can i be successful in chess without coach

can anyone be successful in chess without any coach

if yes please can anyone tell me how?

yes by learning the game yourself.

do you think anyone told Mikhail Tal to do insane sacrifices that probably won't work but to do them anyway.

How successful? FM title? If you read Yusupovs series of books and follow it diligently , in a few years, a new FM.

Possibly of interest:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Pdfs/7192.pdf
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1949)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/excerpts/OpeningsForAmateurs%20sample.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Seirawan stuff
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm

This is on GM Eric Hansen's profile page.

"As someone who made most of my chess progress without books or a coach I try to combine my modern chess background (extensive use of online resources and databases) with a classical approach."

So many more options to learn these days online. 

only if you have a lot of talent, perseverance and motivation to learn the game. Which most people don't have, so why would you be any different? Talent like Anand or Carlsen comes along once in 15 years, and even they couldn't cope without extensive coaching + self learning. Both are needed.

gingerninja2003 wrote:

yes by learning the game yourself.

do you think anyone told Mikhail Tal to do insane sacrifices that probably won't work but to do them anyway.

Unlucky example! Mikhail Tal had an inclination to play tactical chess but never the less inspired by he's personal trainer and coach Alexander Koblenz to continue in this way. I don't know if the student chooses he's/her's coach or the opposite, or even its a karma for some people to work together but if your teacher/ coach plays with a way express your style of understanding chess then it is more easy to accumulate similar characteristics.

Now the personal trainer in chess can mostly guide you how to study chess. If you will become better player it depends from your natural talent and the quality of time you will spend to study chess. I mention the word quality because in certain ocassions there are players study ten hours per day but the way they do it does not result to an improvement for different reasons.

Nowdays you can't be successful in chess if you don't have a manager and a couple of seconds.

Slow_pawn wrote:

This is on GM Eric Hansen's profile page.

"As someone who made most of my chess progress without books or a coach I try to combine my modern chess background (extensive use of online resources and databases) with a classical approach."

So many more options to learn these days online. 

Yes GM Hansen is one the many self tutored Grandmasters but according to my understanding " successful " playing chess means to earn money from winning competition or being in the top prizes. For what I know only the top 40 can claim that earn serious money from playing chess. Most of them does not reached there by their own!

You're right, Bishop_g5. I can imagine the guys at the top needed that extra push. I read once that Carlsen was tutored by Kasparov for a short time. I also think that some chess players that aren't at the top still make a pretty good living from the game, which also may be considered successful.  

I feel like the OP is more of a 1300 trying to reach 1500 or something. At that level, it's very possible without a coach, even if you're not master potential. Basically it's a matter of playing better tactically. At least that's my opinion. 

yes you dont need a coach

i struggle to see a player reaching 2000 without some form of guidance from a stronger player...even 1800 seems a bit of a long shot

Here's an analogy: do you need a personal trainer to get in shape?  No, of course not.  There's loads of free fitness material out there.  Pick some workout material, or even buy a fitness course, and then follow it.  Stay consistent and you'll get results.  If you don't know the first thing about fitness training, though, then it might be slow going, especially when you first start out.

A good personal trainer can speed up the process considerable.  He or she can spot your workouts, correct technique, suggest improvements, plan your periodization, tell you when to back off and when to go harder.  You'll achieve your desired results so much faster... assuming you get a good one.  Get a bad or mediocre one and you're just wasting money.

The same is true for chess.  In theory, all the information you need is already out there, much of it free or cheaply gotten.  If you study this material diligently, you'll improve, but you'll improve much faster if you have a good coach.

It comes down to your goals.  If you just want to get in shape, maybe lose a few pounds, then you don't need a trainer; if you want to be a bodybuilder or a professional athlete, then it's almost required.  Similarly, if you just want to beat your friends at chess, you can get by with free tutorials and older, cheaper books.  If you have real ambitions to perhaps become an expert or titled player, then coaching becomes almost necessary.

You might want to change your flag nationality. Fischer never had a coach.

What's wrong with the flag?

I would recommend that you get a coach. And make sure that your coach's style matches yours.

It is s a function of natural ability which is just a given. You can't change it. Whatever your level is, getting a coach will improve your game dramatically. You can get personal guidance.

And we should take advice from you?