I started playing chess at 18. Is it too late for me to become world chess champion?

*cough cough* has anybody else noticed this guy has put a FIDE-rating that's higher than Carlsen's on his profile?

you don't need to diss him. I think he just doesn't know much about chess and underestimates the strength of grandmasters.

I think it's absolutely essential that I diss him...

There are 2 options, both of which require high levels of mockery:

1.He is trolling.

2.He has no concept of reality. 

Only several individuals of the millions of chess players in the world will become world champion in the next few decades, so even though it is definitely a very good goal to acheive, it is virtually impossible, not just for you but for most of us, too. 18 is also relatively old when speaking on chess, because most titled players even, let alone GMs or World Champions, have played chess when they were much younger and worked on the game for most of their lives. However, even if becoming world champion is unrealistic, there are definitely other goals that you can work towards, perhaps 1500 elo, then 1800 elo, and 2000 elo someday. 

Then SM won’t mind if it’s found absolutely essential to file a ticket for verbal abuse !

World Champion is mind-bogglingly difficult.

To realistically have any chance of such a goal, you'd need to devote your entire life to chess. Seriously.

It's wake up, chess chess chess all day long, until you sleep, 365 days a year, for at least the next 10 years. NO EXCEPTIONS.

You also can't get by with just playing. You need to be having top-level (Grandmaster) coaching on a regular basis, at least until you reach GM yourself.

Even then, after all that, the odds are still pretty slim.

I'd say that, these days, it's not worth even talking about World Champion possibilities until one reaches 2800 FIDE.

But op is 2900 FIDE!

WHAT!!! *faints, then falls down a flight of stairs*

He isn't active enough to know what trolling is.

He may be a snob, but he's right: OP needs to get a sense of reality. I reached 1400 after a year and I probably will never even get to CM in my entire life, while OP thinks he can become not only a GM, but even the world chess champion!

I'm inclined to agree. I learned to play when I was seven and was a monster at the age of nine. But, I gave it up for almost two decades before getting back into it. I know I'll never be world champion, and I know a Grandmaster title is likely outside my grasp. My goal, right now, is to simply reach expert, at which point my new goal will be master. But, as you're saying, your goals have to be realistic to your talent, the time you dedicate to learning the game, and the time you have left in life.

Jog on Mustang with your pompous spouting of what constitutes acceptable behaviour. Your online shtick is just as dull now as it was the last time you were here. Stick to creeping around the teenagers threads telling them how wise and mature you are. 

Quick to defend your fellow imbeciles Tony...They need their leader when under attack. I'm quite surprised you have managed to post more than once in this thread without referencing to everyone the vital information that you are a cat.