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Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura: The four-time U.S. chess champion is a dominant player in the Blitz game variety, otherwise known as speed chess. Known for being a calm and collected player, Nakamura is also famous for singing during games and mentoring other players. [Illustration: Jacqui Oakley]Fabiano Caruana is the No. 2ranked chess player in the world. Fourteen years ago, he became the youngest American grandmaster, at age 14, beating a record set by chess legend Bobby Fischer. Still, the St. Louisbased Caruanawho trails Norways Magnus Carlsen by just 41 pointsinsists that hes a pretty normal guy. I like movies and sports, and Im not a genius . . . plenty of people have the same skill level or ability as me, he says. He credits his success to a strict training regimen and a strong work ethic. Heres how he keeps his mental tools sharp enough to stay one of the best in the royal game.

Five-time Canadian National Girls Champion Alexandra Botez began streaming her games while at Stanford.Now she manages the BotezLive Twitch and YouTube channels with her chess playing sister, Andrea, where they have more than 70,000 followers. [Illustration: Jacqui Oakley]Caruanas parents signed him up for a chess club in Park Slope, Brooklyn, when he was 5 years old. I was having some disciplinary problems at school, and they thought this could help, he says. After his coach noticed his potential, he began taking private lessons and competing in tournaments at the Marshall Chess Club, in Manhattan. Now, beginners can train on their own. Theres really great open-source software, so practicing at a high level is very accessible to people, he says, adding that the next few generations will be stronger than my generation because of that. As chess players gain a following on Twitch, he hopes that more kids will pick up the game (see below). However, he says, there are some practical skills that you get from years of playing in tournaments, like learning how to play in front of people and assess your opponent sitting in front of you, that you cant get in front of a screen. For Caruana, embracing the game involved some personal sacrifices, including being homeschooled after age 12 in order to devote more time to tournaments.

Anna Rudolf: The 33-year-old Hungarian player is an international grandmaster and woman grandmaster; she is known for her signature bright-red lipstick, which she wears while playing. Rudolf is popular with fans across the world, creating content in English, Spanish, and Hungarian. [Illustration: Jacqui Oakley]Prior to every match, Caruana studies the way his opponents play, looking at their moves from previous competitions on an online database. For help, he works with a chess coach, who helps me come up with a strategy for how to start my games and often offers a different perspective on how to approach a problem, which is really valuable. Caruana also relies on a coach for emotional support during tournaments. You want a coach that you click with. Its a personal thing, he says, explaining that its hard to talk about a tough chess game with friends, because they may not understand [the game] at such a high level, and they may not understand how tough it is for me emotionally. When I need to complain or talk to someone, I talk to my coach. Though he has made friends with other players and spends time with them on the circuit, he admits that it can be tough to get close to people he is constantly competing with. Outside of practicing chess, Caruana says its important for him to train physicallyhe plays tennis regularlyand decompress, which he does by watching movies. When you play chess for hours at a time, its easy to be mentally exhausted, and you actually burn a lot of calories playing. Its important to have an outlet for all the stress, and to do things where you dont think about chess at all.

Levy Rozman: The 25-year-old chess international master gained fame for breaking down the games played in the hit Netflix miniseries The Queens Gambit. A chess coach as well, he uses his content to educate viewers; he has also published full courses for players at all levels. [Illustration: Jacqui Oakley]According to Caruana, the difference between the very top players in the world and everyone else doesnt come down to ability or knowledge. Its a concentration thing, he says. Its having the ability and the stamina to focus for a long period of time. Although playing in front of an audience doesnt bother himhe has, after all, been competing since he was 6Caruana says that developing a winning mindset is key, especially after facing setbacks. When youre defending a bad position [on the board], its not fun. I get depressed. But you have to realize that your opponent could also make a mistake, he says. He has developed several strategies to change his outlook when hes in a tough spot. For instance, If I feel like Im fighting for something, its easier. I can decide to consider a draw a victory. I can also decide to make it as hard as possible for my opponent to finish off the game. I have to realize that I still have a chance.

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How chess champ Fabiano Caruana keeps his head in the game - Fast Company