The Dark Side of Chess

Welcome to a new chess essay.

This time, we’re looking at the darker side of chess — and why some of the greatest players in history struggled so deeply away from the board.

From Paul Morphy and Wilhelm Steinitz to Bobby Fischer and Akiba Rubinstein, we look at the pressure, isolation, obsession, and support systems surrounding elite chess players — and why some managed to cope better than others.

0:00 INTRO
0:35 THE PHYSICAL COST OF THE GAME
2:01 THE SYSTEM THAT TAKES THE CHILD WHOLE
2:59 PAST AND MODERN EXAMPLES
5:56 WHAT IF IT'S NOT A CURSE
7:25 THE SUPPORT TEAMS
7:57 THE EXCEPTIONS AND WHY THEY SURVIVED
#chess #darkside #positiveandnegative