jeremy silman

So I decided to read The Amatuer's Mind again to try to affirm those positional concepts that Silman tries to stress so much. This book really is amazing.  It's so easy to read, and every example is explained so well.  This has to be one of the best chess books ever written for the amateur player.  Why is it that Silman never became a grandmaster?  His positional understanding seems so good.  How come he never became that strong of a player professionally?

from Silman's web site 

Q: Why didn’t you ever get the grandmaster title? 

A: Getting the title calls for a tremendous amount of talent, or a tremendous amount of work. I don’t have the talent to pick the title out of thin air, so complete devotion to chess would be the only way to accomplish this task. The usual way that guys like me get the grandmaster title is to play in several round robin (gm-norm) European events a year. You might bomb in four or five in a row, but eventually the stars will be in alignment and a norm will come your way. Then you repeat the process again and again until you obtain the required three norms. Unfortunately, I have interests outside of chess and am not willing to put in the necessary energy to accomplish this goal. In fact, it’s hard to get me out of my house! Having me fly to Europe over and over just isn’t going to happen. 

Not that I want to libel anyone, and not that i'm anti-drugs or anything but statements Silman makes like "In fact, it’s hard to get me out of my house!" combined with his occasional drug references in his books (including an entire appendix about psychedelic drug use in pro chess in the 1970's in his latest edition of Reassess) makes me think Silman might be a little of a pothead.  

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Lol.  Plenty of drug users have made it to the top of their field.  I highly doubt that pot hindered Silman from becoming a grandmaster. 

No no, Matty that's not what I'm saying.  I'm just making a (probably uninformed) observation.  A lot of successful professional people smoke pot and even more, especially here in Miami.

But now that we're on the topic, has anyone else had that sneaking suspicion reading Silman's chess books that he might be into drug use?  Like when he talked about that "Well-known IM" that showed up at a tournament tripping balls on LSD haha.

lol true.  It is very possible.

(is that tactful, or what?)

Yes, paul!

Yeah just think reading one of Seirawan's books and coming across a drug reference...I would be like "what the F*cK??"  But reading them in Silman's stuff is pretty much old hat.

Come on.....the chess lore is filled w/ G.M.s missing a few mental pawns.At that level born w/ talent is needed.long hrs.of hard work will get u only so far(maybe 24/25oo,not chess.com ratings). Insight,a certain flair, and chess balls(for lack of a better term)are required .Silman's positional abilities are for amateurs.He's not a G.M. as we are not---he can't make the grade.

I read the book at it was pretty difficult. I am here because the last post was more than 10 years ago so I am here to flex that I got a position.