Chess: The effect of the years

MEXICO CITY (apro).- Many people believe that chess is a game for older people, for the elderly. And this is often seen in paintings or photos of elderly people deeply thinking about their moves. The reality, however, is completely opposite: the best exponents are increasingly younger.

There are many reasons for that. On the one hand, children and young people tend to be practically sponges, absorbing knowledge very quickly. Furthermore, if we consider that thanks to the Internet and technology, today we have children making considerable progress in what they have to learn in chess: tactics, strategy, openings, endings, middlegame maneuvers, etc., there are an enormous number of sources that can be consulted and the result is noticeable much more quickly.

Of course, in addition to this, we must consider the interest that the chess player puts in the game. Today, with the existing specialization, many players under 20 years of age reach a chess maturity that was previously achieved after reaching 30 years of age. Fischer, for example, was World Champion in 1972, at the age of 27. Today we have Gukesh, from India, who has won the right to challenge Ding Liren, the World Champion, at only 17 years old.

Notwithstanding the above, many players become strong grandmasters who manage to maintain an impressive level. Víctor Korchnoi, at over 70 years old, was capable of beating the best in the world and Vassily Smyslov, an outstanding player (former world champion), was playing in the candidates’ tournament at over 66 years of age.

But yes, these two characters are really the exception that proves the rule. The normal thing is that with age chess players lose drive. On the one hand, they get older, they get tired faster, they have less physical endurance, but worse still, perhaps they have lost the motivation to compete. Let’s take the best example of this: Garry Kasparov, who retired in 2005, claimed that he had already won all the important tournaments in the world and that he had nothing left to prove. And yes, he said that he would play eventually but when he does, in quick play and Blitz tournaments, he is in the last places. He no longer has the level of competence that is required today and in addition, he is already 61 years old. Come on, youth pushes hard.

Another interesting example is the one given by GM Danny Gormally, who copies the list of the best British players in the FIDE (International Chess Federation, by its acronym in French) Elo list. For example, Nigel Short (born 1965), who was the world runner-up, already has 2594 Elo points, that is, his level is beginning to pale. Luke McShane (born 1984), presumably the strongest amateur on the planet, reaches 2617 Elo points, far from the top 100 in the world. And yes, McShane doesn’t play chess professionally, but somehow age is starting to take its toll on him. Come on, Gormally himself (born in 1976), grandmaster, has 2421 points, one more Elo for an International Master than for a Grandmaster.

And it is clear then that time does not forgive. My question is if something can be done about this. This time, instead of theorizing, I decided to put myself into practicing an idea to see if I can make the Elo drop less pronounced. The plan is to work two to four hours daily for a couple of months. With method, with discipline. For example, I study chess in the morning and at night. There are days when I don’t have four hours but I can surely find two hours free to work on my chess.

The idea then is to play a couple of open tournaments, trying not to worry about the results but rather the quality of play. Therefore, put your mind in a different state than the competition, that is, play good games, do not give a draw at the first opportunity and fight until the end. The result goes into the background.

Winning or losing at my age is no longer important. It is difficult for me to return to my level of 20 years. I’m not going to be a world champion or a grandmaster and I probably won’t even be able to become an international master anymore. But that’s not so important anymore. What I’m trying to understand is if there is some mechanism that allows me to avoid this -apparently- free fall in my Elo. May be?

It must be said that there are, of course, always notable examples. In Mexico, one of the first chess professionals, International Master Kenneth Frey, who is over 70 years old, is a regular participant in the international classification tournaments organized in one of the few clubs in Mexico City, the “Mercenaries” club. Yesterday he told us, in one of the Saturday meetings we have to watch chess (via zoom since the pandemic began), that his Elo was 2119 points, a “biological miracle” (in his own words). How did he achieve it? Motivation? Experience and maturity in his game? Don’t know. What I do recognize in Frey is his passion for chess. And in fact, in an interview I did with him years ago I finally asked him: “Has dedicating yourself to chess been worth it?” His response was forceful: “It was worth every damn second of life.”