Josh Waitzkin

They didn't kid gloves you at all. I wouldn't say at all. I mean, this was a rough and tumble crowd. You know, there were a lot of drugs in the park. There was a lot of, like, you know, fights in the park. I mean, these guys took me under their wing. I mean, there were moments where, like, some guy would be going off and the guy would say, hey, Josh is here. You know, cut that out.

They didn't kid gloves you at all. I wouldn't say at all. I mean, this was a rough and tumble crowd. You know, there were a lot of drugs in the park. There was a lot of, like, you know, fights in the park. I mean, these guys took me under their wing. I mean, there were moments where, like, some guy would be going off and the guy would say, hey, Josh is here. You know, cut that out.

They didn't kid gloves you at all. I wouldn't say at all. I mean, this was a rough and tumble crowd. You know, there were a lot of drugs in the park. There was a lot of, like, you know, fights in the park. I mean, these guys took me under their wing. I mean, there were moments where, like, some guy would be going off and the guy would say, hey, Josh is here. You know, cut that out.

Like, I was their protege. So they did. They did. But they also, you know, did not wear thick gloves. And the gloves were thinning out all the time. And I was getting better fast. Then we'd go to war. They were my teachers. They were my friends. I'm super grateful for, like, they – and then –

Like, I was their protege. So they did. They did. But they also, you know, did not wear thick gloves. And the gloves were thinning out all the time. And I was getting better fast. Then we'd go to war. They were my teachers. They were my friends. I'm super grateful for, like, they – and then –

Like, I was their protege. So they did. They did. But they also, you know, did not wear thick gloves. And the gloves were thinning out all the time. And I was getting better fast. Then we'd go to war. They were my teachers. They were my friends. I'm super grateful for, like, they – and then –

And then what's interesting is that my first classical chess teacher, Bruce Pendolfini, saw me playing in the park and asked my father if I could work with him. And then we started training together. And one of the things that I feel really badly about is the way he was portrayed in the film, Searching for Bobby Fischer, because Bruce is still a dear friend of mine.

And then what's interesting is that my first classical chess teacher, Bruce Pendolfini, saw me playing in the park and asked my father if I could work with him. And then we started training together. And one of the things that I feel really badly about is the way he was portrayed in the film, Searching for Bobby Fischer, because Bruce is still a dear friend of mine.

And then what's interesting is that my first classical chess teacher, Bruce Pendolfini, saw me playing in the park and asked my father if I could work with him. And then we started training together. And one of the things that I feel really badly about is the way he was portrayed in the film, Searching for Bobby Fischer, because Bruce is still a dear friend of mine.

Ben Kingsley played him as a much more severe person than he was. He was a beautiful teacher. And he really, he wanted me to express myself as did the guys in the park. But he was also filling in the holes and teaching me a classical chess foundation. And we were studying chess from the end game first.

Ben Kingsley played him as a much more severe person than he was. He was a beautiful teacher. And he really, he wanted me to express myself as did the guys in the park. But he was also filling in the holes and teaching me a classical chess foundation. And we were studying chess from the end game first.

Ben Kingsley played him as a much more severe person than he was. He was a beautiful teacher. And he really, he wanted me to express myself as did the guys in the park. But he was also filling in the holes and teaching me a classical chess foundation. And we were studying chess from the end game first.

Principles, studying positions of reduced complexity to touch high level principles and then learning to apply them to more and more complex positions. So my early chess education had both the classical study with Bruce and it had the street smart game with the hustlers at the park. And

Principles, studying positions of reduced complexity to touch high level principles and then learning to apply them to more and more complex positions. So my early chess education had both the classical study with Bruce and it had the street smart game with the hustlers at the park. And

Principles, studying positions of reduced complexity to touch high level principles and then learning to apply them to more and more complex positions. So my early chess education had both the classical study with Bruce and it had the street smart game with the hustlers at the park. And

But to answer your question right away, when I was six years old, like my opponents would mess with my mind and trap me and trick me and make me think here and then they go there and then I would learn to do that. And then I remember there was one like youth competition where I made a move instead of trap and went, oh, shit. I mean, it was like that obvious, right?

But to answer your question right away, when I was six years old, like my opponents would mess with my mind and trap me and trick me and make me think here and then they go there and then I would learn to do that. And then I remember there was one like youth competition where I made a move instead of trap and went, oh, shit. I mean, it was like that obvious, right?

But to answer your question right away, when I was six years old, like my opponents would mess with my mind and trap me and trick me and make me think here and then they go there and then I would learn to do that. And then I remember there was one like youth competition where I made a move instead of trap and went, oh, shit. I mean, it was like that obvious, right?

It's like the worst, like, and then it gets increasingly subtle, right? But like, as my opponent said, Oh, he's unhappy, take the pawn, then you and then your opponent see it. And then you learn, you know, those things keep on the circles get smaller and smaller and tighter and tighter and more and more refined.

It's like the worst, like, and then it gets increasingly subtle, right? But like, as my opponent said, Oh, he's unhappy, take the pawn, then you and then your opponent see it. And then you learn, you know, those things keep on the circles get smaller and smaller and tighter and tighter and more and more refined.