Mental strategies this chess grandmaster uses
- Author: Maurice Ashley
- Word Count: 263
Read the news article
Imagine sitting down for six hours of back-to-back college final exams for nine days in a row with Mental strategies. That’s what playing in a professional chess tournament is like, according to chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley. The only difference is in chess, “the finals fight back,” Ashley tells CNBC Make It.
And no matter how much Ashley prepares, his opponent “figure[s] out how to out-prepare me,” he says. “It’s like a battle royal.”
Ashley is an international grandmaster, which is the highest title a chess player can achieve. In 1999, he became the first Black person to achieve the title of grandmaster, and today he is a chess commentator and coach.
Mental strategies this chess grandmaster uses
The game of chess requires intense mental concentration and stamina, especially at the elite level, where thousands of dollars of prize money is on the line.
“You have to try to control your emotions under that intense pressure as well, because you know if you lose this game, that can be your livelihood,” Ashley says. Although chess players seem calm and composed in their demeanor, it requires a lot of mental work to think ahead and stay present.
Even now as a chess broadcaster, Ashley says he has to keep track of multiple games at a time, and process what’s happening in real time. “Your brain has to be fresh for hours,” he says.
So, what Mental strategies, tips and tricks help Ashley stay in the game?
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE ON CNBC
Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on LinkedIn
Speaker Listing
Further articles you may enjoy:
- (13)
Why Teams and Employees Resist Change: Understanding the Dynamics and Overcoming the Barriers Change is an inevitable force in the modern workplace. Companies restructure, policies shift, technologies evolve, and markets fluctuate. Despite change being constant, teams often respond with hesitation or even outright resistance. Leaders who fail to understand the root causes behind this resistance […]
- December 9, 2024
- (46)
Why Speakers Inc is the Top Speakers Bureau in California and Orange County When it comes to selecting the perfect speaker for an event, the choice can significantly impact its success. In the competitive world of event planning, the right speaker can captivate an audience, spark meaningful conversations, and leave a lasting impression. This is […]
- August 6, 2024
- (2)
A couple of weeks ago I was in Orlando for a talk. And, the night before I was sitting at the hotel restaurant grabbing some dinner. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that there was a basketball game on the tv at the bar and I knew the THE 3 C’S OF […]
- January 14, 2023
- (13)
The Cost of Neglecting Customer Experience in today’s competitive events industry, customer experience (CX) has emerged as a defining element of success. Event planners and bookers are no longer evaluated solely on logistics or creativity; instead, they are judged by the overall experience they provide—from the first point of contact to the post-event follow-up. Neglecting […]
- April 23, 2025
- (11)
The move from individual contributor to people manager is more than just a title change. It’s a fundamental shift in how you create value. Where you were once measured by the quality of your own work, you’re now responsible for the success of others. And that shift comes with a whole new set of rules […]
- September 2, 2025
- (20)
Hi, I’m Zion Clark. My journey has been filled with challenges that have tested my limits physically, mentally, and emotionally to Building Unbreakable Mental Strength to Overcome Life’s Challenges . One thing I’ve learned through it all is that mental strength is what separates those who give up from those who keep pushing forward, no matter […]
- November 3, 2024
- (32)
Generosity is an interesting beast. As a charity CEO, I have seen it expressed in many different ways. The best kind of generosity comes with warmth and good old NSA – no strings attached. This kind of generosity is glorious to witness and is the backbone of charity work all over the world. The worst […]
- January 16, 2023
- (2)
Power-Ups That Will Help You Reach the Next Level There is something nostalgic about playing video games. With most games, your objectives involve jumping over obstacles, dodging enemy attacks, and collecting the power-ups you’ll need to advance. In real life, stepping on turtles and eating random mushrooms is never a good idea. Still, these video […]
- May 4, 2023
