Hard Work Alone Can Never Make You a Master

I agree that you need some innate ability that transfers towards chess (visual pattern recognition, abstract analytical ability etc..) in order to make it to master and above. If you have been playing for 25 years and you are still at the same level that you were 15 years ago then obviously you have reached a plateu. Whether that plateu is due to non-stimulating/non-challenging factors or a limit of actual potential strength is hard to say. But if you look at any competitive activity (sports, gaming etc..) it quite easy to see that there are some that just have a natural ability or knack, some that are physically or mentally gifted which translates well into their given sport, and some that are hard workers that although have made it to the top level are considered average at best. The most successful IMO are the ones that are a combination of all three.

I met a 2400 IM that was convinced that Top GMs had some kind of "New Theory of Chess" that allow them to choose better moves. He said things like: "I don´t think they really use the `develop your pieces, control the center´ kind of stuff, they should be using another decision process algorithm".

What a brilliant post! Funniest thing I've read today

its like reading about "the missionary' and actually engaging in "the missionary"  Theory is a peripheral divertimento of the mind.   A face to face, OTB. mano a mano 5 minute blitz is the real McCoy.   Studying theory is largely a mere twanging of the wanging,   actual games are the real thing, and the ONLY thing that will actually make you better is to play with great regularity against superior competition until u rise to their level.  Or at least to a higher level than u were before.  This is the ONLY way to really get better in my opinion.

Perhaps you are correct.

But conventional wisdom from Chess Instructors is that you should spend about half of your time playing slow games ( ~3 mins per move or longer) and about half your time studying.

And not much time playing blitz.

Since when did varelse become a cult leader?

I disagree. Master means you are 2200. I'm sure anyone can make it to 2200 with hard work.

You know that the usual answer to this is:

"yeah, but they probably didn´t make the right kind of work that they needed"

Funny that you went back and expanded your answer. 

When you started talking about psychology, I thought you had the answer to why people get stuck like that.

I think that if you can get to 1500, then you can probably get to 2200. And I am talking official ratings environments like FIDE.

The reason I say this is that by the time you reach 1500, you have consumed some pretty complex knowledge about chess. So you, obvioulsy, have the ability to understand the 'secrets' of chess.

So, why does someone get stuck at 1500? Well, one reason is like SocialPanda said "Studied the wrong thing."

But I think a more likely reason is the inability to overcome psychological barriers. 

You can read all the chess books in the world, but if you cannot overcome your psychological issues when playing, you will not be able to progress.

Take Carlsen as an example. With all his talent and knowledge of chess, it would be almost worthless if he had a fear of losing that was so debilitating that he was unable to accurately use that talent and knowledge.

I mention fear of losing here because that was my biggest problem when I started studying chess. Once I started addressing this issue, my game was able to start improving.

This is not so far fetched. You could say the same about any 400 point gap. 1200 vs 1600 vs 2000 vs 2400 vs 2800. Each player thinks the player rated +400 is using some better theory, and, they are.

Something important about this IM: He was almost totally self-taught.

So nobody was giving him "secrets from the soviet school of chess" or "GM tips".

He used what was available to everybody, that´s why he though that something else was hidden to him.

Ok, the OP is completely correct. Everyone who is not a master at this very point in time will never make it to master level.

               The OP is completely wrong. He's implying that a few people will be given divine intervention. I know for a fact that god doesn't give a rat's as* about chess.

ACHJA - Yes, I figured 1500 - 2200 was a bit of a stretch. I thought putting the FIDE requirement would make it less of a stretch. I actually wanted to use 1600 in my statement, but there sometimes seems to be a big jump with many people from 1500 to 1600.

But I still do believe that anyone, with the right study and attitude can reach 2200. And that being stuck at 1500 or 1600 is more about psychology than ability. But, it is a very complex situation. There is probably more than 1 correct answer to this issue.

About the tactics puzzles. I think this has some to do with 'blind spots'. 

Your thinking can cause blind spots in your perception and understanding of a position. This is another form of psychological barriers. 

For example, for reasons yet unknown to me, I almost ALWAYS miss batteries that include the queen(Q+B or Q+R). I miss the opportunities to set them up and often overlook their threats on my position. Even though I am aware of them and am aware that I miss them, I still continue to miss them.

So when you are doing tactics. It is quite probable that people have different 'blind spots' in their assessment of the position. So what may be an easy tactic for you will be a difficult tactic for someone else. Even someone who outranks you because psychological barriers can never be completely eliminated from ones thinking.

You are not alone.

....in the universe

Forgot that part

Oh yea. That reminds me of that t-shirt with a picture of the universe and an arrow pointing to some spot with the caption 'You are here'.

It was great they gave all the monsters and aliens directions like that.

@ achja: I am not good at tactics but I have a very nice Imagination.

KRAPARSOV

Why would  you work hard if you gain nothing.

Its like saying you work really hard at the factory, but to bad you never will get a pay raise. But hey, your the best worker I have!

Any player who has the discipline to systematic study chess material and reach a goal, can apply the same principles to any endeavor to succeed in life. It take mental discipline and will power to reach any goal.

21 minutes ago·Quote·#259

913Glorax12