The Law of Diminishing Returns (why people give up)
Rolf Wetzell’s fascinating foray into chess improvement
can also provide us some insight. His contribution takes the same ideas I
outlined above but adds a different spin. In addition to his rigorous
improvement techniques, he discusses his theory of the chess vase. This vase is
tapered at the bottom, and he likens the accumulation of chess knowledge to
filling up the vase. As you fill it up, the width of the vase quickly expands,
requiring more and more knowledge to raise its apparent volume. In other words,
the amount of knowledge needed to get from 1800 to 2000 may require doubling
your existing knowledge base. But getting from 2000 to 2200 may require doubling it again! Want to then achieve 2400? Take what you know at 2200 and triple it!
It is therefore easiest to improve in the beginning. You
will see gains quickly. But soon thereafter, you will need to keep doubling
your efforts to see progress at the same rate. Most people aren’t going to keep
that up, so after a while they get burnt out on chess and suddenly aren’t as
inspired as they once were.
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