52 Questions I Would Ask a Grandmaster
Recently, I was having a nightmarish dream, where all of my belongings were packed up and left at my brother's friend's mother's house (convoluted, I know). This is relevant because my brother isn't what you would call trustworthy. I remember not feeling safe, so I drove down a perilous mountain road until I reached their home. The mother opens the door for me, and it turns out that she is an absolute delight. She shows me that all of my belongings are safe and then lets me know that her older son will be coming over soon. Suddenly, the door opens, and it turns out that her son is none other than Super Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi! Not only that, but he brought with him his friends: Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana to all hang out at his mother's house too, because apparently this is what some of the greatest chess players of all time love to do.
It felt like my nightmare was no more. I was so excited to meet them all, and I began asking them questions like "Do you believe that Super Grandmasters is a real thing?", however, none of them seemed interested enough to answer. I was filled with so many chess thoughts and it was literally the last thing any of them wanted to talk about. They just wanted to play retro videogames together and make jokes, while Ian's wonderful mum would bring them snacks and juice. I was the wet blanket, continuing to awkwardly pester them about chess while thinking to myself "If they would just play me in chess, it would make for a great chess blog".
I woke up with the knowledge that my nightmare had come full circle, as well as realising how much of a nerd I am. I just laid there, in my bed, wondering about all of the questions I would ask the best chess players in the world if I was ever given the chance. And in that moment, I knew that this list of questions, ranging from the most basic to the utterly bizarre must be written down!
It should be noted that this blog in no way will answer any of the questions that are listed before you today. Shockingly, I am not a Grandmaster and do not happen to have any Grandmasters randomly popping into my mother's house to receive refreshments while they play videogames. Perhaps one day, a Grandmaster will read this blog and decide to answer some questions that are listed below out of the goodness of their heart, but until then, here are the 52 questions I would ask a Grandmaster if I was ever given the opportunity.
Contents
- General Questions (1-13)
- Tips to Improve my Chess Skills (14-18)
- Questions for Specific Players (19-26)
- In-Depth Questions (27-41)
- Miscellaneous and Obscure Questions (42-52)
- Final Thoughts
General Questions
1. How old were you when you began to play chess?
I often think about how important it is to begin playing chess when you are younger if your goal is to be great at it. For example, Magnus Carlsen was five years old when he began his chess journey and was eight when he entered his first tournament. Sometimes I will remind myself that there was a time in my life when I was better than Magnus Carlsen at chess. He may have been four years old at the time, but I would have trounced him. Learning how old each Grandmaster was when they began playing chess, would not only tell me at what age I could have beaten them, but also could solidify the importance of learning chess at an early age.
My follow up question would be wanting to know the "why?" Many people are introduced to chess by a relative or through school. Nowadays, people are also finding it through watching streamers or YouTubers. Learning the 'why' would feed my curiosity in discovering if there are any correlations found between Grandmasters, their fundamental playstyle, their inhibitions and their overall passion for chess.
While each individual is different, there have been studies that suggest you would need to play chess for 4 hours every day for over 10 years to become a Grandmaster. That would be the equivalent of playing non-stop, without sleep or breaks for a full year and a half, which is incredible dedication. You would then need to continue this indefinitely to maintain your skill. While four hours is only about half a typical workday, most Grandmasters also have day jobs, and this doesn't even include how mentally strained you would feel. I would love to know how easy or difficult it is for them to balance their chess career with their life outside of it.
Just like in my dream, I feel like most people who recognise Grandmasters would want to talk to them about chess. I am a teacher, and I am passionate about my job. However, when I leave work, I don't want to continue talking about my teaching methods. While this would be dependent on how famous the Grandmaster is, I wonder how eager they would be to talk about their passion for chess, or if they would rather talk about almost anything besides chess.
5. Are you good at explaining chess to an average chess player?
Furthermore, to the last question, people often assume that being good at chess would inherently mean that you would be good at teaching chess as well. However, having chess knowledge is a completely separate skill to knowing how to teach. So, when a person asks a Grandmaster a chess question, they are placed in a tough spot where they are expected to know how to explain the answer, regardless as to whether teaching is a skill that they possess.
6. Out of all the ways you can study chess, which do you feel you have learnt the most from?
I wonder if great players had the most growth through learning theory and openings, by focusing on puzzles and tactics, by mastering the endgame, or by studying their own games, or the games of the all-time greats. While they have most likely studied using all of these ways, one method must have evolved their outlook on chess in a way that the others didn't.
7. Name a skill you have gained from chess that has helped you in another aspect of life?
The reason I adore this question is because it could be as simple as a Grandmaster answering "Checkers", because it's on the same board and is also strategically focused. However, it could be niche, where it has helped them memorise shopping lists or them finding it easier to be able to decide what is for dinner after calculating the risks involved and then evaluating the best option, all while being under time pressure. It could even be as mundane as having greater stamina and mental fortitude to be able to wait in long, uneventful lines while they are at the airport or in a doctor's surgery.
Reflecting, I realise that I haven't been given enough chess advice. Through YouTube I learnt about activating my pieces to control as much space as I can, as well as looking for checks and protecting my King. I also learnt a lot through quotes such as Miguel Najdorf's "It’s not the pieces that matter, it’s the position", however, no one personally told me these. In all honestly, the best chess advice I have probably been given is to take breaks. Learning some advice that helped a Grandmaster could benefit my own game while also discovering more about what helped them in their career.
9. What is the best chess advice you could give?
You should always be looking for a way to improve, because there's always something new to learn.
Magnus Carlsen
While I am unsure if this is what Magnus believes is his best chess advice, I find this very fitting. Continuing on from the last question, I wonder if the best advice a Grandmaster had received would become the best that they then give others. I am curious as to whether they added to it. Perhaps the advice that helped the most was more specific to them, or maybe they would rather keep it to themselves.
10. What is the worst chess advice you have been given?
I wonder if the worst advice would be more about what was said, or who said it. I remember a random lady coming up to me once, giving me advice on the way I should breathe on stage. This was at a spoken word event, a week after I had won the spoken word state championship. I thanked her and took it on board, before chuckling to myself and going on my merry way.
In relation to chess, I have already witnessed a plethora of advice being handed out to Ding Liren and Gukesh Dommaraju (they have only played two games at the time of me writing this). There are so many comments on YouTube and Twitch from people who have lower Elos than Gukesh and Ding had when they were 8 years old. These comments pertain to advice such as "Gukesh should get better at time control" and this beauty "Ding Liren needs to work on not being so temperamental and gain more experience".
Everyone has their own playstyle. Paul Murphy was known for his romantic and daring tactics. Michael Tal was renowned for utilising aggressive and sharp attacks. Anatoly Karpov was known for his impenetrable defense and Capablanca was a master of positional play. It would be interesting to find out whether a Grandmaster's enjoyment of their own particular style would extend to a joy to play against it. They may feel like their style is more suited against an opposing style, or perhaps they love playing games that have certain dynamics found more when competing against a specific playstyle.
12. What is a fun fact about chess that most people haven't heard about?
I love hearing about little fun facts in the world of chess. Only last night, I found out that 'en passant' only became a rule around 250 years ago. This means that chess was played without this rule for over 1250 years! Speaking of the way pieces move, about a year ago I found out that the Queen has gone through many changes over the years. While chess was still in its infancy, the Queen could only move like a King. Later on, during the Medieval Period, the Queen received a major upgrade and could also move like a Knight on top of its current move set, before being changed to what we know today. I am certain that most Grandmasters would have heard many over the years and I could sit there for hours, listening to fun facts like these.
Now to bookend this section with a question about books. While my goal wasn't to answer these questions, I was curious about which books the three Grandmasters I dreamed of, listed as their favourite. Fascinatingly, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana all expressed their appreciation for My Great Predecessors by Garry Kasparov. Magnus Carlsen has stated several times that it was significant to his early development in chess. Also, in a blog asking Grandmaster's about their thoughts, it's only fitting to mention the book that Hikaru Nakamura recommends is titled "Think Like a Grandmaster" by Alexander Kotov. And while it was interesting to learn about some of their favourites, there are so many Grandmasters that have been inspired by other chess books that could be beneficial for chess enthusiasts to know about.
Tips to Improve my Chess Skills
14. How can I specifically improve at chess?
This question would be completely selfish. We all have different strengths and weaknesses in chess. While I'm aware that the deficiencies I have are predominantly because I haven't studied openings, it would be too broad and somewhat overwhelming for someone to just say "study all the openings". Furthermore, there would be many more issues that I have, which I wouldn't even know about. I'm not asking to be transformed into a Grandmaster, I would just love a few specific tips that I could use in friendly games. I don't need to be rebuilt into greatness, it would just be nice to hear how I can practically build on the skills that I already possess.
15. Can you please dumb everything you just said down for me?
My follow up question would surely be asking them to rephrase their answers, in a way that even a cantaloupe (fun fact: they are called rockmelons in Australia) could understand. I have a feeling that most of their advice would sound completely alien to me, because I doubt they would remember what it's like to be at my level. Also, in my defence, how could chess not sound alien? Even Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who was the president of FIDE (the International Chess Federation) for 23 years, believes that chess could have come from beings flying in a UFO.
After I feel my brain aching from the Grandmasters trying their best to explain chess to me, my blank stare would probably be enough for them to get the hint. If it wasn't, this question certainly might be. However, it would still be interesting to learn if Grandmasters have shortcuts (ones they wish they'd known when they began playing) that would help me, even if these improvements aren't completely instantaneous.
17. Which of my own games should I analyse?
99% of the time, I will only analyse my wins. I may have made a great move or two and I want to hear chess.com's automated voice praise me for these, rather than remind me of my consistent blunders. One might say that I could learn more by analysing my losses, in order to fix my mistakes. Yet on the other side of the coin, gaining confidence from recognition I receive for great and brilliant moves, can create a psychological edge. Either one could be the difference between winning and losing in critical moments. It is tough to decipher just how important psychology in chess is, when compared with general skill.
I have noticed that most Grandmasters play a lot of 3-minute blitz games (especially with the popularity that Titled Tuesday brought with it). I predominately play 10-minute rapid games, with my Elo in rapid being 300 higher than my blitz Elo. Knowing whether Grandmasters improved by playing blitz games, or if they are good at blitz because they were already great at chess, would help me in deciding which modes to play more of.
Questions I Would Ask Specific Grandmasters
Ian Nepomniachtchi
While in my dream Ian was initially uninterested in this question, he did end up responding to it respectfully. His answer was that he didn't feel there was a need for a Super Grandmaster status, as it would only diminish what a Grandmaster is. I would love to know if this is Ian Nepomniachtchi's true sentiments, or if he felt like there should be a distinction for the few players that are able to surpass an Elo of at least 2700.
20. Should the title of Super Grandmaster be attributed, based solely on a player's Elo?
This question may be dependent on how Ian Nepomniachtchi answers the previous question. I wonder if he believes that there is more to becoming a Super Grandmaster, than just a player's Elo. What many people don't understand is that, while the Grandmaster title was introduced by FIDE in 1950, they only officially adopted the Elo system for international rankings, in 1970. Ian may be more inclined to support the push for an official Super Grandmaster status, if other aspects like longevity or the amount of championships a player has won/ held are also considered.
21. Which world championship loss was hardest for you to accept?
I will admit that this question would be difficult to ask. Seeing Ian's devastation when he realised he was about to lose to Ding Liren is powerful, but it's also hard to watch. When Ian lost to Magnus Calrsen in 2021, although the first six games were close, Ian was, for the most part, outclassed from the moment he lost game 7. Whereas, against Ding Liren in 2023, he seemed poised to win, but then dramatically lost, from the jaws of victory in overtime. I wonder if it was more difficult for Ian to accept that he was the second-best player when he played Magnus, or accepting that the majority of the world believed that he was the better player against Ding Liren and yet he still lost.
Magnus Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen is known by most as the greatest chess player of all time, and yet, to this day he has continuously stated that Garry Kasparov is the GOAT. Recently, Magnus was put on a lie detector, and it showed, that he was lying. Now, whether you believe in the accuracy of lie detector tests or not, it still begs the question, if Magnus does believe he is better than Kasparov, why has he chosen to keep that to himself? Does it come down to humility and his profound respect for Kasparov, or after all of these years, does a part of him still believe that Kasparov is the greatest?
Fabiano Caruana
As Fabiano Caruana was in my dream, it's only fair to include a question about him. Fabiano is a big advocate for both physical and mental health and swears by yoga, swimming, squash and exercising at the gym. When I train, I will play a few games of chess while on the treadmill. I wonder if Fabiano does the same, or whether he uses his gym time as a break from chess. I'd like to imagine that he plays against the most difficult bot on the treadmill, while running as hard as he can. Perhaps he plays a few treadmills simultaneously, going from one to another in succession while onlookers look on in amazement. Either way, he seems like such a calm person, so it would be great to understand his approach more.
Vladimir Kramnik
24. What makes cheating so interesting to you?
Vladimir Kramnik seems to be on a crusade, and at this point he has accused countless players under the guise of calling their moves 'interesting'. At this point, I can objectively say that some of his accusations could be correct, while many are quite wrong. Regardless of which side you are on, I am interested to know the 'why'. I want to know if there was a specific moment that inspired Kramnik to stand up for what he believes in, or if these thoughts slowly accumulated, until he couldn't stand idly, anymore. A third option, which would be the most interesting of the lot, is that it isn't personal at all and Kramnik is just really curious about the how's, the who's and the why's of cheating. Perhaps it's a puzzle he is very publicly attempting to solve, with missing pieces and all.
This is another question I would love to ask. By now, Vladimir Kramnik would have discovered many methods of cheating, while attempting to catch others. My morbid curiosity would love to find out which way he would use to cheat. Furthermore, if we are to believe that there are as many cheaters in chess as he states (that are getting away with it), would that also mean, that he believes the method he chooses would fool everyone else?
Judit Polgár
There is no question that Judit Polgár is an inspiration. Sadly, I have noticed that when somebody wants to share their opinion about women in chess, they often use Judit as a Pawn. This is regardless of whether their intentions are about proving it is possible for women to be successful in chess, or to suggest that she is just an anomaly. Throughout the years, many Grandmasters have shared their thoughts in relation to Judit Polgár. Boris Spassky stated that "Women are not made for chess... they have no intuition for it". Garry Kasparov said "I believe women are no match for men in chess. Polgár is an exception, but she is just one woman", and when asked about Judit Polgár, Nigel Short mentioned that, "Men and women’s brains are hard-wired very differently... we should just gracefully accept it as a fact".
In-Depth Questions
27. Do you have weird chess dreams?
Many chess players have discussed how they can imagine chessboards/ pieces floating above them, or on the ceiling. While I don't imagine that they dream about hanging out at Ian's mum's house, it would be fun to know what their chess dreams are like. Would they be analysing a position, replaying a past game or even having a nightmare about a future match up? Perhaps they are a lonely chess piece in Zugzwan, waiting to make a move...
28. Did becoming a Grandmaster spoil your illusions about what it takes to become a Grandmaster?
While of course every Grandmaster has spent countless hours on this quest, some would have achieved this feat more easily than others. I wonder if the feeling of accomplishment in achieving this incredible goal for some Grandmasters, turned into "Was that it?". On top of this, I wonder if the initial joy they felt was outweighed by the existential crisis of not knowing what was next.
29. Do you feel like a Grandmaster?
We hear a lot about the latest youngest Grandmasters, reaching this lofty goal at a younger age than when I received my pen licence (apparently this is only something that happens in Australia, the UK and New Zealand. A pen license is a certificate a student receives when their teacher believes that their handwriting is neat enough to use a pen, rather than a pencil which can be erased. My teachers never gave me one 
but I digress...). However, it is almost impossible for a player to become a Grandmaster after the age of 30 nowadays. It makes me wonder if these players, and other Grandmasters who took a longer road to reach this title, have developed an imposter syndrome, where their self-doubt lingers and they don't truly believe they are a Grandmaster, irregardless of all the evidence that proves otherwise
I will be the first to admit that I don't understand chess engines. I am not technologically savvy. I couldn't even cheat if I wanted to. Currently, Stockfish has an estimated Elo of 3642. This is staggeringly over 800 more elo than the current world number one, Magnus Carlsen. While many top players are employing ultramodern, engine-inspired strategies, like pushing flank Pawns and sacrificing pieces for a long term positional advantage, it's still important to understand that not every engine strategy is applicable when facing a human, and thus need to be adapted. I have heard Hikaru Nakamura state that all top players use the same super-computer when preparing for tournaments, and I am interested to know how they analyse these computer lines and then decide which would be more likely to work against other humans.
31. Has or will chess be solved?
I would be excited to hear the Grandmasters' take on this. My friend believes that the biggest reason chess hasn't been solved yet is because the Knights are too unpredictable. While Knights are the only piece that can jump over other pieces, I don't believe they would be anywhere near the biggest factor, because they can only reach a maximum of eight squares per move, while pieces like the Queens can reach a maximum of 28 squares per move. I, however, have a hot take that chess has already been solved in the sense that the perfect moves will always result in a draw. Anything different involves playing moves that aren't optimal (but are played to take opponents out of theory and to create chances of winning through imbalances).
To put solving chess as a whole into perspective, there are far more possible chess games that would use different positions than there are atoms in the entire universe (around 10^120, or a 1 followed by 120 zeros, compared with an estimated 10^80 atoms in the universe). This number is so large that we don't even have an official name for it yet! Great Britian has named it a Vigintillion. However, Americans decided to use that word for 10^63 instead, because they love to do things differently. I mean, they've refused to use the Metric System, Celsius, Litres and Kilograms, so why would they decide to use the same number scales? I'm surprised they didn't name it '472 million Blue Whales', or '281 million American Football Fields'. But hey, a universal system might take longer for humanity to solve than every variable in chess, so let's move on.
I wonder about Grandmasters' short-term and long-term ways that have helped them with their emotions in chess. Some may have a ritual they follow before a game, or a specific item of clothing that they wear. I would like to imagine that Ian Nepomniachtchi and Magnus Carlsen go to Fabiano Caruana's yoga classes in matching yoga pants. Perhaps they all go on spiritual retreats, where they tell each other words of affirmation around a campfire, while the scent of jasmine, sandalwood and saffron fills the air.
33. How do you deal with the stress and strain of chess?
When Kumbaya's and Chakra readings don't work, I wonder what a Grandmaster does to help alleviate their stress, whether it be before, during or after games. I am curious if they own any chess self-help books, and if these have indeed helped. There are several out there, and one in particular that I actually made light of in my blog about the Seven Deadly Sins in Chess. It is titled "Chess for Zebras: Thinking Differently About Black and White" by Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson. I was initially disappointed to learn that Zebra's weren't secretly learning how to play this beautiful game. However, I am pleased that it's there to support people (and still maybe Zebra's) with mental and psychological resilience, so that we all can earn our stripes.
34. If you could make one change to the game of chess, what would it be?
I feel like this question would be fun because you would either get serious answers like "Stalemate should be a loss for the trapped player", or you might get more outlandish thoughts like "You receive one 'Get out of jail free' card each game, to be used when you are in Zugzwan", or even "If you run out of time, you don't lose, but your opponent gets to make your next move".
The International Olympic Committee had already stated that chess is a sport all the way back in 1999, and yet it still isn't an Olympic sport. Chess is extremely popular around the world, and if they have included sports like breakdancing and the horse long jump, among others, why would chess not be included? Magnus Carlsen stated previously that it would give chess more prestige (interestingly, Kasparov believes that it would diminish the intellectual prestige of chess), while on the other hand, Magnus suggested that the Olympics already has too many sports as it is. I would like to know more opinions from a range of Grandmasters to see if there is a consensus in whether chess at the Olympics should move forward.
36. Is it easy for you to find love?
This question intrigues me because there is a stereotype around chess players that suggests they are socially awkward and in no way romantic. This is believed even though the majority of Grandmasters are in relationships. Furthermore, most of the ones that aren't, also aren't legally allowed to drink yet. However, it doesn't mean that there is no truth to it, as Grandmasters might just have better luck than the average chess player. I would also be interested to learn if they have time for love, or if their dedication to chess puts a strain on any potential relationship.
37. What is your opinion of Fischer Random chess (Chess960)?
Chess960 is called this because there are 960 different valid starting positions. The likes of Bobby Fischer, Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov and Levon Aronian have praised its creativity and the excitement that it brings. Vladimir Kramnik, Anatoly Karpov and Viswanathan Anand have criticised its lack of history, strategy and depth. Chess960 has continued to grow in popularity and yet is still considered a niche alternative to traditional chess. Asking Grandmasters their opinion on this would also give a good indication as to what they value more out of creativity and improvisation, or the depth that goes in opening theory.
38. What is your favourite chess game and why?
I would be curious to know if a Grandmaster would pick one of their own games, or perhaps they would choose one of their idol's games. If it was their own, was it because of the stakes involved? It could have been the game that propelled them to Grandmaster status, or won them a major championship. Maybe they have their own immortal game, or had put on a positional masterclass, feeling like they played almost flawlessly. After hearing about a game that meant so much to a Grandmaster, it would be great to then be able to look back at it with a newfound appreciation.
39. Which Grandmaster do you think is cheating?
I know this one is spicy! I have heard many times that Grandmasters talk to each other about who they suspect of cheating. Some Grandmasters are just more open about sharing it, while others don't want to be sued for $100 million. Perhaps their opponent played a computer looking move. Maybe their rating had suddenly spiked up. They could have possibly been spending significant amounts of time in the bathroom, at chess tournaments, during critical moments. Whether these Grandmasters are right or wrong about who is cheating, it would be interesting to find out who their suspects are.
40. Which Grandmaster do you not get along with?
This was the nicest way I could word this question. In any environment you are in, there are going to be people that you like, and others that you just don't get along with. Bobby Fischer once said “I think Spassky is a paranoid, insecure man. He’s weak mentally and emotionally, and this will be his downfall”. Kasparov claimed that “Karpov is a liar. He lies even when he doesn’t need to" and Hikaru Nakamura once stated that “Magnus is probably the most arrogant player I have ever met. He thinks he's always right, and he often is, but that doesn't make him humble". How much of these statements were due to two Grandmasters having a rivalry, and how much it was just a case of people not liking each other?
41. Are chess books still needed now that we have powerful chess engines?
Now to bookend this section with a question about books (It's funny because I'm reusing the joke I ended General Questions with. Funnier still that bookends usually come in pairs). In some ways, this question is asking Grandmasters whether it is more important to know the 'how' or the 'why'. Chess engines are interactive and know more about any position than an author of a chess book. There is a complexity to chess engines and a simplicity to chess books, which could mean that chess books are becoming too simple for modern chess. It's a big reason some new chess books are adding QR codes and relying on engines more. Once a player has a basic understanding in the fundamentals of chess, it could be argued that there isn't much use for chess books. It makes me wonder if Grandmasters continue to read new chess books. Furthermore, would they admit it If they don't? They may have released (or are planning to release) their own chess books, so to state anything negative about chess books would be bad marketing.
Miscellaneous and Obscure Questions
42. Have you ever giggled about the word 'Pawn'?
When I was 14 years old, I wrote an assignment about chess in school, and in that, I spelt the word Pawn wrong. I remember my English teacher showing the 50-year-old receptionists. They all had a good old laugh before my English teacher finally corrected my spelling. I wonder if Grandmasters (especially with how young they are becoming) once had a bit of a chuckle about this word.
Please note that I have attempted to keep this as clean as possible, which was quite challenging when related to a game that involves mating and openings. I am eager to learn if Grandmasters use, or have heard any lines such as "This will be a Knight to remember", "I hope you're ready for my next move" or "If my Rook was hanging, would you take it?". However, what I do know is that Magnus Carlsen definitely has, and his positional awareness was incredible!
While this might seem like a general question, there are so many ridiculous ways this could be answered. I wonder which Grandmasters would answer in a practical manner, which would responds more philosophically, and who would be so perplexed and dumbfounded by being asked 'What is chess?' by someone who recognises them, that they would reply to it in a fittingly ludicrous fashion.
45. Do you look down on people who refer to Knights as horses or Rooks as castles?
The language of chess is a powerful tool, and learning it will help you to think and communicate better.
Jonathon Rowson
While Grandmasters may find it important to learn the proper terminology in order to improve in chess, I wonder if there is any distain or judgement towards people who use the wrong terms. I say 'wrong terms' loosely and am genuinely unsure of how a Grandmaster would feel, because chess pieces have been given different names around the world. For example, in Turkey, Rooks are called Castles and Knights are called Horses. In Poland, a Knight is called a Jumper (Skoczek), and in Russia, a Rook is called a Boat/ Ship (Ладья). For the most part, chess terminology is consistent around the world, albeit with a few minor variations. It would be fascinating to learn which Grandmasters have reservations in regards to people who use different terms.
46. How does the Knight move?
This was a question Andrea Botez famously asked Magnus Carlsen in a press conference, after game 5 of the World Chess Championship, in 2021. Magnus responded light-heartedly, stating "That's a good question. It generally moves like an L, and sometimes in Blitz games can be very unpredictable". Hikaru Nakamura was outspoken in saying that this question should not have been asked (at the World Championships). However, this was actually an inside joke between Magnus and Andrea, as he had previously asked her how Knights move as a hint, during a friendly online blitz game they played together. Many people wrote that it was ruining the game of chess. They were told by Andrea to "Take the L so you know how the Knight moves". Yet, the internet also began to question this very sentiment, wondering why Magnus claimed that the Knight 'generally moves like an L', suggesting that Grandmasters know something about how the Knights move, that regular players don't. I believe it is important to ask more Grandmasters about how Knights move, to get to the bottom of it
47. Why is it called pushing pawns when you lift them?
Speaking of chess terminology, I want to hear a Grandmasters take on this. There are rook lifts in chess when we lift our rooks, so when we lift our pawns, shouldn't we also be calling that a pawn lift? I have never seen anyone physically push a pawn, so it makes me wonder if this term was solely used on the basis that there are no ways to pull pawns.
48. How do you feel about people who have claimed that chess is racist?
In 2020, something massive happened that changed the world's landscape as we know it. That's right, I am talking about when an Australian radio station made a phone call to John Adams (a former member of the Australian Chess Federation) to ask him whether chess was racist, because white moves first. The news of this spread like an epidemic, making front page headlines and being blasted on every channel in Australia. This story even made it onto Fox News in America. John Adams wrote "Trust the taxpayer funded national broadcaster to apply ideological Marxist frameworks to anything and everything in Australia!". A quote from Sky News stated that "We're all just Pawns in a bigger game", and former World Champion Garry Kasparov shared his sentiments on it, writing "If you are worried that the game of chess is racist, please take up Go, where black moves first, instead of looking foolish by wasting taxpayer money at a state broadcaster to 'investigate' it!"
It should be noted that white always moving first was only proposed in the mid to late 19th century, with British and American chess codes agreeing in 1897. This rule was only officially standardised by FIDE in 1931. It would be interesting to hear more Grandmasters speaking about the significance, or lack thereof, of white moving first, as well as their feelings towards the sentiment that white moving first could be seen as a form of racism.
49. If you could be any piece in chess, which piece would you be and why?
I would personally want to be a Rook, as who hasn't wanted to be strong and sturdy? People would actually want to visit me, and I already have my walls up in life, so it's about time I put them to use. I would be curious to hear from Grandmasters and see what perspectives they have. Perhaps they would choose a Queen because of her versatility, a King because of his authority, a Bishop because of its faith, a Knight so you can horse around or a pawn because of its potential to grow.
50. In Chess960, do they shuffle the Pawns too?
While I objectively know that there are 960 starting positions in Chess960, which means that the Pawns aren't shuffled. However, when you really think about it, all Pawns are shuffled in the grand scheme of things, so I would like to believe that they go through the same process in this format too. Furthermore, I want to ask this question because, just being told that the Pawns are shuffled in Chess960 by one Grandmaster would make my whole year.
51. What do you believe are the primary ingredients needed to become a Grandmaster?
While I don't know the recipe to become a Grandmaster, what I can tell you is that they are cooking. I wonder if they would blend their talent with hard work, mix in some study and resilience, stir in positional understanding, add a pinch of adaptability, a dash of passion, and then serve it up with a big helping of experience. Perhaps they would say they aren't born, but bread - rising to the occasion. And maybe, just maybe, I would be asked to leave the playing hall before I have the chance to ask them another petulant question.
52. What is your favourite chess joke?
Over the years, I have heard some great chess jokes. Three of my favourites are "What did the grandmaster do when the big tournament was stressing him out? He took the Knight off", "I beat a chess Grandmaster in only three moves... turns out he's awful at karate" and "Two guys are playing chess. One says to the other, 'How about we make this more interesting?' So they stopped playing chess". I would absolutely adore hearing some chess jokes from Grandmasters.
Final Thoughts
Thank you all for reading this blog. I would love to know which your favourite questions were, or if you have questions of your own that I hadn't listed. With the amount of questions I ended up having, I can now understand why Ian, Magnus and Fabiano weren't so thrilled to answer any in my dream. Just Getting This Off My Chest was good for me. Hopefully it's out of my system now, so if I ever dream about a Grandmaster or three again, I should be able to just play retro videogames with them while enjoying snacks and juice.
