The Future of the Road to Grandmaster Series

Overview

• The lecture discusses the personal journey and challenges faced in the pursuit of a Grandmaster title in chess.
• Personal rating fluctuations, tournament experiences, and future plans are explored.

Goals of the Series

• Aim: To document the journey to achieving the Grandmaster title in chess.
• Requirements for Grandmaster title:
  • International rating of 2500
  • Three Grandmaster Norms
• Current rating: Approximately 2324
• Journey started in April/May 2024

Reflections on Recent Performance

• Recent poor tournament performance noted as the worst in the speaker's career.
• Eight-month retrospective on personal struggles and challenges.
• Sensitive to public discussions and criticisms from figures like Hikaru and Hans Niemann.

Inspiration and Training

• Inspired by the Candidates Tournament and interactions with chess legends.
• Initial plan to train, participate in tournaments, and possibly livestream games.
• Training and preparation involved serious dedication and scheduling.

Tournament Experiences

• Madrid Tournament:
  • Strong start, defeating high-rated opponents.
  • Near achievement of a Grandmaster Norm.
• New York I am Norm Round Robin:
  • Strong performance with a score of 8 out of 9.
• Italy Tournament:
  • Despite initial struggles, finished on a high note with major victories.

Challenges and Setbacks

• August tournament in New York City resulted in poor performance.
• Issues with maintaining momentum and handling losses.
• Impact of public scrutiny and pressure from social media and chess community.

Personal and Professional Balance

• Difficulties balancing personal chess goals with professional commitments.
• Decision to focus more on building Chessly, a chess educational platform.

Public Perception and Criticism

• Public comments from figures like Hikaru and Hans Niemann add pressure.
• Discussion on whether to train privately to reduce external pressure.
• Intention to continue training quietly and improve skills.

Addressing Social Media and Public Challenges

• Interaction with Hans Niemann and reflections on social media engagement.
• Consideration of working with different coaches, including Hans.

Future Plans

• Plan to continue the journey but with reduced public exposure.
• Desire to play in less publicized tournaments to concentrate on personal growth.

Conclusion

• Commitment to improving chess skills while maintaining personal well-being.
• Intention to focus on the love for the game and personal improvement rather than the pressure of achieving Grandmaster status immediately.
• European tour plans and ongoing engagement with the chess community.