Following elite chess is far from easy for a number reasons, some of which are more obvious than others. If I can’t work out how the mechanics involved then at its highest level chess is most likely to remain something of an enigma. If you’re an academic at heart, lamentably a philosopher, then the altered perspective involved in judging individuals by their character and not their ability makes it all the more harder. Of course there is an ethical dilemma involved which is not easily overcome; namely, to what extent should professional and private lives be kept separate? And although some of those in the elite adhere to the classical stereotype of what a chess player typically is more than others, until we invest time in understanding, and not just judging their character, the waters are left undisturbed and opaque. GM Hikaru Nakamura was not particularly well-liked for a long time, mainly because he had a distinct habit of pulling faces over the board but once you get to see him in action and follow him through his youtube channel, then you can see him very differently indeed. In the clip below we can see Hikaru playing to his strengths and succumbing to his own weaknesses. Being a man of the world I can tell you exactly why Hikaru is tutoring the young lady below but perhaps that’s best left unsaid…
McCreadyandChess 