Over the years, thousands of people have asked me what does it take to be a champion?
Just as in any other sport, the margin between winning and losing, champion and runner up, Gold, Silver, Bronze or nothing, etc., can be so miniscule.
Sometimes it can come down to one free throw for the NBA championship with .01 second left on the clock. Sometimes it can come down to 1/1000th of a second in a 100 meter dash. Sometimes it can come down to one putt on the 72nd hole. Sometimes it can come down to one indecisive move in a moment of haste. Down by 2 points with 1 second left on the clock, do you go for the tie or shoot a three for all the marbles?
Different people play chess for different reasons. Different people approach chess differently. Some just play for fun and results do not matter. Some are professionals and a difference of 1/2 point can equal to a $15,000 pay cut or more.
To be the champion, one must put in the hard work, sacrifice, dedication and have the fire, desire, determination, confidence, passion, nerve of steel and sometimes a little luck would not hurt. There are also intangible factors which can come into play once in a while.
There are so many great athletes in sports. We also have countless top notch grandmasters in chess. One just has to want more than the next player. Just look at Topalov in San Luis. In positions where many would agree to a draw, he grinded out win after win. He wanted the title more than others. He got a little luck in the first game against Leko. With that win, his confidence and energy got an incredible boost and the rest was history. But he was also smart enough to play solid chess with a big lead in the second half. Same goes with Gata Kamsky at Mtel. After drawing a difficult game against Ponomariov in the first round, his confidence got a big boost and he was on a roll.
The same thing can be said with the Olympiad. There are so many good teams / players. The team / individual that win medals is the team / individual that prepared more before and want more during. Some players play to win. Some play not to lose. Often times it will come down to the last round.
I can share with you one of my many memorable moments from the last Olympiad. After 13 rounds, Russia and USA had 25.5 points, Georgia had 25, France had 24.5, Hungary and Slovakia had 24 and India with 23.5. That meant that 7 teams were within striking distance for the Silver and Bronze going into the final 14th round.
I remember seeing many captains with pens and papers trying to figure out the tie-breaks and how many points their team would need, especially the Russian and Georgian captains. This is very normal in all of the Olympiads I have played in. I vividly remember my last round’s opponent offering me a draw in a better position. I informed our captain about the offer and asked him what to do. The opposing team also offered draws in good positions on all boards.
He looked at me, smiled without saying a word, then calmly asked me to please go back to my board. He told me that he will come there to give his decision shortly. A few seconds later, he came and gave a firm answer in front of all our team members and the opposing captain. Both teams heard this loud and clear. The answer was for us to fight on all the way and go for the win on all 3 boards. That personally gave me such a big boost of confidence knowing that he believed in us and there will be no chickening out. He never once bothered with the tie-breaks or even looked at the tie-breaks of any other team. He wanted our team to control our own destiny on the boards and not by the luck of the tie-breaks.
We ended up winning 2.5-.5 and the rest was history. That was one difference between winning and losing. Because of that win, I also won 3 individual medals (2 Gold and 1 Silver) and a team Silver. A draw would have brought me zero medal personally and the team may not have gotten any medal at all. But if we ended up losing instead of taking the draws, we would have come home with nothing. You have to be willing to take risks if you want the glory. Ukraine, Russia, Georgia were just as good if not better than us. But we wanted more than they did.
In team competition, there are times when draws are necessary and there are times when one has to be willing to put everything on the line. This is what you call team work. This is part of the strategy. But the bottom line is one must be willing, ready and able to fight when needed.
When I teach my children chess, I do the same. I forbid them to offer draws. I want them to learn to fight in any position, good, bad or in between. I am content and proud if they fight hard and lose. A champion cannot be afraid to play out positions. A champion cannot be afraid of fighting. Once a player learns how to win, he / she can decide when to play safe and when to go all out for the win. I am sure different people have different opinions. This is mine. Play to win, do not play not to lose! But do it wisely!
Calvia –
11 move draw with Xie Jun. (!!)
20 move draw with Humpy and not a dead position.
Judit is the best! Now we know how!
I want to stand up and cheer.
what a tremendous essay on being a champion.
nice information Susan – good view on the champion’s view
Bravo Susan!
Ms. Polgar, your statement “Play to win, do not play not to lose! But do it wisely!” opened my eyes to the most significant change I need to make as an amateur player. Thank you. When you open a chess center in Wisconsin, I’ll be visiting. 🙂
Einstein brought it to a formula:
a*x + b*x + c*x = f(x)= success
a = luck
b = genius
c = idleness
and x = THE variable
:)) Vohaul
PS: i hate base flatteries … ^^ and as we all know – Einstein wasn’t always right …
indeed Einstein’s formula of success sounds
a + b + c = S
but i tried to do infinitesimal (=fine tuning) work by introducing a variable – please forgive –
– your smirking Vohaul
There seems to be an attitude of contempt towards draws. It’s understandable, but we need to remember that elite GMs are people, who may have days with headaches, insomnia, etc. Morozevich and Judit Polgar can play 100-move games day after day, while Kramnik and Svidler lose the ability to perform unless they get much more rest. Still, both are great chess players. Chess is an intellectual sport, not athletics. If a person needs to take a short draw in order to survive the tournament schedule, he should not be judged harshly for the lack of theatrics. There needs to be a place both for Topalov and for Kramnik in this world. Patzers who cannot understand a move Kramnik makes feel it’s fine to call him Drawnik and heap abuse on him. Chess will not benefit from retiring the likes of Leko and Kramnik.
Papoose – Born to Win
Yea, Papoose, I wanna give a big shot out to the the rifts
Keep producing that fire, Lets go
(Chorus)
Cause when it all begins, my eyes on the prize so its on again, I refuse to lose I aint gon pretend,
I thought I told you I was born to win, Everybody loves a winner, victory I choose
Aint no turning back cuz I pay my dues, I tightin up my laces when I tie my shoes
Born to win, I refuse to lose…Everybody loves a winner
Verse 1
My adrenaline rushing through my veins, Next stop is victory its rushing like a train
Im determined to win cuz theres nothing like the pain of defeat, I refuse to remain incomplete
Got a lot of stamina cause I train for some weeks, Got my strength from the vitamins and the grains that I eat
All obstacles overcame Im unique, I started from the bottom, see I came from beneath
Disguised the limit so Imma raise to my peak, winning is everything, let me explain wut I think
Practice makes perfect so when working I dont relax, I practice a lot therefor Im perfect and thats a fact
Been through some hard times while the burner was on my back, it was rough, but I was determined so I adapt
Gettin wut Im deservin, holla back, game over you lost like a person with outta map
(Chorus)
Everybody loves a winner, Cause when it all begins, my eyes on the prize so its on again, I refuse to lose I aint gon pretend,
I thought I told you I was born to win, Everybody loves a winner, victory I choose
Aint no turning back cuz I pay my dues, I tightin up my laces when I tie my shoes
Born to win, I refuse to lose…Everybody loves a winner
Verse 2
My competition said I wasnt ready to face him, my teammates said I think we need to replace him
All the haters used to say boo we hate him, I wanna thank yall for the inspiration
Waited a long time for my time Im anxious, something like a doctor cuz I got patients
May the best man win, the worst man lose, last man no choice the first man choose
I was born as a leader, thats wut I gotta be, I dont follow rules, I let the rules follow me
Imma focus man on the lose, Animal out the cage, an ambitious an vicious champion wit a rage
Whats the difference between a champion and a challenger
A champion already conquered his caliber, You trynna become a champion became
I got more wins then a hurricane
(Chorus)
Everybody loves a winner, Cause when it all begins, my eyes on the prize so its on again, I refuse to lose I aint gon pretend,
I thought I told you I was born to win, Everybody loves a winner, victory I choose
Aint no turning back cuz I pay my dues, I tightin up my laces when I tie my shoes
Born to win, I refuse to lose…Everybody loves a winner
Verse 3
Thats why I eat finer foods, complete wiser moves, Imma retire you
No remmorce for these tired dudes, lets celebrate the victory, I won like three minus two
Its only wut you make it thats wut we gotta remember, but deep down inside everybodies a winner
You gotta work hard January till December, finish wut you start and you can be a contender
Watch the man in the mirror, look into your inner, self-maintian health and never be a quitter
Gotta shine like the sun, flow like the river, you see a chance to win then take it like a picture
I aint trynna preach to you dont feel bitter, Im just trynna tell you wut it take to be a winner
Hes a champion cuz its impossible to stop him, Victory is a option
(Chorus)
Everybody loves a winner, Cause when it all begins, my eyes on the prize so its on again, I refuse to lose I aint gon pretend,
I thought I told you I was born to win, Everybody loves a winner, victory I choose
Aint no turning back cuz I pay my dues, I tightin up my laces when I tie my shoes
Born to win, I refuse to lose…Everybody loves a winner
I wish someone would teach my opponents when to accept my draw. I’ve been forced to sit for hours after the position has been reached where my opponent has a single pawn they think they can promote without getting their king in front of it with opposition. I could leave hours earlier if they would learn what endgames are drawn and which are not.
“Chess will not benefit from retiring the likes of Leko and Kramnik.”
Leko has finished his chess carrer. He will remain being known as a chicken who always accepted draw offers.
Yes, your captain made the correct move. Women are so impressionable, his comment likely had a devastating effect upon the opposing female team players. Likewise, his confidence in your ability reminds us that, in the end:
It’s still a Man’s Man’s Man’s World!
“Yes, your captain made the correct move. Women are so impressionable, his comment likely had a devastating effect upon the opposing female team players”
The main arbiter should have expelled your Team Captain from the playing hall, as he was not allowed by the Rules of Chess to make a speech, just tell you yes or no. Not the Captains fault, though, he used a very good trick, risking his own destiny on the match. Bravo!
“The main arbiter should have expelled your Team Captain from the playing hall, as he was not allowed by the Rules of Chess to make a speech, just tell you yes or no. Not the Captains fault, though, he used a very good trick, risking his own destiny on the match. Bravo!”
Now you know why I, the only player ever given a theoretical rating because it was so high…will not play: Childish games for children