How much can a 60 year old expect to improve?

I'm friends with a guy who just turned 60, and one of his main goals is to become a chessmaster. He's rated in the mid 2000s now, and despite studying every day, he makes little progress (Last time he broke 2100 was in 1997). He has good tournaments, and bad tournaments, and his rating has fluctuated between 2000 and 2080, more or less, for the last 15 years. I know of many adult players in their 20s and 30s making the jump from 2000 to 2200, but not of players over 60.  Do you think he is just studying incorrectly, or does his age hinder his progress?  Does he have a shot of making master?

You didn't really give much of a description of what he is studying, how long he studies, whether or not he takes lessons, etc.

60 year olds are doing a lot of things today that would have been unthinkable 50 years ago. Why shouldn't they be able to do things like make master?  He's not starting from scratch.

What difference does it make if few people have done it so far?

At what?????????????????

I'm 63, and I'm scratching around at about the 1200 mark. I don't know what HIS chances are of making master, but I'm willing to bet they're a hell of a lot better than mine.

You haven't indicated whether or not this person is at that rating in online chess or actual chess... His style of play would be necessary to help me understand whether he can become a master

I am not just going to say it.... a 60 year old human should be expecting death relatively soon.  It is ok to play chess for fun, but lets be realistic... he has bigger things to worry about than spending 8-10 hrs a day studying and preparing at the level that GMs do.

I'm 55 and still young...

People who take good care of themselves and eat well, excersise, use their brain, stay positive, etc... can often remain quite sharp into their 80's or 90's.  But go ahead and hypnotize yourself into giving up at 60 and disintegrating into apathetic abject hopelessness and dysfunctionality 

That is auto-suggestion!

In my younger days I often played against a older gentleman whos rating range moved between 1950 and 2050.  He was always one of the strongest players in my club.  He retired at age 65 and started to really work at his chess.  Within a couple of years, he was rated over 2200.  At 67 he became a master for the first time in his life!  This is not a recent story. He did this in the late 1980's.

alain978 wrote:

I'm 55 and still young...

Me too

missjessica77

I am not just going to say it.... a 60 year old human should be expecting death relatively soon.  It is ok to play chess for fun, but lets be realistic... he has bigger things to worry about than spending 8-10 hrs a day studying and preparing at the level that GMs do.

---

 60? that is middle age.

You are so wrong, DEATH will come even to the young.

So since I am 77 and been playing since 1952 which is longer than 63 years should I worry more? OR should not try to learn more chess?

I will bet that I out live you. Whatch out for a car accident.

I plan to die when I reach 102 since I am in perfect health and don't take any meds and I never worried about death coming to me yet. I even wrote about it.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/i-played-a-chess-game-with-death----grimm-reaper

Love, Laugh and Live Longer.

60? He should spend his time worrying about illness and death and looking through coffin catalogues... not doing something he enjoys and is meaningful to him. 

How is he training? It should be no problem to gain strength.

He made it to expert, very few players ever get that far. There can be a lot factors why he is not improving, ask him if he can give you one his game and what area in his chess skills he should be working at. If he concentrate tactics and endgame he can made it back to 2100 elo. I think he has a good chance, having goals keep a person young.

A 60 year old who has already obtained expert status can become a USCF master. 

I am 75 and if motivated enough could go to a chess tournament and become an over-the-board master.

For me, other chess things are more important.  And other non  chess things are more important. 

yes,possibly

why do plan to die??????????????????????

"I often played against a older gentleman whos rating range moved between 1950 and 2050.  He was always one of the strongest players in my club.  He retired at age 65 and started to really work at his chess.  Within a couple of years, he was rated over 2200.  At 67 he became a master for the first time in his life!  This is not a recent story. He did this in the late 1980's."

Thank you so much for sharing this Eric Bowiereed!!!  There's hope for me yet!  I'm several years shy of 60, but only rated about 1400 Blitz.  

I gave up chess in my 20's because I thought chess was dead because of computers.  But now I've rediscovered this beautiful game because my son likes chess.  So I'm hooked again.  And I was wondering how high I could go.

And you have given me hope that an old fart can still make USCF master, if studies and works hard.  Which I frankly don't know if I can.  But hope is a powerful thing!

A 60 year old expert can easily improve just by increasing his knowledge of chess by using the vast resources available to him.