No Chess Coach?
By GilaChess - March 03, 2023
One of the thing the shocked me the most last year talking to some junior chess players is that they have NO chess coach. That's during the Malaysian Open and Penang Open 2022. Sure, they started off having coaches but at the current moment they are not under any coach. Mind you these are easily the top 10 juniors in Malaysia. They do use other tools like online games, engines, Chessable etc but no human coach!
So I thought it's the trend today. Maybe I should have pressed on and ask what was the reason for not having a coach. The cost? DIficulty in getting a good coach? No time?
Maybe it's today's trend where youngsters can get really strong without a coach. Or at this stage of the game, they don't need one.
However, past cases don't seeem to agree. Strong players in the past did have coaches and continue to have coaches even when they become strong GMs. Here are some examples:
Magnus Carlsen:
Carlsen's first coach was his father, Henrik Carlsen, who taught him the game at the age of five. He later received training from several other coaches, including Simen Agdestein, Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen, and Garry Kasparov. Carlsen is now the world champion and one of the strongest players in history.
Fabiano Caruana:
Caruana was coached by his father, Lou Caruana, from a young age. He later worked with several other coaches, including Alexander Chernin and Vladimir Chuchelov. Caruana is now one of the top players in the world and has challenged for the world championship.
Wesley So:
So was coached by his adoptive parents, Lotis Key and William So, from a young age. He later worked with several other coaches, including Vladimir Tukmakov and Susan Polgar. So is now a top 10 player in the world and a former US champion.
Hikaru Nakamura:
Nakamura was coached by his stepfather, Sunil Weeramantry, from a young age. He later worked with several other coaches, including Bruce Pandolfini and Garry Kasparov. Nakamura is now a top 20 player in the world and a multiple-time US champion.
Anish Giri:
Giri was coached by his father, Santosh Giri, from a young age. He later worked with several other coaches, including Vladimir Chuchelov and Erwin l'Ami. Giri is now a top 10 player in the world and a multiple-time Dutch champion. Carlsen's first coach was his father, Henrik Carlsen, who taught him the game at the age of five. He later received training from several other coaches, including Simen Agdestein, Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen, and Garry Kasparov. Carlsen is now the world champion and one of the strongest players in history.
The big question
What do you think? So the question is: Can you really make it without a chess coach? Or is a coach only needed at specific stage(s) of a person's chess development.
For me I'm leaning towards coaches being absolute essentials at many stages and sure you can do without one but suffer the loss opportunity of making better/faster improvements in your game.
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