“It’s quite difficult for me to imagine my life without chess.” Garry Kasparov At five, my parents introduced me to chess. I loved the game but forcing chess over passions like basketball quickly resulted in disgust. However, when I moved from Cleveland to Cincinnati my interest in basketball diminished due to negative coaching experiences. Freshman year, to avoid basketball, I joined the chess team. I enjoyed chess once again, but it was only during the midst of my junior year did my amusement develop into ambition. I competed at the Cincinnati Chess Club until 10 pm each Thursday. On Fridays, I drove an hour to Dayton to battle in tournaments until midnight. Initially, Dayton overwhelmed me. I suffered devastating losses with few or no triumphs. As my losses grew, chess matured into an obsession. I followed live analysis from Grandmaster Yasser Seirwan until falling asleep. Before class? Chess. A lecture wrapping up? Chess. Lunch? Chess. All my persistence paid off. I overcame competitors at both the Cardinal Open and Dayton. Finally, I reigned victorious. Chess reinforced the notion that nothing in life is free. You must fight for your passions. My interest in chess stems from the notion of endless knowledge. Alexander Bell’s quote, "When one door opens another door closes", mirrors the learning aspect of chess. You may understand one component of the game, but a new door flies open, instantly shattering your previous misconceptions. Long-term vision is a skill necessary to thrive in chess. It is not merely scanning ten moves ahead but also about analyzing the position of the pieces and creating a comprehensive plan. At higher levels, however, you may find you need both simultaneously. In addition to long-term vision, I succeed in chess due to my introversion. I train for countless hours undisturbed: never tired, bored, or lonely. I focus on grueling, five-hour games hearing nothing but the sound of pieces hitting the board. I reflect on results repeatedly attempting to minimize the weaknesses in my game. All towards pursuing my goal of becoming a Grandmaster. Moreover, I succeed due to my will to dominate my opponent. My unparalleled skill must show my opponent how far outmatched they are. I relish dismantling a much higher rated opponent. Why? I love to prove people wrong. When you have a low rating, people write you off, assuming you lack skill. However, unlike in other sports and games, chess ratings create an oppressive hierarchy. The year before winning the Cardinal Open, I asked players a mere 100 points above me to analyze together. They quickly shot me a look of inferiority and declined. Additionally, during my chess season, an opposing player avoided conversation with me until I crushed their teammate. These memories are why victories like the Cardinal Open feel extraordinary. In the final round of the Cardinal tournament, two gentlemen and I were fighting for first. I was playing against my former coach, who was rated two-hundred points higher than me. Suddenly, both gentlemen glimpsed at my game and agreed to a draw. Although their position did not favor any one player, there still were a lot of opportunities. Quickly creating motivation, I thought, Are they betting against me? I will make them regret it. I dismantled my coach and grinned, the horror of the men exposed on their faces. Grandmaster Bobby Fischer expresses my feelings perfectly: “I like the moment when I break a man’s ego.” Chess is more than a game. It has taught me to be a more focused, disciplined, and well-rounded student. It has also made me more patient and will continue to hone my analytical skills as a focus on a career in physics. In chess I always played the toughest opponents and never backed down from a challenge. This has taught me to be strong and always go for the most difficult challenges. In addition to this chess has improved my long-term thinking and planning, allowing me to better schedule my days and plan out my future. As an aspiring physicist and future world chess champion I always work to improve myself and grow beyond names such as Albert Einstein and Magnus Carlsen. These goals may seem lofty, impossible even. But if chess has taught me anything it's that something is only considered impossible because someone hasn't done it yet.