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Subject: Re: (OT) Why all the top chess players are from Russia ? (Ponomariov is)

Author: Vincent Diepeveen

Date: 11:12:19 01/23/02

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On January 23, 2002 at 12:36:45, Otello Gnaramori wrote:

>I don't remember if this was already debated here, but I would like some
>convincing answer to the above question.
>The Sovietic Chess School has made all the greatest chess players of this
>century, with few exceptions... what are the secrets of these outstanding
>performances in this discipline ?
>A very efficient selection mechanism or a Russian genetic predisposition ...?
>:)

ponomariov is from ukrain, not russia,
but apart from that . reason for success is so easy.

they get taught at grammarschool lessons. russia has 140MLN inhabitants.
ukrain will have less, but even if it's say 40 million inhabitants.

Suppose we can select best players out of a few milion kids a year,
how does that compare to 300 US kids or 100 new dutchkids playing
chess?

further this is most important: training is more serious in these countries
in the east.

national training is like 5 weekends a year in netherlands. USA i do not
know, but i could guess.

most kids do not have their own trainer in the west. in eastern states
all the kids have their own trainer usually. usually living not far
away either.

When i played some Ukrain kids in berlin not so long ago, every kids game
was watched by his trainer.

DURING the game. after the game he was there during analysis.

compare that to the west.

then the financial reward. a small 2550 GM, what can he earn. $1000 a month?
at most i guess. in the west that is. need 2600+ to get usually prices
like that nowadays.

but you can live half a year from it in the east.

professional training is the way to go.

>w.b.r.
>Otello



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