Can Anyone Become Grandmaster?

That's the point. Becoming a GM is not something independent on the competition. Thinking that a GM title is guaranteed just by studying, having talent, spending much time on training, etc. is unreasonable - it's about performance results against other players. That's why few become grandmasters, like few become world (or continental, or whatever) champions at competitive sports. The GM title is meant to be rare, and the way it is obtained ensures that.

Well this is an interesting topic that i came across with. The answer is yes provided u start really young ex Polgar sisters, had all the support and training plus u had that dedication and will to succeed.There are a lot of GM who i can say are not that talented but sheer hard work makes them GM. But thats about it, In order to become a world class GM thats another story as i belive hardwork is greater than talent. But hardwork+talent= Super GM.. 

Remember these sisters started virtually as soon as they were born, not decided at 30, 20 or even 10 to become GMs. So yes, it's very young.

And "only" two out of three made it to GM.

There are thousands of kids who start young, and don't even come close. You don't hear about them, though.

Yeah but you'd have to be crazy to say the 3rd sister (wasn't she the oldest?) wasn't able to make it to GM.  She just quit before earning the title.

Not that I think their example proves anything of course.  Would be more interesting with randomly adopted kids.

How could you start chess training, "Virtually the day you're born"? Wow! My kid's just three days old, and already solves mate in twos!  :)

@texasyankee "The NBA in particular has had many very talented players who don't work hard (Joe Barry Carroll, Stanley Roberts, Benoit Benjamin come immediately to mind) but I can't think of a great golfer or a chess champion who didn't work very hard."

I'll give you the prime example.  Jose Raul Capablanca.  The "Chess Machine."  Learned to play at age 4, beat the Cuban Chess champion Juan Corzo at the age of 13.  Bacame world champion in 1921.  As far as I know, up to that point he had never touched a book.  Safe to say it would kind of hard to study GM games without reading a book in the early 20th century.  I don't think Capablanca had any chess coaches, but perhaps some one will correct me there.  

I read soemwhere, can't reacall where, that he looked at a couple of books in his time, but he was already beating GMs by that time.  According to Yasser Seirawan in his book: Winning Chess Strategies, "...Capablanca was considered the most naturally talented player anyone had ever seen.  Alekhine said, 'the world would never see the like of such a genius again.' "

Max Euwe, world champion from 1935-1937 said (in 1975), "I honestly feel very humble when I study Capablanca's games." 

I think, like anything else in this life, talent is a factor.  Everybody has a talent for something, however mundane it might seem, but there are also miracles that happen in life.  

Maybe a person who doesn't really have talent spends years and years studying and playing, paying for chess coaches, etc and one day his brain finally says, "oh!  I get it now!," and that just happens to be enough to edge him into the GM category.  Are there documented cases of this happening?  What are your chances?  I think it's a longshot 99.95% of the time, but it's your life.  If you want to try to become a GM, go for it!  I hope you make it!

Beware : sad story.

http://www.halfsigma.com/2007/12/the-story-of-th.html

(the analysis is questionable, but the facts are right)

In the same vein, there is Gata Kamsky (but I don't know the details).

I have answer for you...

If someone asks if he can become grandmaster, the answer is YES.

There is not that kind of question among little minds... If there is a wish, there is also great possibility for achievement...

if your rting is 2500 do u have to win 3 current gm`s to have the title right?

Grandmaster norms -- not quite so straightforward as simply beating current GMs.

Ok

No its a talent that some are gifted with and some have to really work hard and study to become one, but there is no way anybody can just become one.Former world champion Kasparov was a genius and one of the smartest person on earth do you think that helped him become world champion? Of corse it did ! If anybody could become one do you realize how many GM there would be on chess.com ?

I am happy that I've got a discussiaon about this, I had thought about it for a while but never thought so many would comment!


Can Anyone Become Grandmaster?

Answer: No.

How to become grandmaster: Of course alot of work and a little bit of gift!

Thank you!

it would be interesting to know the statistics on modern chinese players. if chess is anything like weightlifting, there are thousands of chinese kids starting at very young ages and going thru INTENSE training and the lifestyle depravation that comes with it.

Those who survive and dont burn out have good shots at becoming GMs.

Even with an early start, proper coaching, successful role models to follow, and all physical needs met etc...not all will make it. Some end up back in the rice field or factory.

if THEY cant ALL make it, how can anyone else be sure to make it even with similar advantages?

The X factor there might be that not all of those kids WANT to be chess players if it means that level of sacrifice.

So the question might better be asked..."can anyone with the desire, starting at a young age, in the correct environment, become a GM?"

This post is an "X factor".

Jeez, where the hell have you been?

Sensible post.

It gets a little loose at the end there though: "in the correct environment."  How many variables go into the correct environment and how likely it is constitutes much of the debate.  That environment is probably different for different people too.  I don't think it's useful to assume a "correct environment."

Other than excluding a lot of the debate, it also doesn't help answer the question because even in the "correct environment" of course not anyone can be a grandmaster.  You can quickly rule out those with certain disorders for example.  Once you've drawn a line, it's a question of how who else can we rule out?  Maybe people with poor memories, or people with poor concentration who are otherwise regular.  Maybe we can rule our "regular" people too etc.