Explore Articles by GM Karthik
Thoughts on chess improvement, competition, and the psychology of the game.
Jocko Willink’s 5 Wake-Up Calls for a Better Day
Jocko Willink is more than a Navy SEAL — he’s pure discipline. These 5 wake-up calls will snap you out of excuses and into action. 1. Binary Code: The End of Overthinking Overthinking drains your time. It drains your energy. So stop debating and start deciding. Reduce every decision to
Unlocking Growth: How to Get Better at Chess
Everyone wants to improve at something. This desire has no ceiling. It’s true that, at times, the urge to boost our rating or win tournaments overshadows the pure intention to improve — but deep down, no one can honestly say they don’t want to get better. So, if the goal
What Really Separates Champions from the Rest
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “If only I were younger, maybe I could’ve chased my dreams…”? I never really bought into that idea — and I still don’t. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to passion and goals. Not in the way most people think. Sure, if you’re aiming
How to Handle Time Pressure in Chess Like a Pro
Did you know that 1 out of 4 players tend to get into time trouble during their games? I just made that number up — but hey, it could be true! Even the best among us sometimes end up in time trouble, and we don’t hesitate to complain: “I blundered
Understanding Tilt: How To Regain Control After A Loss (Part 1)
Tilt isn’t just something I’ve studied — it’s something I’ve lived. After a tough classical game, I’ve felt the frustration, the self-doubt, the urge to fix everything right now by jumping into another game. I used to think I could train myself out of it completely, like building some kind
How to Train for Consistency — In Chess and Life
My results in chess have always been a mystery to me. I don’t think an analyst could look at my past performances and accurately predict how I will play in an upcoming tournament. I’ve always wanted to be consistent and have often wondered why a small minority of players
“Rethinking Failure: It’s Not as Big as You Think”
How many times have you failed? Let me be more specific—how many times have you lost 20 or more rating points in a single event? I chose 20 arbitrarily, but for most chess players, that kind of drop feels like a disaster. Many of us have had these so-called “disaster”