The Great Learn Young

An excerpt from Chess for Children.

You’re never too old to begin playing chess. You’re never too young, either. The young American Paul Morphy learned to play at home in New Orleans by watching his father and uncle play. In 1858, at age of 21, Paul visited Europe and convincingly beat the best players in the world.

See this list of world champions:

Wilhelm Steintz reigned as world champion from 1866 – 1894. He learned to play at the age of 12.

Emanuel Lasker was ten years old when taught to play by his older brother Berthold. Emanuel was world champion from 1894 – 1921.

Jose Raul Capablanca, born in 1888, was the best 4 year old player of all time. He quietly picked up the moves by watching his father playing with a friend. One day his father moved a knight not according to the rule and won. Young Jose amazed everyone by pointing out the error. His father was embarrassed. He challenged the boy to a game: the 4 year old won. A few days later Jose’s father took the little boy to his local chess club. By the age of 12, Capablanca was the leading Cuban master. He was world champion from 1921 – 1927.

Alexander Alekhine was not yet 12 when he started to play. As a boy he played many games by letter. He was world champion from 1927 – 1935 and from 1937 – 1945.

Max Euwe was taught by his mother when he was 4. He won his first tournament at 10.

Mikhail Botvinnik learned to play at the age of 12. The next year he won his school championship. He was world champion from 1948 – 1957, 1958 – 1960 and also from 1961 – 1963.

Vassily Smyslov had a good grasp of the game by the time he was 6 and 1/2. He was world champion from 1957 – 1958. In 1984, at the age 62m he reached the final four of the world championship elimination cycle.

Tigran Petrosian was not yet 9 when he learned the moves by watching the play at the officers’ club where his father was a caretaker. Tigran was world champion from 1963 – 1969.

Bobby Fischer was taught by his sister when he was 6. He became United States champion when he was 14 and an international grandmaster (GM) at 15. He won the world title in 1972, but failed to agree to conditions for defending it in 1975.

Mikhail Tal watched his father’s medical patient playing in the waiting room. By the age of 10 he had won at school a diploma for chess. He was champion from 1960 – 1961.

Boris Spassky was world champion from 1969 – 1972. He learned to play when he was 5, as an evacuee from the besieged city of Leningrad.

Anatoly Karpov became world champion from 1975 – 1985. Like Capablanca he learned to play at the age of 4. Although he lived in an isolated, mountainous part of Russia he made steady progress. He was Russia master at 15, GM at 19, and world champion at 23.

Gary Kasparov, world champion from 1985 – 1993, learned to play at the age of 6. He is still the highest chess ELO rating holder 2812.