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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster" (Read 24519 times)
trw
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #20 - 10/11/10 at 04:37:35
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Janis Klovans was a Corr GM long before he got the OTB GM title. And he's not the best example as many have said if not for being a prisoner of Soviet system could have played more international tournaments where norm events were possible. It was also harder to make GM in his day.

I dunno I know plenty of GMs that many local IMs and FMs snicker at their title because they outrated them by several hundred rating points at times.
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #19 - 10/11/10 at 03:17:03
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I agree. I think hard work is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition.
  

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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #18 - 10/11/10 at 01:26:33
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I suppose Janis Klovans may be an example.  He took up chess at 14, became a master at 25, an IM at 42, and a GM at 62.

I don't believe that hard work is all it takes to become a GM.  There are plenty of IMs who have worked their guts out for years and haven't made it.   


  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #17 - 10/11/10 at 00:43:50
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akita wrote on 10/10/10 at 17:51:43:
Hi All

Some of you seem to be under the impression that just putting in a few hours and you get the GM title!

I would ask you for example how many peolple play chess in England and how many have become GM's (about 30 I think)? 

In order to become a GM you really need to start early and have some talent for the game but hard work is a must.

Please do not think that getting the GM title is just a matter of clocking up the hours. I invite you to talk to Danny Gormally, Simon Williams,Mark Hebden, Nigel Davies et al and they will tell you that it's damn hard work.

I don't know of anyone at his age (21) becoming a GM. Danny Gormally left school at 16 I think to persue a career in Chess and at that time he was around the rating of this guy and Danny put in 5/7 hours of work per day on his chess. He became a GM in his mid 20's I think. I could be wrong here. But Danny was also (and still is!) a very talented player 

As I said good luck to this guy but he will need to change his outlook big time if he wants to get any title not jsut a GM.

Akita   



I love how you say its not a matter of time and effort then go on to prove that it is a matter of time and effort.

For those of you doubting this individual, why does his age matter?
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #16 - 10/10/10 at 17:55:43
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Yes, I remember the Trefler case; as I recall he was a 19-year-old rated around 2050.  An astoundingly good tournament*, but still just one tournament of course.  I seem to recall another Expert (well into adulthood, a professor of biochemistry or some such) tying for first with Walter Browne at another big American open back in those days.

You misunderstood me, Jupp53 -- I was asking for examples, because I don't know of any.


*Trivia, perhaps:  I believe he played the "Swiss Gambit" (i.e. he lost a game early) and thus benefitted from some weaker opponents thereafter, but naturally enough his later opponents included some titled players (Kaplan and Rossolimo, at least), even in those early days of the World Open.  I recall Trefler-Rossolimo (1-0) as being a rather thematic Closed Sicilian; incidentally Rossolimo died later that year.  I recall Trefler as having been in big trouble against Kaplan (that's Julio, an IM from Puerto Rico), but the latter botched it ...
« Last Edit: 10/10/10 at 20:30:25 by kylemeister »  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #15 - 10/10/10 at 17:51:43
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Hi All

Some of you seem to be under the impression that just putting in a few hours and you get the GM title!

I would ask you for example how many peolple play chess in England and how many have become GM's (about 30 I think)? 

In order to become a GM you really need to start early and have some talent for the game but hard work is a must.

Please do not think that getting the GM title is just a matter of clocking up the hours. I invite you to talk to Danny Gormally, Simon Williams,Mark Hebden, Nigel Davies et al and they will tell you that it's damn hard work.

I don't know of anyone at his age (21) becoming a GM. Danny Gormally left school at 16 I think to persue a career in Chess and at that time he was around the rating of this guy and Danny put in 5/7 hours of work per day on his chess. He became a GM in his mid 20's I think. I could be wrong here. But Danny was also (and still is!) a very talented player 

As I said good luck to this guy but he will need to change his outlook big time if he wants to get any title not jsut a GM.

Akita
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #14 - 10/10/10 at 17:30:04
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kylemeister wrote on 10/10/10 at 17:00:51:
Well, let me crank up the crazy even further:  putting aside issues like just how many other activities one has, I would wonder if there are even any examples of 1900-rated adults who became GMs.

Just for deepening my knowledge without doubting you: Who?
  

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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #13 - 10/10/10 at 17:26:06
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Alan Trefler tied for first at the World Open in 1975 with a similar age and rating. I don't think it's impossible, though I think some forms of sacrifice will be inevitable to reach that level. 21 is not so old and even very strong players were once around 1900 if only briefly.. Roll Eyes
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #12 - 10/10/10 at 17:12:31
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Not sure about the 1900 part... i'd have to look at that later. But I think there is nothing holding such a person back except their individual interest level and time constraints. I would wage most people by the time they are 21 have either obtained too high of time constraints or realized they don't have the interest level to put in that kind of time and work.
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #11 - 10/10/10 at 17:00:51
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Well, let me crank up the crazy even further:  putting aside issues like just how many other activities one has, I would wonder if there are even any examples of 1900-rated adults who became GMs.
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #10 - 10/10/10 at 16:11:50
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Crazy talk, anyone can make GM if they have the interest and time to spend. It's just a bunch of hard work. I think I may doubt that he maintains all those hobbies and g/f.... but certainly not that he can make it or UNI will get in the way.

  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #9 - 10/10/10 at 15:59:07
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I'd say the "la-la land" comment is more accurate.  What are examples of "people who made GM starting later than he did"?  As for Glenn Flear, note that he was much stronger (2300s) when he was the age that Will Taylor is now -- and I tend to doubt that Flear made GM while doing graduate study, having a range of "other hobbies" such as "go, the guitar, Mandarin Chinese and more", etc.
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #8 - 10/10/10 at 14:39:40
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yep i'm with Bibs, I know people that made GM starting later than he did.
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #7 - 10/10/10 at 11:12:28
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Wouldn't have thought it that hard. Anyone can get to 2200 by playing enough, IM certainly if he can be bothered to travel a bit, GM if somewhat dedicated. Weak GM level not really that strong. 
Just play enough games, keep chugging, study hard, get some decent GM advice on how and what to study, plus a decent repertoire (where most people waste most time).
Remember Glenn Flear mentioning he was a late starter, went up only a few each year, eventually got there. 
Good luck to the lad.
  
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Re: Will Taylor's "Road to Grandmaster"
Reply #6 - 10/10/10 at 10:48:12
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Hi all

This guy must live in lah lah land. We all know how tough it is to become a GM and what level is he at the moment 1900 at age 21? He does not intend to change anything about the way he currently does things!

He should have given me the £200. Odds of 25-1 Should be more like 25,000-1. His only chance at his age is to give up UNI dump the girlfirend study chess 7 hours a day get a coach play tournaments and then in 10 years time he might get to IM if he's lucky.

It's a real no brainer.

If he is serious good luck to him but after a short while maybe a year or two that will be the end of it when reality will kicks in.   

Akita
  
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