Quote:
Originally Posted by Discipline
I think that his entire plan was to get from Class D to Expert as quickly as possible and then write a book about it. He quit because he couldn't risk dipping below 2000. Once the book sold well he lost interest in chess. That's just my take on it.
I knew Michael before he started his own study program. I was even the tournament director (or supervising a new TD) in several tournaments he played in in the summer of 1999. In fact, these were the first three long time control tournaments he played in (40/90, SD/60).
It's a bit absurd to think that an unrated player who went 2-8-2 in those twelve games was planning to publish a book, three years later, teaching others how to rapidly improve in chess, possibly becoming an Expert.
I'm sure Michael's studying, improving, and writing were an organic thing. Massachusetts has an excellent state chess magazine called
Chess Horizons. Michael's article,
400 Points in 400 Days first appeared in the January, 2001 issue of that magazine. Part 2 was in the next (April) issue. The book, which I haven't read, is an expansion on that.
I can't say why Michael stopped playing tournament chess. Though, his last rated tournament was his win in the U2000 section of the World Open. Presumably, the possibility of getting a book published (which happened the next summer) became very realistic and he focused on that.
Michael had no reason to fear his rating dropping below 2000. The guy won the Class A section of the World Open. That's a lot more impressive to most potential book buyers than a 2000+ rating.
Something unusual may have contributed to Michael spending so much effort on chess in such a short period of time and then stopping. Sometime in 2000 (possibly late 1999), Michael sustained a very bad broken arm. He had his arm in a sling for a very long time, maybe more than half a year. It was obvious that his arm was limiting what he could do physically. Chess, though, wasn't something a brokem arm would hinder.