Is it too late to get serious about chess.

I am currently 20 and I am planning to play some otb events but before that I wanna clear this that is it too late to get serious about chess can I reach master level at this point looking for some views on this topic thanks happy.pngand also can you mention some examples of players who started late thanks :)

If I have the power to make this decision for you by offering my opinion or some examples of other people who have achieved what you are asking, you should walk away from the idea right now and find a different path in life.

If you are a dedicated person and willing to spend hours on analyzing, playing, practicing, and studying, then I guess yes.
Make sure to not let chess become your life, though (unless you're looking to get a title or play in tournaments constantly).

IM/GM might be tough but 20 isn't really that old. I started at 28 and am relatively decent after about a year and a half. Just a matter of how you approach your improvement and how much time you can put in.

If you're going to be a master, it will take you several more years of concerted effort. You and you alone. Thus there is no point whatsoever in asking a bunch of random people what they think your chances are.

If you were to ask a bunch of people online: "Hey, do you think I should try climbing Mt Everest?" most of em would probably say: "Sure, why not? Go for it!" After all, it's not like they're gonna be the ones getting the frostbite.

It's also a bit like asking somebody out for a date. The only way to do it is to do it; and asking a bunch of your friends what they think your chances might be is just killing time.

@MrPushwood said in #5:
> If you're going to be a master, it will take you several more years of concerted effort. You and you alone. Thus there is no point whatsoever in asking a bunch of random people what they think your chances are.
>
> If you were to ask a bunch of people online: "Hey, do you think I should try climbing Mt Everest?" most of em would probably say: "Sure, why not? Go for it!" After all, it's not like they're gonna be the ones getting the frostbite.
>
> It's also a bit like asking somebody out for a date. The only way to do it is to do it; and asking a bunch of your friends what they think your chances might be is just killing time.
I just wanna hear some views on this topic sir nothing else but yea you are also right I agree with you :)

You might want to read "Chess Master...at Any Age" by Rolf Wetzell. It is a different opinion than the mainstream.

Studies show it takes about 10,000 hours of study to become a chess master. The older you get the slower your brain absorbs new concepts and thus the total hours invested grow as we age. That does not mean you cannot do it... but most people grossly underestimate how much work it actually takes to become a chess master by a significant margin. It isn't something people become without treating chess like a job (unless you are young kid).

Each person has their own point of view in chess, according to taste and seriousness

@Bunny_GM
Simply not. Do you think that a newborn should play OTB tournaments else it's too late for one! That's illogical.
If you have will and determination, you can decide to be serious about chess.
Larry Kaufman, Akiba Rubinstein, Andor Lilienthal were late bloomers who started playing OTB chess in late 20s. Alexander McDonnell began serious chess at the age of 27.