Anish Giri: 7 Things We Can Learn From a Chess Grandmaster – TCW

If you are a chess enthusiast, you have probably heard of Anish Giri, the Dutch grandmaster who is currently ranked number 10 in the world. Anish is one of the top chess players in the world.

He is a four-time Dutch champion, a chess prodigy, and a social media star in the chess world, known for his witty and humorous online presence, often engaging in friendly banter with other chess personalities.

Giri is known for his deep opening preparation and precise style of play, his impressive opening repertoire, and his witty and insightful commentary. But behind his playful persona, there is a lot of wisdom and insight that any chess player can learn from.

1. Be versatile and adaptable.

One lesson we can learn from Giri is to be versatile and adaptable. Giri was born in Russia to a Nepalese father and a Russian mother. He moved to Japan when he was eight years old and learned Japanese.

He then moved to the Netherlands when he was 14 and learned Dutch. Anish Giri also speaks English, Russian, and some German. He has played in different countries and clubs in his chess career and has faced various opponents and styles. He has shown his ability to adjust to different situations and cultures, both on and off the board.

As we can see from his chess, this directly reflects in his games. Anish Giri is a very universal player, meaning he can play any kind of position and style. He is equally comfortable in sharp tactical battles as he is in quiet positional maneuvering. He can also switch between different openings depending on the situation and his opponent. This makes him very hard to prepare against and gives him a lot of options in every game.

As a chess player, you should strive to be versatile and flexible as well, and not limit yourself to one style or repertoire. You should be open to learning new ideas and concepts, and be ready to adapt to different circumstances.

2. Be ambitious and hard-working.

Another lesson we can learn from Giri is to be ambitious and hard-working. Giri became a grandmaster at the age of just 14 years making him one of the youngest grandmasters in history. He had a peak ranking of three in the rating list, at that time he had crossed the 2800 Elo rating barrier.

He has won several prestigious tournaments, such as the Reggio Emilia tournament in 2012, the Reykjavik Open in 2017, and the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in 2023.

Anish Giri has worked with several top coaches, such as Vladimir Chuchelov and Vladimir Tukmakov, and has studied chess extensively. He has shown his determination and dedication to achieve his goals and improve his skills.

3. Anish Giri enjoys the light side.

A third lesson we can learn from Giri is to be humorous and humble. Giri is known for his witty and self-deprecating tweets on Twitter, where he has over 275 thousand followers. He often jokes about his draws, his rivals, his sponsors, and himself.

Anish Giri also makes funny videos on YouTube, where he analyzes chess games, does interviews, and plays online chess.

He does not take himself too seriously and enjoys interacting with his fans and friends. He also respects his opponents and acknowledges their strengths.

4. Be curious and open-minded.

Giri is always eager to learn new ideas and concepts in chess, whether they come from books, engines, or other players. He is not afraid to experiment with different openings and variations, even if they are considered dubious or unconventional by the mainstream.

He also coaches the current set of prodigies to learn the maximum from them. It is important to remember that learning is a never-ending process and we shouldn’t limit our learning.

5. Anish Giri is creative and original.

Anish Giri is not only a strong player, but also a creative and original one. He often comes up with new ideas and innovations in his games, surprising his opponents and the spectators.

As a chess player, you should also be creative and original, and not just follow the trends or copy others. You should try to find your own voice and style and express yourself through your moves.

You should also seek to create beauty and harmony on the board and enjoy the artistic side of chess.

6. Be persistent and resilient.

Giri is one of the most hard-working and dedicated chess players in the world. He spends hours every day studying chess, analyzing his games, and preparing for his opponents. He also has a remarkable ability to bounce back from setbacks and disappointments, and he never gives up on his goals and dreams. This can be seen in his history with the Tata Steel Tournaments, after coming close and even finishing in 2^nd place several times, he never felt defeated by the tournament. For him, each edition of the tournament was a learning experience and this finally culminated in him winning the 2023 edition of the Tata Steel tournament.

7. Anish Giri is humble and respectful.

Anish Giri is not only a witty and humorous person, but also a humble and respectful one. He always acknowledges his mistakes and weaknesses and gives credit to his opponents when they play well. Anish Giri is also very polite and courteous to everyone he interacts with, whether online or offline.

He never insults or mocks anyone, even when he is joking or teasing them.

As a chess player, you should also be humble and respectful, and not let your ego or pride get in the way. You should always learn from your losses and mistakes and appreciate your wins and successes. You should also treat everyone with kindness and dignity, whether they are stronger or weaker than you.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Anish Giri is a remarkable chess player and person who can inspire us with his versatility, ambition, and humor. He is a role model for many chess enthusiasts and a great ambassador for the game. Each one of the top players has something unique to offer to us, chess players. We should learn from their positive mindset and approach to their games so that we can also become better players ourselves.

You might also like Fide Candidates Tournament – Anish Attack: Round 9 as well as Fide Candidates Tournament – Return of Giri: Round 11.