They want to have a life?
Why do you suppose?
Sort:
Maybe they expected more progress and realizing that they will never be World Champion can't continue playing, just for fun.
or
Maybe they've just noticed girls, thrown off the shackles of their nerdhood and decided to get some.
Is there a prize?
devoid wrote:
Well I'm no longer that big on chess but I friggen LIVE poker and I love it. Although the money is good compensation for a lack of variety and moderation I suppose...
Me too.
tonydal wrote:
I knew someone who did so...and he did so because 1) he realized that he was going to have to do a lot of studying if he wanted to progress further, and could no longer rely on his prodigious native talent; and 2) he realized he would make precious little (if any) money at it.
For that matter, I virtually stopped playing around age 19...mainly because I got sick of hanging around with a bunch of poindexterish brainiac misfits all the time.
The word "misfit" is meaningles since everybody fits in somewhere. How old were you when you got your title?
Well, somebody who is that good that young is probably a very bright person. Perhaps they looked at the necessary time investment necessary to be a top pro, and the financial payout coming from such a profession, and opted to become a doctor, or whatever. Perhaps they decided that the time and travel necessary to be a top pro would make having a family too difficult.
Who knows. But there are valid reasons to choose another lifestyle over that of a being a chess pro.
tonydal wrote:
Well, nothing is less interesting (or edifying) than arguments about semantics...but I believe you can fit in somewhere and still be considered (and consider yourself) a misfit...thus the term is not meaningless (it certainly wasn't to me at the time).
I was 23 when I became a master (and I too love poker now...just wish I had gotten into it when I was younger!).
Money not being considered, which would you rather be, World chess champ or world poker champ?
devoid wrote:
ivandh wrote:
They want to have a life?
That saying is one of my biggest peeves. And anyway playing chess is having a life. Man, people who think you need to be socializing or whatever to "have a life" are pretty ignorant imo.
Socializing is the definition of having a life. It is fine if you don't want to do that, but call it what it is.
My point is that to continue with chess at the age of 17 implies sacrificing college and sooner or later a secure job, in addition to a good social life. Up to that point you can still keep up with school at least, but then it becomes a choice of devoting your life to chess.
devoid wrote:
The thing I find interesting is that the was only 15 points from attaining a NM title so must almost certainly get there, yet he still decided to quit. This indicates to me that he has an abnormally low ego because I have never heard of a serious chess player who wouldn't love to have that feather in his cap. I mean wouldn't you at least get the title first then quit? If it was because he wanted to pursue a more lucrative profession then having a chess master title would look very nice on his CV anyway.
For some people, titles don't mean anything. My uncle was close to completing a doctorate when he left school, was quite happy without it.
Sheesh, three posts in a row... spammer
Well I have a month on you and I'm not even at the point where I don't get a free t-shirt.
devoid wrote:
The thing I find interesting is that the was only 15 points from attaining a NM title so must almost certainly get there, yet he still decided to quit. This indicates to me that he has an abnormally low ego because I have never heard of a serious chess player who wouldn't love to have that feather in his cap. I mean wouldn't you at least get the title first then quit? If it was because he wanted to pursue a more lucrative profession then having a chess master title would look very nice on his CV anyway.
My point exactly!!! If I was that close, I would try to get it even if I hated chess.
tonydal wrote:
woodshover wrote:
Money not being considered, which would you rather be, World chess champ or world poker champ?
That's a tough one. I suppose I would rather be chess champ because it's stabler (it isn't like poker--or golf--where it's very rare to win a few tourneys in a row).
On the other hand, "money not being considered"?...that is a bit of a fantasy, isn't it? :)
Of course it's a bit of a fantasy, but even though I'm really into poker, I would still rather be world chess champ, just because I think it's more of an accomplishment.
Somebody would retire from competitive chess at the age of 17, only 15 rating points below NM title? Actually, it was K. K. Karanja.