Becoming a chess champion is not an easy road.

History shows us that in order to get to the top one

needs to work hard and invest a lot of time into chess training and preparation. Some people support
the idea that everyone can become a chess champion. While this is partially true, not everyone is fit with
the same conditions and willingness to make it to the top. For example, everyone wants to achieve a
high rating and the Grandmaster title, but the question we should ask: is everyone willing to do what it
takes? In this article, we are going to list some of the traits every chess champion has.

1. Passion for the game

In order to achieve the ultimate goal, you must have an enormous passion for the game. The road to the
top is extremely tough and is full of disappointments. It is very hard to imagine that one will achieve
excellence without enjoying the journey. Top players are crazy about chess; they talk about it every hour
and every moment with enthusiasm.

2. Ambition

Chess is an individual game; in order to succeed a player must want it with all his heart. Fischer used to
say that chess is a war over the board. This idea stresses his personal desire to overcome every
opponent he had.

3. Hard work

It is needless to say that, for reaching his goals, a player must train a lot. An immense amount of hours
dedicated to books, studying openings and searching for novelties must be put in.

4. Patience

No matter how many hours you have trained, sometimes the results don’t show immediately. It has
been indicated by many strong Grandmaster before their explosion that they did not have any
outstanding results. One must have patience, not only over the board but also in their chess journey.
Strong Grandmasters are not so focused on the immediate results but rather on the form and strength
of their own play. The key is to keep improving every day.

5. Strong character

This is an important aspect in life of a chess competitor. Many good players don’t go up to the next level
because they lack either ambition or a strong character that leads their way up. There are famous
players like Korchnoi, Kasparov, and Fischer whose common trait was that they had an incrediblely
strong character and they reflected it on the board.
6. Fighting spirit

The will to win is very important and one characteristic is that not everyone has it. It is difficult to
explain this, you either have it or you don’t; it is not a matter of age or even chess ability. It is a matter
of wanting to win regardless of who your opponent is or what piece color you are playing with.

7. Personality

One common thing about strong players is that they have a totally unique personality and they always
want to impose their style. They can be looking at the same position, but defend different points of
view. They prefer to be the leaders, not followers.

8. Confidence

It is always impressive to see a great player bouncing back after a poor performance. This is a
demonstration of self-confidence and absolute belief in himself and his quality of play. This aspect is
very important in high-level competitions. Players with low self-esteem are more inclined to not recover
easily from a loss in a tournament.

9. Ability to focus

Winning is everything; a champion doesn’t let anything distract his attention from his goals. They take
their job very seriously and avoid anything that could keep them from demonstrating their maximum
potential.

10. Adaptation

Champions have the ability to adapt quickly to difficult situations and overcome the problems that could
arise. It could be a schedule, a long trip before the game, anything that could potentially affect their
play; they will find a way to make the best out of it and turn it to their favor instead of accepting
“defeat”.