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You Are Your Rating

tldr: 16-2000 is a reasonable goal for the average ambitious person here.

For the statistically minded/curious:
Players with Cognitive/Visual Disabilities
• Subramaniam Karaan – Blitz: 1899 (Down syndrome)
• High motivation, strong memory, solid practical play.
• Pranav Shankar – Standard: 1966 (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
• Systematic, detail-oriented; strong support & drive.
• Njegoš Mihajlović – Unrated (Intellectual disability)
• Symbolic achievement; disciplined, socially motivated.
• Anaya Lall – Standard: 1498 (Intellectual disability)
• Young, passionate, rising player with international presence.
• Darpan Inani – Standard: 2135 (Blind)
• India’s top blind player; consistent, deeply motivated.
• Marcin Tazbir – Standard: 2500+ (Blind)
• First blind GM; rare mix of elite talent and tenacity.

⸻
#Note: The Polgar sisters while often used to demonstrate the idea of 'geniuses are made not born', it is important to realize
that they were cognitively above average with psychologist and linguistic teacher parents.
Polgár Sisters
• Judit Polgár – Peak: 2735
• Unmatched motivation; outworked everyone, world #8.
• Susan Polgár – Peak: 2577
• Strong early talent + high discipline and structure.
• Sofia Polgár – ~2400 est.
• Arguably most gifted tactically; less long-term drive.

ELO !~ Overall Intelligence:: The Einstein Archetype vs. Chess
• Estimated Chess Elo:
Einstein’s rating has been estimated around 1500–1600 (club level), despite his genius in physics and mathematics.
This suggests a disconnect between general intelligence and chess-specific skill.
• Cognitive Profile:
• Strengths: Abstract reasoning, imagination, deep conceptual insight, long-form pattern recognition.
• Weaknesses (for chess):
• Inattentiveness: Tendency to drift into daydreaming or reflection.
• Poor stamina: Difficulty focusing sharply for hours under stress.
• Low drive for domination: Chess rewards competitive aggression; Einstein was not wired that way.
• Slower processing speed: Possibly deliberate and methodical, rather than rapid and tactical.

tldr: 16-2000 is a reasonable goal for the average ambitious person here. For the statistically minded/curious: Players with Cognitive/Visual Disabilities • Subramaniam Karaan – Blitz: 1899 (Down syndrome) • High motivation, strong memory, solid practical play. • Pranav Shankar – Standard: 1966 (Autism Spectrum Disorder) • Systematic, detail-oriented; strong support & drive. • Njegoš Mihajlović – Unrated (Intellectual disability) • Symbolic achievement; disciplined, socially motivated. • Anaya Lall – Standard: 1498 (Intellectual disability) • Young, passionate, rising player with international presence. • Darpan Inani – Standard: 2135 (Blind) • India’s top blind player; consistent, deeply motivated. • Marcin Tazbir – Standard: 2500+ (Blind) • First blind GM; rare mix of elite talent and tenacity. ⸻ #Note: The Polgar sisters while often used to demonstrate the idea of 'geniuses are made not born', it is important to realize that they were cognitively above average with psychologist and linguistic teacher parents. Polgár Sisters • Judit Polgár – Peak: 2735 • Unmatched motivation; outworked everyone, world #8. • Susan Polgár – Peak: 2577 • Strong early talent + high discipline and structure. • Sofia Polgár – ~2400 est. • Arguably most gifted tactically; less long-term drive. ELO !~ Overall Intelligence:: The Einstein Archetype vs. Chess • Estimated Chess Elo: Einstein’s rating has been estimated around 1500–1600 (club level), despite his genius in physics and mathematics. This suggests a disconnect between general intelligence and chess-specific skill. • Cognitive Profile: • Strengths: Abstract reasoning, imagination, deep conceptual insight, long-form pattern recognition. • Weaknesses (for chess): • Inattentiveness: Tendency to drift into daydreaming or reflection. • Poor stamina: Difficulty focusing sharply for hours under stress. • Low drive for domination: Chess rewards competitive aggression; Einstein was not wired that way. • Slower processing speed: Possibly deliberate and methodical, rather than rapid and tactical.

I find it's not worth sharing opinions as that mostly leads to conflict.

I find it's not worth sharing opinions as that mostly leads to conflict.

People never care about the long term. They win with the Stafford Gambit to prove "openings don't matter" and wonder why they can't cross 2400 (substitute lines like Nimzo, Larsen, Latvian, etc.)

People never care about the long term. They win with the Stafford Gambit to prove "openings don't matter" and wonder why they can't cross 2400 (substitute lines like Nimzo, Larsen, Latvian, etc.)

@CoachedByABot said in #13:

I find it's not worth sharing opinions as that mostly leads to conflict.

On the other hand, this blog post received more comments than my other posts. I try not to write clickbait but month after month, year after year I see posts I don't necessarily agree with.

@notalent_overprepped said in #12:

tldr: 16-2000 is a reasonable goal for the average ambitious person here.

Interesting! That sounds about right, or at least I don't have enough information to say better.

@notalent_overprepped said in #12:

• Low drive for domination: Chess rewards competitive aggression; Einstein was not wired that way.

I wonder whether it can be shown that players lose due to a lack of aggression (since it cannot be proven that aggressive players win). Curiously, in amateur shogi aggression seems to be heavily rewarded (since playing defense is intensely challenging).

@CoachedByABot said in #13: > I find it's not worth sharing opinions as that mostly leads to conflict. On the other hand, this blog post received more comments than my other posts. I try not to write clickbait but month after month, year after year I see posts I don't necessarily agree with. @notalent_overprepped said in #12: > tldr: 16-2000 is a reasonable goal for the average ambitious person here. Interesting! That sounds about right, or at least I don't have enough information to say better. @notalent_overprepped said in #12: > • Low drive for domination: Chess rewards competitive aggression; Einstein was not wired that way. I wonder whether it can be shown that players lose due to a lack of aggression (since it cannot be proven that aggressive players win). Curiously, in amateur shogi aggression seems to be heavily rewarded (since playing defense is intensely challenging).

@Toadofsky said in #15:

On the other hand, this blog post received more comments than my other posts. I try not to write clickbait but month after month, year after year I see posts I don't necessarily agree with.

I said my opinions not yours.

You don't accept new messages so I can't say privately what I think.

@Toadofsky said in #15: > On the other hand, this blog post received more comments than my other posts. I try not to write clickbait but month after month, year after year I see posts I don't necessarily agree with. I said my opinions not yours. You don't accept new messages so I can't say privately what I think.

I think this blog has a good point, but naming it 'You are your rating' kind of makes readers think something else and is kind of a petty way to respond to @benjiportheault's blog of 'You are not your rating'

I think this blog has a good point, but naming it 'You are your rating' kind of makes readers think something else and is kind of a petty way to respond to @benjiportheault's blog of 'You are not your rating'

True... on the other hand, I've written dozens of blog posts which have zero engagement, so it's as if the internet prefers that I write posts like this one.

True... on the other hand, I've written dozens of blog posts which have zero engagement, so it's as if the internet prefers that I write posts like this one.

1 day ago I read the blog " You are not your rating" and now this?!?! What??

1 day ago I read the blog " You are not your rating" and now this?!?! What??