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Does getting older "hurt" your chess play?

Does getting older "hurt" your chess play?

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lazycuban

Boston

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Instead, let's look at what a grandmaster says, for example, Pal Benko: "We quietly play less and less (almost wihtout noticing it!) until all tournament activity simply ceases...the mass of opening analysis was taking the fun out of the game...my time was beter spent away from the board...I was no longer the player I once was, and it was with a breath of relief that I officially stopped all comptetitive play" at age 64. He said Korchnoi is the exception to the rule: "nobody has ever played like him at such and advanced age."

A
D_U_N_E

Arrakis

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Well, I used to come home from a 7 round tournament and several days later when someone asked me at the club about my games, I could recall not only every move from each game, but all the little what if moves too. It's not easy for me to do that now.

lazycuban

Boston

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It seems a vivid imagination is crucial for good play. Arrakis, you say you could recall all your moves from seven games a week later; I wonder if you could play blindfolded too? I was amazed that Morphy and others could play simul's blindfolded. That takes a great ability to picture in the mind's eye, which most can't do. That's where the "chess gene," as Fischer called it, comes into play, I suppose. Like picturing a long game as you only read the move code. Who can do that?

j

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Originally posted by DualSpace
When you age, your mind is thinking much more about other things, like death' (misquote)
HAHAHA !!!

w

Wales

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Originally posted by arrakis
Well, I used to come home from a 7 round tournament and several days later when someone asked me at the club about my games, I could recall not only every move from each game, but all the little what if moves too. It's not easy for me to do that now.
Iv noticed this is what separates a lot of good players from bad ones, often a poor club player cant even play back the game of chess he or she just finished without looking at the notation, while a stronger player will still be able to play back most games from the last tournament, a lot of the club games from last season along with their greatest wins.

If you can recall similar positions to the one you are playing at that moment you will have a better idea of a plan you might opt to take and the moves involved. In essence this is understanding chess theory and principles along with being a walking database.

W
Angler

River City

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Originally posted by Chaswray
LOL....now I understand why my chess stinks...my brain is rotting๐Ÿ˜ต๐Ÿ˜ฒ๐Ÿ™„
Actually, it is becoming oatmeal. A little brown sugar and milk, and it should be okay in the morning.

DF
Lord of all beasts

searching for truth

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Originally posted by hahahaaaa
I've noticed in reading a lot of interviews with older Masters that a majority say that they are not in competition years anymore. (One example I remember reading recently, a Master stated that it was too late to pursue his dream of being a world champion and he was only in his 40's). It seems to me, that the more you play, especially over years and years, the better you should get? How could this be true.
What is older?

20 years ago I was rated 2170 OTB. Now my OTB grade is 1875. I don't think I will ever get above 2000 OTB again as it will be too much like hard work and my brain can't take it. Using my books and databases makes it more achievable here and whilst I might get to 2000 I think 2170 is now behond my reach.

Diet Coke
Forum Vampire

Sidmouth, Uk

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You start to think chess isn't as good as it used to be.

m

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Getting older hurts more than just your chess. It just hurts.๐Ÿ˜€

Diet Coke
Forum Vampire

Sidmouth, Uk

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All the pieces get smaller.

g

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Originally posted by buddy2
Here is the normal breakdown.

Ages 15-20 Ambition--to become world chess champion, like Fischer and date good-looking girls.
Ages 20-30 --to become world chess champion, like fischer, and marry a good looking girl.
Ages 30-40 --to become national champion and take the wife and kids to Majorca.
Ages 40-50 --to become club champ and get rid of kids.
A ...[text shortened]... ch the grandkids how the pieces move.
Ages 70 on up --to remember where you put the chess set
LOL!!!!!!!

g

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My brain rot started in my late thirties. I'm 49 now and the only reason I'm not rated 1200 is that my rating floor is 1800!

DF
Lord of all beasts

searching for truth

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Originally posted by buddy2
Here is the normal breakdown.

Ages 50-60 --to stay at the club all day, play the janitor, and avoid wife.
I'm 53! I never go to the club except for league or tournamnet games or to give the "youngsters" lessons on how to play.

Th janitor can't play chess and if he could I don't want to play him. I want competition! I want to win! I only play in league and tournaments.

I've only just got married. I don't want to avoid the wife but I sure as hell want to avoid the ex-wife(s) and the mistress(es) when in public.

... by the way I still get loads of young, attractive, girl friends - only problem is they interfere with chess but chess sure is a good excuse to be out with them.

I will never be the man you describe. My brain will never rot!

DI
I Love U

LaLa Land

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I think there is an important factor being missed here.

Young kids get to learn everything the old guys figured out right away. This means that what took 20 years to develop by the old timers is now common knowledge. So when these young guys learn chess, they already have all the knowledge of the old timers plus whatever they are figuring out on their own.

And so when the old timers are busy with their families and kids, the young guys are breaking the old barriers and setting new standards that would take a lot of effort for the old guys to master.

Its like my grandparents and computers. Computers are completely natural to young folk but my grandparents have some difficulty using them.

And since ratings are pretty relative to current competition, it only makes sense that the young guys are rated higher.

DF
Lord of all beasts

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Originally posted by Dies Irae
I think there is an important factor being missed here.

Young kids get to learn everything the old guys figured out right away. This means that what took 20 years to develop by the old timers is now common knowledge. So when these young guys learn chess, they already have all the knowledge of the old timers plus whatever they are figuring out on their ...[text shortened]... retty relative to current competition, it only makes sense that the young guys are rated higher.
This applies in all aspects of life. The human race learns more, we improve, move on and every generation knows more than the previous but that doesn't make them move intelligent.

Who is the most brilliant human ever? The person who discovered the Internal Combustion Engine, the inventor of the automobile or the inventer of the wheel.

Without the first and last the second would never have happened!

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