Is there a possibility of becoming an international master?

Before I ask my question, I'm hoping to receive honest answers and hopefully no degrading or insulting comments.

So I just turned 45. I've been playing chess off an on for most of my life, but never really sat down to study or take it that seriously. Now I am at a crossroads where I have the time and income to commit to studying every day and going to tournaments on weekends. Outside of work, (40 hours per week), I can devote as much time as necessary to my chess.

So after qualifying all of that I am hoping to get honest answers about how possible it is to become an international master at some point in my life. My hope is to play very competitively and also teach chess locally. On a more esoteric note, I also want to have the advanced knowledge to truly appreciate the beauty of chess at the deepest of levels.

Or: would I be better placing my time, money and energy in something else such as art which I also enjoy but would be a second to chess.

So, there it is. I'm hoping to get feedback and not ridicule for asking such a question. Thank you in advance.

So you think this is even feasible?

@cooksrule : Possible, yes. Likely, no.

Think of chess as becoming fluent in a foreign language. I won't go into details, but most can't do that at an advanced age. There are other issues. For instance, going after a chess title is like having a second (unpaid) job, with people actively trying to make you fail.

More in detail, say I explain to you what is piece activity and coordination. You'll still need both talent and hard work to mentally visualize different piece set-ups and be precise when choosing and executing those you've found, supported by logic and precise calculation.

What is achievable is becoming a strong player. From there, if you still have time and energy, you may work on the next steps. If it's of any help, check the annotated games in the articles in my blog, as those were meant for non-experts in the game, and will hint you how much you know and need to know.

You have things called dendrites and fasciculus that are basically the structures that allow your brain to transmit neurons and make synapses.

As you age the brain tends to halt the growth of these structures if they are unused in order to make the brain more efficient. It is like that because it is much better to be able to quickly recall and understand the things you do or use the most in order to survive. These structures can still grow as an adult but because of senescence, it is not as easy to do so as an adult as it is as a child.

Dendrites grow naturally on a child and fasciculus can grow and strengthen even with near-constant stimulus whereas in the adult brain this is not true.

Basically, if you try to learn by doing the same type of studying all day every day and continue to struggle for hours with concepts you can't wrap your head around, you will stunt the growth of your dendrites and fasciculus and maybe even cause harm which will in turn simply make it harder to understand any new concept.

If you have someone who understands this and knows how to use this knowledge to train you efficiently then you can still reach whatever potential you had even as a child. So the true answer to your question is whether you think you have the potential to be an IM or not and if you have the funds for a good trainer than can help you get to your potential.

PopCorn: Thank you for the reply. Right now I'm starting to devote twenty hours to study and play. I have the time for that. I also am looking for a coach. (I fortunately have the income to afford that.) You give me hope.

If it is what You like, well, then Go for it! Achieving your goal might be difficult, but even If You Don't manage to get any title, by reaching an elo of 2000+ You would already be an Amazing chess player!

What I would suggest, and I'm no expert, would be that yes it is very much possible for you to become an IM but it would take a lot of hard work. What I would do is study chess and play competitively locally, and once you reach that point in which you've beaten everybody around you and you feel confident, I would suggest making the decision of decided whether you stay local and play around, or try to make in the top players. 

Honestly, though, getting 2200 already qualifies you for the title of CM. You would already be a ridiculously strong player! So if you want to, strive towards your goal! One of my favorite sayings is, "Reach for the moon and even if you miss, you'll land among the stars," Hope this helps!

I think the odds are very much against you. Just a hunch, though. I think most Masters started much younger and by their mid-40s had achieved Master status. You would need to do the research to see if any Masters started later and became a Master later. Either way, good luck.

IM = International Masker?

I guess it would seem that I might have to make art my priority and just settle for enjoying the game when I play. Thanks for all the input.

Who knows, enjoying playing the game may be the best reason yet to play

I’d agree that IM is very close to out of the question, but if you work really hard at chess for some years I think maybe USCF NM would be a better and fairly reasonable goal. While it would still be very hard and perhaps impossible, it is definitely more reasonable and possible. Good Luck!

Irresistible male, actually.

As a kinda uneducated 12 year old who just took up chess as a hobby a month ago, I'm not completely sure. Of course, people with an intellectual disability can't be great at chess, and I'm in no way saying you're stupid, but at that age even without a job your brain MAY have deteriorated a bit, but believe in yourself, which is the advice I give to myself. 

No there is no chance. 

If you got very close to becoming an IM at 25 and now you can devote all your time to chess then I would say maybe there is some chance. 

Possible?  Yes...

Probable? No...

Dont worry about the title.  Put in the time and effort, and be as good as you can be.

Practice if you want to get a title!

Basically you want to decide your most serious hobby. Well, first of all ask yourself this: does it really matter if you are truly world class at chess or art. It is probably tough to be world class in either of those things in your situation, although you might be pretty talented and not know it.

Your decision should probably rest on 2 questions:

1. Which of those 2 you enjoy more?
2. What is your level of talent in those 2  (this one is probably a bit subjective though)?

I believe you should chose that which brings you more enjoyment.  

I think it's entirely possible for you to acquire an understanding of chess comparable with an IM's. Hard work and a proper learning method can bring you that.

To get the title, though, you'll have to go through tough competition. Often against much younger players who are incredibly resilient and unafraid of complications. Young players, in general, has more energy and longer attention spans as well, a significant advantage in the classical time control.

If you put your heart and soul into it Matt, I think you can. Good luck!