Anybody remembers this guy?

… It will take much sacrifice to be great.  However, the underlying fact is that it can be done and when you have reached a high skill level worthy of calling yourself a GM, you  

shall fear absolutely no one Earth.

I have recently been asked whether intelligence is correlated to chess mastery.  While I acknowledge varying opinions on the topic, I feel that there has not been a sufficient discussion about the direct correlation between greatness in chess and the intelligence of individuals who are pursuing chess greatness. 

It is quite convenient for those who are not very good at chess to argue against the correlation between intelligence and high chess acumen.  After all, it is their personal bias that skews their judgment.  If chess skill and mastery is directly correlated to intelligence

levels, then those who are poor chess players or incapable of raising themselves to the level of greatness will be deemed un-intelligent.   Therefore, the convenient approach is to ignore logic and reasoning to lead others to believe that intelligence is a selective quality that enables some to demonstrate intelligence in some endeavors while demonstrating a lack of intelligence in other endeavors.  While convenient, it is challenged by the reality of intelligence as a measure of personal ability.

Let us consider this topic from an objective perspective and reason it to its logical conclusion...

IF an individual is "intelligent" by the standards of this world, then he or she is capable of learning a particular endeavor and the intricacies of what is necessary to perform well. 

IF an intelligent individual is capable of learning the game of chess, its rules, openings, strategies, master level patterns, and intricacies then he or she will be able to become a proficient chess player.

It follows logically that intelligence leads to the ability to acquire knowledge, understanding and the application of such knowledge proficiently.  Without intelligence, you cannot achieve a level of greatness in chess.  Meanwhile, the lack of intelligence assures the inability of an individual to become a great chess player.  The potential for greatness in chess is directly correlated to intelligence and dictates whether one can achieve any level of greatness in chess. 

Furthermore, it is illogical to conclude that the lack of chess prowess and skill is a sign of intelligence.  After all, if an individual possessed great intelligence, he or she would be able to learn the game and develop his or her abilities with time to raise himself or herself to a level of competency to be considered great. 

In order to be the best player that you can be, you must.... at times, lose.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but it is true.  Losing or allowing your oppponent to win can often times bring out the very worst in your opponents.  You will be able to see how they react.  Some react honorably and detect that you are allowing them to win, while others pretend that they are winning by their own devices and prove to be extremely arrogant.

It is sometimes the smallest advantage that enables one without character to show his or her true colors.  From extending a game by attempting to promote as many Queens on the board as possible to posting insulting comments to torment their opponents, there are truly many dishonorable players from around the world.  It is sad to say this, but it is the truth and it is undeniable.  While unfortunate, the very existence of dishonorable players serves as a form of motivation for those who strive to become a GM.

The reason why it is important to uncover these types of players and to witness their actions first hand is that it will drive you to get better.  Sometimes, when you reach a level of dominance, your mind will subconsciously believe that you are invincible.  By allowing others to win a game or two or even allowing a string of players to win, you will purge your subconscious mind of its undeveloping ways.

I normally end games by offering my opponents a simple "gg" or "thank you for the match" expression to demonstrate my good sportsmanship and honorable nature.  However, there are times when such polite expressions after allowing my opponents to win

will result in insults from my opponent.  I have been called "fraud", "loser", "overrated", "joke", as well as many other childish insulting terms not worth mentioning online.  The bottom line is that none of it really upsets me.  All it does is provide me with motivation to further develop my chess skills so that I am never in a position where my opponents are capable of defeating me against my own will.  

No matter what level of chess skill or acumen you may be, there is always room for improvement.  The only way to push yourself and to continue to develop as a player is to remind yourself that there are reasons to constantly improve.  As ironic as it may sound, sometimes losing is the only way to remind yourself of this and to further your development as a player. 

Every player who aspires to be truly great must ask himself or herself a single question: 

Why do you seek Greatness? 

As it has been stated throughout time, with greatness comes great responsibility.  It is true.

Would you use your power to better the world around you?  or Would you prefer to crush the weak and suppress all ways other than your own? 

Would you help others in need? or Would you stand aside and watch as they suffer at the hands of oppressors? 

Would you look to use your mind in ways that will promote and protect the health and well being of the innocent?  or Would you be a minister of evil who takes measures to ensure the untimely demise of those who cannot stand up for themselves?

These are very real questions that you must ask yourself before seeking greatness. 

One who seeks knowledge and greatness to better the world can be truly Great, while those who seek greatness to perpetrate evil upon the world can only become Demons.

I do not wish to participate in your childish banter.

It is readily apparent that those who do not seek greatness disdain those who seek it.  This is the truth and it cannot be contested.  I have allowed you to ramble on with your misguided remarks and immature insults because it exposes the truth about your inabilities and weaknesses.

None of your comments add anything to this discussion.  The reason is clear.  You lack the knowledge and understanding of the path to becoming a GM.

My sole purpose in creating this discussion is to promote the development of chess minds and those who seek self betterment and higher chess acumen.  I am not only aware of the intricacies of chess, I am a skilled practitioner of chess and quite frankly one of the best chess players on chess.com. 

Rather than seek the glory of self enlightenment and cerebral development, there are those who would rather focus their attentions on demonstrating their immaturity.  The question that arises is "Why?"  Perhaps it is because those who do not believe that they can ever achieve greatness are mired in their helplessness and drawn into

the darkness by their inability to strive for greater and better levels of self awareness and understanding.  Perhaps it is the consequence of a lack of overall intelligence or even educational deficiencies from a young age.  However, in most cases, it is simply laziness and absolute slothful disregard for the mind or intellectual stimulus. 

Whatever the reason, those who seek to focus on childish and immature behavior show more about their lack of development than anything else.  They are those who will seek to hinder the progress of others and reach out with their helpless arms to pull down anyone who seek greatness.  It is their place in the world to look upon those who aspire to become great with eyes of disdain and hatred for they will never change and shall forever be damned to their lonely and short sighted existence.

I provide the light.  I provide the hope and the path to enlightenment.

Chess provides you with the ability to view the world and your place in the world with a refined mind that is sharpened by both higher intelligence and strategy.

There will be difficult times when you will fail in chess as well as in life.  It is only natural.  Regardless of the preconceived notions of greatness or success in this world, each instance of success is grounded in some form of failure.  Whether it be addiction to substances such as alcohol or controlled addictive materials or even things that waste away at the mind in non-chemical ways, those who are perceived to be successful and great each have their weaknesses.  In the end, there is no exception and this truth is undeniable.

That being said, just because you experience a tough situation whether it be at work or in other aspects of your life, it is your choice as to how you deal with it.  The same is true for chess. You will lose games.  It is a given.  In fact, if you play chess recklessly and without any sense of direction, you will lose more often than you win.  The act of losing stimulates a negative emotion within your being because unless you are a moron, you should not like losing.  It should pain you to the deepest depths of your being.  It should be a stimulus for you to activate the strongest portions of your brain and to use your intellect to overcome your weaknesses. 

I am by no means suggesting that one should lose, lose again, and again, and again in continuous repetition without any sense of how or why one is losing.  If you are losing, then you need to step back and analyze exactly why you lost the previous games, how you lost, and how you can improve.  It is the only way you can become better. 

One cannot close his or her eyes to the reality of some form of weakness or human deficiency while pretending that everything will get better on its own.  That is madness.  It is stupidity.  What separates good players from mediocre players is the ability to analyze himself or herself.

What follows is an understanding that losing takes on a purpose.  So even if you lose, you are not really losing.  Think of it as discovering ways that did not work or strategies that failed.  If one strategy is not working, then find something that does

and keep searching until you find something that works repeatedly. 

My purest intention behind this thread topic is to share wisdom that I have gained through my mastery of the game of chess. There are undoubtedly those who will attempt to distract attention from my words, but rest assured that my confidence in my chess skill and acumen was not developed overnight.  There was and is a very real reason why I perceive myself to be great and capable of defeating the best chess players in your world. "