Max Warmerdam (23) is one of the three Dutch people who will participate this week in the Masters of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, which is also seen as the ‘Wimbledon of chess’. Unlike many others, the Tilburg Economics student is not a full-time professional. “I might have succeeded if I had started playing chess seriously sooner.”
The world top players in chess are full prof and don’t have to worry about money. Max is 112th in the world rankings, but does not only focus on the sport. As an Economics student, he often has his nose in the books. “I had exams before the Christmas holidays, so I was locked in the library for days. During the holidays and the following weeks I was able to prepare for the chess tournament, so for me I invested a lot of time in it.”
In the future, Max does not rule out focusing entirely on the sport. “I am currently satisfied with the combination of study and chess. I hope to complete my bachelor’s degree in a year and a half and then start a master’s degree. Then I decide what I’m going to do: a social career or professional chess.”
The Tilburg student is a late bloomer in chess, although he learned the rules from his father at the age of 5 and received chess lessons at primary school. “At the age of 12 I stopped playing handball and started spending more time on chess. At the age of 20 I was given the title of grandmaster. That seems young, but many of the current world top players were already that way around the age of 14. Compared to them, so I’m years behind.”
“They want to sweep me away as quickly as possible.”
Max made his debut at the Masters last week at the world-famous chess tournament. “Thirteen games of chess in just over two weeks is quite tiring, unlike my competitors, I am not used to that. A chess match requires a lot of concentration. I try to be in good physical shape, because endurance is important.”
In Wijk aan Zee, Max sits opposite chess players who are among the top in the world. In the first three matches he lost to the number five in the world, held the number six to a draw and defeated fellow countryman Jorden van Foreest. “I have little experience against world top players. On paper I am a small one, they would like to wipe them away as quickly as possible. I want to show that I cannot be beaten easily and I try to take my chances.”
Whoever is sitting opposite him, Max does not sit in his chair with his knees shaking. “You have chess players who are timid, but also guests who sit in front of you with a certain attitude. Or someone who deliberately arrives a little late in order to demand all the attention.”
“No matter what they do, I’ll stay cool.”
“There are also chess players who exert psychological pressure on their opponent. I have experienced someone making a blunder, but the opponent did not see it. The chess player with the mistake then started to sigh exaggeratedly to try to make the other insecure. You should not disturb each other, but that is a broad concept. Whatever they do at my table, I remain cool. You will never notice how I feel in a game.”