Road to Grandmaster – Part 2 Over the last 2–3 weeks, quite a few things have happened—some encouraging, some challenging. In this update, I'll share my training progress, my experience at a Grandmaster camp, my plans for finding a coach, and an update on the financial side of this journey. The Reality of Becoming a Grandmaster The Grandmaster title is one of the most difficult achievements in sports. Throughout history, only around 2,000 players have earned the title. I know this journey won't be easy. It requires years of disciplined work, significant financial investment, and countless hours of study. Because of my age, I may eventually have to pause this dream after the next 2–3 years if it doesn't work out. Chess demands a lot of sacrifices, and there comes a point where other priorities become equally important. That said, as long as I'm giving this dream a serious shot, I want to give it everything I have. My First Reality Check After publishing the first article in this series, one of my friends sent me a WhatsApp message: "Bhai, kuch bhi kar le, tu GM nahi banega." (Translation: "Whatever you do, you'll never become a Grandmaster.") Honestly, this didn't surprise me. Whenever someone starts chasing a difficult goal, there will always be people who project their own limitations onto others. Sometimes they don't even realize they're doing it. Practice Routine Over the past 15 days, I've had one of my better training periods. Most of my work has been focused on: - Over-the-board tactical puzzle solving - Endgame study through chess books - Blitz practice on Chesscom Currently, I'm studying: - Associative Thinking by Shereshevsky - Attacking Chess Workbook Part 2 by Sam Shankland Shankland's workbook is extremely challenging and is already pushing my calculation skills to another level. On the other hand, Associative Thinking has been an excellent book for improving my understanding of endgames and positional play. Apart from studying, I also played a large number of blitz games on Chesscom and recently reached my highest-ever Chesscom Blitz rating of 2848. My biggest weakness at the moment is opening preparation. Over the coming weeks, I plan to invest much more time in building a stronger and more reliable opening repertoire while also developing new ideas. If I had to rate my consistency over the last few weeks, I'd give myself: 7/10 Grandmaster Training Camp One of the highlights of the past few months was attending a 3-day Grandmaster training camp in Chennai. The camp was incredibly intense. There were only 5–7 participants, and we spent roughly: 5–6 hours every day in structured training sessions Another 3–4 hours playing blitz, analyzing games, and discussing chess By the end of each day, everyone was mentally exhausted. The biggest advantage of attending camps like these isn't just the chess knowledge. It's the environment. When you're surrounded by ambitious players working towards big goals, it naturally pushes you to work harder as well. The motivation becomes contagious. I'll definitely be attending more training camps over the coming months. The biggest takeaway for me wasn't a specific opening idea or endgame concept. It was confidence. For the first time, I genuinely felt that becoming a Grandmaster is possible. And if I can reach GM... Why can't I dream even bigger? Why not 2600? Why not 2700? Whether it happens or not is a different question, but believing it's possible changes the way you approach your work every single day. Finding a Coach One of my biggest priorities before the end of 2026 is finding a coach. Ideally, I'd like to work with someone I've trained with in the past since they already understand my strengths and weaknesses. If that isn't possible, I'll start exploring other options. Finding a strong coach isn't easy nowadays. Many top coaches are active professional players with busy tournament schedules, while others already have full coaching calendars. My goal is simple: Find a coach before December 2026 and build a long-term working relationship. Goals for the Next Few Months There are still several areas where I need to improve. The biggest one is maintaining complete focus during long training sessions. I can definitely become more disciplined and more consistent. My training priorities are: - Associative Thinking by Shereshevsky - Attacking Chess Workbook Part 2 by Sam Shankland - Improve my opening repertoire - Play more high-quality Chesscom blitz games - Increase overall consistency in daily practice Expenses & Support Many people have asked about the financial side of this journey. Current investment into my GM journey: ₹42,380 (approximately USD 445) Thank you for reading this and previous article. I hope readers also will get some motivation to do some chess practice. I would love to read your inputs.