3 ms·

>I know a fair amount of chess prodigies from back in the day, including some who are still active and top players on the professional circuit. To this day I ha

>I know a fair amount of chess prodigies from back in the day, including some who are still active and top players on the professional circuit. To this day I have not met a single one who didn’t have to deal with major adversity during childhood - broken home, missing or abusive/alcoholic parent, etc. I used to play professionally at Marshall chess club in NYC and one of the grandmasters there went rummaging through our bag for something to eat. A common joke in that club: What's the difference between a Chess Grandmaster and a pizza? A pizza can feed a family of four.

mindgam3 8y ago
Although I can appreciate self deprecating humor, it seems that you are simply using my comment to make fun of people who have already dealt with tremendous adversity. Does it make you feel better about yourself to tell stories and jokes about grandmasters who didn't have enough to eat? You're punching down. Don't do that. If you're in doubt, please refer to HN guidelines: "Be civil. Don't say things you wouldn't say face-to-face. Don't be snarky." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- ganeshkrishnan 8y ago
  How is this snarky or uncivil? The lack of opportunity to earn good money is the reason I never continued on my journey to play chess professionally. Also I am pretty sure the gm had money but he had a concept of other people's stuff and had other issues. I am just adding to the point that op made that plenty of chess grandmasters have issues
  - mindgam3 8y ago
    "I am just adding to the point that op made that plenty of chess grandmasters have issues" OP here. The point wasn't about the issues, it's that the issues often result from trauma, therefore we should speak and act with compassion. In response, you told a story about a grandmaster who stole things from you and cracked a joke about someone being so poor that they couldn't feed their family. Hilarious! Look, one of the reasons "plenty of chess grandmasters have issues", as you so astutely point out, is that so many people in the chess community think and act like you do. Not to single you out or anything, but this is such a common and harmful pattern. You'd think that people would see someone struggling and, I don't know, reach out to offer support. But instead, people like you make jokes. Assuming you actually want to be part of a substantive conversation, rather than simply trolling, consider sharing more about where you come from and what you've dealt with, rather than making fun of other people.

mindgam3 8y ago

Although I can appreciate self deprecating humor, it seems that you are simply using my comment to make fun of people who have already dealt with tremendous adversity. Does it make you feel better about yourself to tell stories and jokes about grandmasters who didn't have enough to eat? You're punching down. Don't do that. If you're in doubt, please refer to HN guidelines: "Be civil. Don't say things you wouldn't say face-to-face. Don't be snarky." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

ganeshkrishnan 8y ago
How is this snarky or uncivil? The lack of opportunity to earn good money is the reason I never continued on my journey to play chess professionally. Also I am pretty sure the gm had money but he had a concept of other people's stuff and had other issues. I am just adding to the point that op made that plenty of chess grandmasters have issues
- mindgam3 8y ago
  "I am just adding to the point that op made that plenty of chess grandmasters have issues" OP here. The point wasn't about the issues, it's that the issues often result from trauma, therefore we should speak and act with compassion. In response, you told a story about a grandmaster who stole things from you and cracked a joke about someone being so poor that they couldn't feed their family. Hilarious! Look, one of the reasons "plenty of chess grandmasters have issues", as you so astutely point out, is that so many people in the chess community think and act like you do. Not to single you out or anything, but this is such a common and harmful pattern. You'd think that people would see someone struggling and, I don't know, reach out to offer support. But instead, people like you make jokes. Assuming you actually want to be part of a substantive conversation, rather than simply trolling, consider sharing more about where you come from and what you've dealt with, rather than making fun of other people.