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The best adult improver in history

#1

Claude Bloodgood was 1650 in his 30s and reached as high as 2789 USCF. Granted, his talent was probably off the charts, but it definitely shows that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I highly recommend you use his progression as your role model if you want success.

Claude Bloodgood was 1650 in his 30s and reached as high as 2789 USCF. Granted, his talent was probably off the charts, but it definitely shows that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I highly recommend you use his progression as your role model if you want success.
#2

Was that the guy in prison who only played other prisoners and found a way to "outsmart " the elo system?

Was that the guy in prison who only played other prisoners and found a way to "outsmart " the elo system?
#3

@bikkel21 said in #2:

Was that the guy in prison who only played other prisoners and found a way to "outsmart " the elo system?
Did he? I read a story on chess.com where it said he was exceptionally talented like Ramanujan but was unable to express it till he went to prison.

The article might be wrong though, so who knows.

@bikkel21 said in #2: > Was that the guy in prison who only played other prisoners and found a way to "outsmart " the elo system? Did he? I read a story on chess.com where it said he was exceptionally talented like Ramanujan but was unable to express it till he went to prison. The article might be wrong though, so who knows.
#4

The USCF changed the rating system rules because of what he had done. What he did was at the time within the rules, but it definitely showed that the rules needed some changing. I don't doubt that he probably wasn't a half bad Club player but without strong competition in order to make him stronger, I seriously doubt that he was even a low Master Level player.

The USCF changed the rating system rules because of what he had done. What he did was at the time within the rules, but it definitely showed that the rules needed some changing. I don't doubt that he probably wasn't a half bad Club player but without strong competition in order to make him stronger, I seriously doubt that he was even a low Master Level player.
#5

Leonid Stein became a national master at 24 and was awarded the GM title at 28 - relatively late compared to his Soviet contemporaries. Died young, though, at 38 and probably the strongest player to never qualify for the candidates.
Ye Jiangchuan learned chess at 17 but three years later won the Chinese national championship. He would go on to become the second Chinese to be awarded the GM title and the first to cross 2600 in rating.

Leonid Stein became a national master at 24 and was awarded the GM title at 28 - relatively late compared to his Soviet contemporaries. Died young, though, at 38 and probably the strongest player to never qualify for the candidates. Ye Jiangchuan learned chess at 17 but three years later won the Chinese national championship. He would go on to become the second Chinese to be awarded the GM title and the first to cross 2600 in rating.
#7

Greatest adult improver? Just look who won this tournament: https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr645845.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0

He played his first rated OTB game at 22, and won this very prestigious tournament at 29. Clearly a goat in the chess improvement area.

Greatest adult improver? Just look who won this tournament: https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr645845.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&turdet=YES&flag=30&SNode=S0 He played his first rated OTB game at 22, and won this very prestigious tournament at 29. Clearly a goat in the chess improvement area.
#8

Wow, what a great role model! I'm going to go ahead and murder my mom so I can go to prison and game the system to get a high rating too! Oh wait, the USCF already changed the rules so I can't. Too bad. :-( Well maybe I can try to find a worse opening than the Grob to write a book about at least.

Wow, what a great role model! I'm going to go ahead and murder my mom so I can go to prison and game the system to get a high rating too! Oh wait, the USCF already changed the rules so I can't. Too bad. :-( Well maybe I can try to find a worse opening than the Grob to write a book about at least.
#9

You might find this article compelling---It also features Michael Johnson who achieved a lifetime rating gain of more than 1000 points in a span of 20 years. He started playing in tournaments at 36 & peaked at age 56 with a rating of 2135, at least according to the articles author. Fred Wilson is also featured. He made Master at the age of 71!

https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-adults-improve-at-chess

You might find this article compelling---It also features Michael Johnson who achieved a lifetime rating gain of more than 1000 points in a span of 20 years. He started playing in tournaments at 36 & peaked at age 56 with a rating of 2135, at least according to the articles author. Fred Wilson is also featured. He made Master at the age of 71! https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-adults-improve-at-chess
#10

Wasn't there an American master who made his final IM norm when he was in his 50s? Granted, that player had been approximately IM strength for a while, but just hadn't scored the norms in FIDE tournaments.

I'm 69 this year, lifetime high national rating 2070, hoping to be the oldest GM to earn the title when I am in my 80s. I figure it will take a while yet, the key is getting old enough.

Wasn't there an American master who made his final IM norm when he was in his 50s? Granted, that player had been approximately IM strength for a while, but just hadn't scored the norms in FIDE tournaments. I'm 69 this year, lifetime high national rating 2070, hoping to be the oldest GM to earn the title when I am in my 80s. I figure it will take a while yet, the key is getting old enough.