At What age did you decide to become a chess amateur?

It seems that people who become chess GMs and chess professionals usually start out at a young age.  People in the top 10 seem to have become a GM before they were 20 years old.  They seemed to decide to become a chess professional as a career at an early age.

At what age did you all decide to become a chess amateur ?

Good question.   I guess I was in my early 20's at the time.   I didn't really make a conscious decision to become a "chess amateur" though.   I just wanted to improve my game, so I started studying chess books, going to chess clubs and playing in tournaments.

Started learning the game at 7 by watching my dad play. I started playing in chess tournaments around my area when I was 11, and by the time I was 12 I was already playing in national tournaments in my country and that's when I became more involved in the game. I think it's a lot easier when you're young, because you have all the time in the world to play without real life distractions getting in the way.

How about you? When did you decide to become a chess amateur?

I was too busy with my band, partying and girls, between the ages of 13 and 23, to focus on chess.   I learned how to play chess at 9 and played a little from age 9-13, but then I got into playing the electric guitar and keyboards.   I didn't start seriously playing chess until I was around 23 or so.  

I learned the rules of the game as a child, but my dad and my brother (my only two opponents) beat me every time.

In my mid-teens I got interested on a somewhat more serious level, and I bought my first chess book (Chess for Dummies) and a pocket chess computer and started studying. I learned basic strategic concepts at this time and finally started getting wins against my dad and bro, but I certainly wasn't a GOOD player by any means.

Soon after, my interest went dormant again and it wasn't until the last few months (I'm 34 now) that I started considering truly studying the game on a serious level. I hope to compete in my first tournament sometime next year.

I learned in Iraq while I was in the army..I became pretty good.. At least I thought I was good.. While I was in prison. Now in between doing tattoos I play religiously

Learned to play at 11, and played till 18.  Due to life, i took a 30 year break.  Didnt pick the game back up until about 7 years ago.  

Was playing chess from my school days but other things happened and am getting back after 40.

Hear Hear

Learned to play at age 5, did not start playing in chess tournaments until I was 11, and then I did not have the resources to improve significantly until this year (because most of the OTB opponents I got paired with were much weaker than me). To be honest I was not expecting to make this much improvement in my play in less than a year (1100 to 1800 in Daily).

I learnt the rules at 5,  started playing competitively when I was 11 and then forgot about chess for decades and started playing again a few years ago.  That's how not to become a GM.

This is the best food pastime.

Venkata.....ly is a long name.  Is that your first name?

Learnt the rules at 1, decided to be world champion at two and started playing competitively at 2 and 1 month. Got to 1900 rating, realized how boring it was to played the same opening every game. Tried to learn a new opening, discovered trolling in the process. Dropped chess for years. Joined chess website to perfect my trolling skills.

If I remember correctly I haven't taken chess seriously since I was 3.

Over the years I've collected a few prizes. Usually a share of third in a swiss. Consequently I regard myself as a semi-professional chess player ...

It was before she lost her virgin oil sample.

I played my first chess tournament when I was 22 years old. Now 6 years later I have gained 500 rating points, write instructive blogs for adults trying to improve, and make videos that show my training and games. I don't know where it will take me but I hope to help other adults as they try to improve. I am trying to earn the Expert title and long term I would like to earn the NM title.

My dad taught me when I was about six, which would have been 1961.  I showed early promise, joined a city-wide club of students where I grew up and one year I was champion of the school district, but I never got any better than that, and the one time the club's executive director asked me why my game hadn't improved as much as the other guys who were on their way to master, I replied "Because I'm not a freak."

two and a half months ago. i tanked my glicko rd on this website years ago,but my lichess rating is 1600. decent progress imo