Josh Waitzkin

My rivals and their coaches who are strong masters and international masters and grandmasters would be able to study. And adult strong players can see very easily the weaknesses in a child. And so they would be prepared for them. So if I didn't take on a weakness, it would be exploited and I would experience pain.

My rivals and their coaches who are strong masters and international masters and grandmasters would be able to study. And adult strong players can see very easily the weaknesses in a child. And so they would be prepared for them. So if I didn't take on a weakness, it would be exploited and I would experience pain.

My rivals and their coaches who are strong masters and international masters and grandmasters would be able to study. And adult strong players can see very easily the weaknesses in a child. And so they would be prepared for them. So if I didn't take on a weakness, it would be exploited and I would experience pain.

And so from a very young age, not taking on my weaknesses was outside of my conceptual scheme. which is a really interesting thing to grow up with. And it's in many ways like lay the foundation for a lot of what I've done since. And there are lots of things about that upbringing, which could be unhealthy. Being in the public eye.

And so from a very young age, not taking on my weaknesses was outside of my conceptual scheme. which is a really interesting thing to grow up with. And it's in many ways like lay the foundation for a lot of what I've done since. And there are lots of things about that upbringing, which could be unhealthy. Being in the public eye.

And so from a very young age, not taking on my weaknesses was outside of my conceptual scheme. which is a really interesting thing to grow up with. And it's in many ways like lay the foundation for a lot of what I've done since. And there are lots of things about that upbringing, which could be unhealthy. Being in the public eye.

Yeah. Super. Yeah. And I've never been on social media in any way, which has been a choice. Yeah. So when I was 11, the book Searching for Robbie Fisher came out. And then when I was 15, the movie came out. And at that point, I was completely in love with chess. It was my first love. I was an unobstructed learner. I loved competition.

Yeah. Super. Yeah. And I've never been on social media in any way, which has been a choice. Yeah. So when I was 11, the book Searching for Robbie Fisher came out. And then when I was 15, the movie came out. And at that point, I was completely in love with chess. It was my first love. I was an unobstructed learner. I loved competition.

Yeah. Super. Yeah. And I've never been on social media in any way, which has been a choice. Yeah. So when I was 11, the book Searching for Robbie Fisher came out. And then when I was 15, the movie came out. And at that point, I was completely in love with chess. It was my first love. I was an unobstructed learner. I loved competition.

A lot of my opponents were trying to control the game, memorize openings, figure out how to win by force. But I love the battle. My style was to create chaos, like in Washington Square Park. Find hidden harmonies in chaos. And I love that. So As the game went on and they moved away from their opening preparation and controlling things, we moved into my power zone, which was the fight.

A lot of my opponents were trying to control the game, memorize openings, figure out how to win by force. But I love the battle. My style was to create chaos, like in Washington Square Park. Find hidden harmonies in chaos. And I love that. So As the game went on and they moved away from their opening preparation and controlling things, we moved into my power zone, which was the fight.

A lot of my opponents were trying to control the game, memorize openings, figure out how to win by force. But I love the battle. My style was to create chaos, like in Washington Square Park. Find hidden harmonies in chaos. And I love that. So As the game went on and they moved away from their opening preparation and controlling things, we moved into my power zone, which was the fight.

I love the fight. And then my chess life in many ways was free-flowing. And then the movie came out when I was 15. And then you can imagine what that was like as a young teenager, all the attention, the media, cameras everywhere, groupies, all the temptations. And I didn't ask for it. And it was a really, it was an alienating period for me relative to chess.

I love the fight. And then my chess life in many ways was free-flowing. And then the movie came out when I was 15. And then you can imagine what that was like as a young teenager, all the attention, the media, cameras everywhere, groupies, all the temptations. And I didn't ask for it. And it was a really, it was an alienating period for me relative to chess.

I love the fight. And then my chess life in many ways was free-flowing. And then the movie came out when I was 15. And then you can imagine what that was like as a young teenager, all the attention, the media, cameras everywhere, groupies, all the temptations. And I didn't ask for it. And it was a really, it was an alienating period for me relative to chess.

And around the same time I started training with a Russian chess trainer who started urging me to move away from my self-expression as a chess player and to study the players who were the opposite of me. attacking player, aggressive. I played kind of in the style, not at a level, but in the style of like Bobby Fischer or Gary Kasparov or Mikhail Tal, world champions who were like hot-blooded.

And around the same time I started training with a Russian chess trainer who started urging me to move away from my self-expression as a chess player and to study the players who were the opposite of me. attacking player, aggressive. I played kind of in the style, not at a level, but in the style of like Bobby Fischer or Gary Kasparov or Mikhail Tal, world champions who were like hot-blooded.

And around the same time I started training with a Russian chess trainer who started urging me to move away from my self-expression as a chess player and to study the players who were the opposite of me. attacking player, aggressive. I played kind of in the style, not at a level, but in the style of like Bobby Fischer or Gary Kasparov or Mikhail Tal, world champions who were like hot-blooded.

And I was being urged to study the more cold-blooded, prophylactic side of chess, Petrosian, Karpov, more conservative defensive players. So I was being told, instead of saying like, what does Josh feel here? What would Karpov play here? Who's the opposite of me?

And I was being urged to study the more cold-blooded, prophylactic side of chess, Petrosian, Karpov, more conservative defensive players. So I was being told, instead of saying like, what does Josh feel here? What would Karpov play here? Who's the opposite of me?