Estimating the Extent of Unfulfilled Great Potential in Chess
„I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody“ is a famous quote by ex-boxer Terry Malloy – played by Marlon Brando – in Elia Kazan’s film „On the Waterfront“ from 1954. In the film, Malloy regrets having squandered his boxing career by agreeing to fix a fight. But cheating aside, how much potential is wasted in chess, how many players could have become grandmasters had they been persistent enough? Psychologist and author Robert Howard, PhD, took a closer, analytical look. | Photo: Marlon Brando in 1950 | Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons