A Future World Chess Champion from the USA?

"What are your opinions of the possibility of chess player representing the USA becoming World Champion in the next generation?"

Chess is viewed worse than soccer in the US.  You will never see chess being promoted to the same degree as basketball or football during the Super Bowl.  As a baseball fan, I feel this sport is bit of a dying breed only left to the American purists. 

I know this isn't what you are asking specifically, but that is the scope we need to look at.  Somehow, the "prodigy" kid must be influenced by chess alongside something such as basketball or even swimming in order to get them really interested.  I will mention more about this in your next wondrous query.

"do you believe the USA will ever again produce a world champion?"

I figure Paul Morphy the last real American champion.  If you are referring to Fischer, you would be mistaken.  Fischer got the title not through honest play but mind games outside of the board.  I have no problem with psyching out your opponent over the board, but when you complain, refuse to show up, dispute venue settings, etc... you turn the sport into something it was not.  The Russians are not going to be so willing to give another title to an American until that Fischer crap stops.

With that said, Fischer did display immense talent at an early age (or as soon as he learned how to play).  This is what will need to happen in addition to training.  The training part may be difficult to swallow in the land of a country which ignores the rest of the world and where most citizens don't own a passport.

If there is a future American GM world champion, the time is right.  Right now, we have some sense of a unified title and it is there for anyone to get.  The parents of this future champion will need to have money.  They will need to be able to leave their job, their home, and make many other sacrifices.  This future champion will need to be housed in several different countries depending on where their coach is.  They will also need financial support and a political team pushing them so they can participate in the key tournaments which will bolster their rating and allow them to play top players.  Not even Nakamura was allowed a Candidates seat, but yet he won the London Classic. This chess creation will need connections in the system, not just talent.

Take a lesson from Carlsen, multiply the difficulty due to it being an "American", add sacrifices and there you have at best a chance.  Unfortunately, I think American prodigies will come to a different conclusion and pursue their accomplishments in a different way.  Even Nakamura is no longer interested in chess.  It's only 1 of his many hobbies.  This is not chess champion criteria.

Chess needs to be your only hobby, and you kick a soccer ball like Carlsen to fool the world into thinking you are "well-rounded".

I figure Paul Morphy the last real American champion.  If you are referring to Fischer, you would be mistaken.  Fischer got the title not through honest play but mind games outside of the board. 

With that said, Fischer did display immense talent at an early age (or as soon as he learned how to play).

What are your opinions of the possibility of chess player representing the USA becoming World Champion in the next generation?

Right now all the USA's top talent are longshots at best to compete in those rarified airs, but do you know of any child chess prodigies working their way up the ranks currently that may develop into world contenders should they stay on the straight and narrow?

More broadly speaking, do you believe the USA will ever again produce a world champion?  Why or why not?

Thank you.

Tal changed his style in his late 20s, abandoning some of the risky play of his youth for positional accuracy, and remained a top ten player for most of his active years.  He also set the still-standing record for classical tournment games without a loss, and also holds the second longest undefeated streak.  So it can be done.