com can get even better?
Yes - more videos by Ben Finegold.
Poster boy! Here's a link to Ben's excellent article The 40-Year-Old GM.
