Mental strategies this chess grandmaster uses

  • Author: Maurice Ashley
  • Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York 11218, United States
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:

  • (34)

How AI is Revolutionizing Customer Experience in the Workplace and in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a cornerstone for enhancing customer experience (CX). As companies strive to exceed customer expectations, AI tools are proving indispensable in delivering personalized, efficient, and engaging services. Experts like Jay Baer, Dan Gingiss, Brittany Hodak, […]

  • August 30, 2024
  • (10)

Speakers Inc is available to offer you our All American Speakers who offer Motivational Leadership keynotes to open or close your next leadership and medical event or conference. Speakers Inc is a leading All American Speakers Bureau for motivational speakers that delivers keynotes over 400 times per year. Our All American Speakers are available to […]

  • January 16, 2023
  • (7)

What Is Customer Experience? Why It’s the Business Strategy You Can’t Afford to Ignore In today’s ultra-competitive marketplace, your product or service alone isn’t enough to guarantee growth. What truly sets businesses apart now is the way they make people feel—before, during, and after a transaction. That’s where Customer Experience comes in. But before you […]

  • April 18, 2025
  • (7)

The power to Tap into Emotion is something that has a universal appeal and can breathe life into simple cold facts. Have you ever pitched something you knew was great, only to have it shot down? Of course you have. We all have. And though the rejection might be devastating in the moment, there’s a […]

  • December 14, 2022
  • (11)

The old saying, “What got you here won’t get you there,” applies to your professional life today with One Skill You Need. The world is quickly changing as well as the competitive landscape. Whether you are running a business or trying to increase your career equity, ramping up One Skill You Need set is important. […]

  • May 18, 2023
  • (5)

IT’S A NORMAL DAY ON ALIWAL SHOAL. ABOVE TWENTY DEGREES CELSIUS,  BLUE WATER WITH SMALL PARTICLES, A LITTLE BIT OF A CURRENT PUSHING, WE DRIFT ALONG WITH IT, WAITING FOR THE SHARKS… (THIS IS THE STORY OF MY FIRST EVER FREEDIVE WITH SHARKS) It’s a clear blue sky, warm air and a slight breeze- winter […]

  • December 8, 2022
  • (4)

On a recent flight, at almost every stop along the way, the airline I had chosen reminded me that I was flying with “the best” So can you over-compliment your CX team. Airport signage told me…the CEO appearing on the pre-flight safety video told me…the flight attendant announcements told me…well, you get the picture. The […]

  • December 23, 2022
  • (2)

A few months ago, the National Safety Council had me as the closing keynote speaker on the acceleration of risk for their massive annual conference – and I spoke to a few thousand safety professionals on issues surrounding new, emerging. Including a story of what happened when Rosie the Robot from the Jetsons went rogue! […]

  • January 10, 2023

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025.  Designed using Voxel