A Trilogy - Learn from the GREATS

Kramnik to Carlsen...

Traditionally it was considered an old man's game, something to relax over and enjoy. That illusion has vanished over the past few decades and CHESS today is considered a young person's game. 

Gifted teenagers regularly becoming Grandmasters with Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgar spearheading the trend. Now, commonly recognized "chess talents" like Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura, Giri, Karjakin, So – are the new kids on the block and rising stars of the checkered board.

Let's hear from the REAL "Masters of the Chessboard" once again:

Vladimir Kramnik –

" Chess is like body-building. If you train every day, you stay in top shape. It is the same with your brain – chess is a matter of daily training. One needs to devote some ten hours a day to chess and to everything connected with it physical and psychological preparation."

Viswanathan Anand –

" Just before a game, I try to keep a clear mind so that I can focus better. I'm the kind of person who plays fast and relies a lot on intuition, so being at peace with myself is vital. It is important that you don’t let your opponent impose his style of play on you. A part of that begins mentally. At the chessboard if you start blinking every time he challenges you then in a certain sense you are withdrawing. That is very important to avoid."

Magnus Carlsen –

" Self-confidence is very important. If you don’t think you can win, you will take cowardly decisions in the crucial moments, out of sheer respect for your opponent. You see the opportunity but also greater limitations than you should. When you are behind there are two strategies – counter-attack or all men to the defences. I’m good at finding the right balance between those."

Stay tuned for more advice and ideas...