HOW TO BECAME A INTERNATIONAL MASTER IN TWO(2) YEARS.

I thought that was obvious, thus went without saying. Sorry. 

He means he'd have to travel a light year to find a planet uninhabited enough for him to be able to obtain their International Master title.

More irony please.

Before I got on this site, I had no idea there was any such thing as a chess title.

 Don't think he meant that. It's just that the schooling and environment is different. Anyway, intellect and chess ability are very weakly correlated.

And yet, its the Russian who understood and the American who did not.

Are you sure? I do hope so. I fear I've lost half of my brain cells over the years.

Nah, I really don't think (oxymoron) you can be completely stupid and a master chess player at the same time. If my beloved dog Bubba can be a master chess player, then I guess there is still hope for me.

Seriously, to hit 2200 requires a gift from birth. Music made sense to me for as long as I have been breathing and I've excelled in that art. The gift for chess has sadly not presented itself to me. Enrollment in a Russian chess school for two years will NOT take me to 2200. It doesn't work that way.

Finally, with regards to Russia, what tests did the adults administer to young children to determine which ones would do well in their chess schools? What test did young Gary Kasparov need to pass in order to qualify for chess education?

Not a single person boasting about how easy it is to make IM is an IM .... why does this NOT surprise me ?! 

Well, use the brain cells you have left and go searching for the others! 

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A Russian who moved to Germany devised a sytematic study for raising Elo based on the Russian system - and it is NOT 2200 in 2 years!

Build Up Your Chess - The Fundamentals by GM Artur Yusupov

Artur was ranked No. 3  in the world from 1986 to 1992, just behind Karpov and Kasparov. Artur was Viswanathan Anand's second in the World Championship Finals in New York, 1995. The preface is written by Vishy Anand.

Perspective

"In 2003 I began a 3-year training program in my chess academy. Three groups were set up according to playing strength: under Elo 1500, under Elo 1800 and under Elo 2100. Each annual stage consisted of 24 teaching modules and 24 tests, plus a final test at the end of the course.

At this point I must emphasize that just working with this book does not guarantee a rise in your rating. You should also play in tournaments, analyse your own games, play through well-annotated games of stronger players and read books on chess.

The reader will receive the necessary basic knowledge in six areas of the game - tactics, positional play, strategy, the calculation of variations, the opening and the endgame.

The reader will benefit from the methodical build-up in this book, even if some of the material is familiar, as it will close any possible gaps in his chess knowledge and thus construct solid foundations for future success." -   GM Artur Yusupov

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If I were in Germany, Artur would toss me in his under 1500 Elo class. Getting to Elo 2200 in two years?  No way. The more I study chess, the deeper the respect I have for titled players. They have mastered an extremely difficult sport.

I now own over 60 chess books and several instructional DVD's from GM's. In other words, I have a good chess library. Of all of my books, the one by Artur Yusupov offers the best chance for boosting my playing strength and, filling in the gaps.

It's said that chess is 99% tactics. Tactics trainer works for me, both here and at chesstempo, but what good are tactics if one doesn't know how to start and finish the game? 

Valid points.

Currently, Yusupov's book is the most systematic and thorough book in my collection for my level.

I do have a few exhaustive books on various aspects of the game, i.e., Silman's Complete Endgame Course.

Regarding books that claim to be comprehensive curriculums, minimizing gaps in my chess knowledge, Yusurpov's is the only one I own. I do have My System by Aron Nimzovich published by McKay Chess Library. I like his style of writing, however, I purchased an edition with descriptive notation. Nimzovich does not cover endgame, so it would not be the one book that I would take to a deserted island for one year to improve my chess. 

The publisher of Yusupov's book, Quality Chess, claims to have an improved translation of My System, where the book has not been toned down, but has kept all of Nimzovich's biting wit. I don't know if the book has algebraic notation, but I won't buy any more books with descriptive notation as it slows down the absorption of the material.

What is THE best publisher and edition for My System? I will buy it.

Does anyone else here have a favorite all-in-one chess book that covers all aspects of chess?

What I am getting at is this: It's tricky to know that I have all of my bases covered in my chess development with so many chess books out there claiming to do this and that. It's confusing. Yusupov makes the claim that six aspects of the game are covered. I truly don't know how many aspects there are to chess, but having one book take the place of six is progress!  

I understand that the Russians have a proven system in place that prepares children for competitive chess. Do we in America have a system (curriculum) in place to prepare children for competitive chess? I know we have scholastic chess, but that's for tournaments, not education. Pretty sure.

Ugh...a long post. Sorry.

I recommend My System and Chess Praxis printed in 2007 by Quality Chess publication. The print is clearer and larger compared to earlier publications, the book uses algebraic notation, and the new English translation is easier to read.

There is NO all-in-one chess book that covers all phases and aspects of the game well. You're going to have to get specific books and materials to cover all of them.

Finally, a chess curriculum can be simulated by paying for dedicated chess tutors and coaches for children as early as possible. In Soviet Russia, chess was part of the curriculum along with Math and Science starting from elementary school.

I have a better tip ... not need to read much at all ... dies and is born again ... heheh

Hmm. Every chess master I ever knew was at least an expert by the time they graduated high school. I think innate talent might be an issue.

Good

The psychologists reckon it takes about 10 000 hours of concentrated study to became a master in any area of knowledge. So think more like three hours a day for ten years.(And that's serious study with the best learning material and mentors... not 10 000 hours playing Blitz without reflection... that will get you nowhere...)

They also reckon that in intellectually demanding fields IQ is important. If your IQ is in the range 130 -140 then you probably may have a shot at being an IM. Otherwise, if you want to reach "master" level at something, then try other sports. I don't think golfers require high IQs (your hand eye coordination  better be first rate, though...)

Of course the OP didn't make anywhere close to IM lol, not even close to CM..

It's definitely possible to make IM in 2 years if you're currently an FM.

How could such a thing be established without a nonsubjective definition of "master in any area of knowledge"?

I'm not a master in psychology of mastery, so don't ask me . That said, the 10 000 hour rule is out there, do some google searching around it and you may find an answer. I vaguely remember finding something chess related on this issue . Some people were involved with chess for 10 000 hours but were nowhere near masters. The problem was they didn't do proper structured learning, and/or their IQ wasn't up to it. Those with highish IQ (at least 130...), who went through a really efficient programme of learning, managed to achieve masters level after 2000 hours, so maybe masters level might be achieved in 2 years... but you probably need to hire the best chess coaches & sports/learning psychologists and work three hours at it *as seriously as you can*, every day, sticking to their learning plan. Maybe, big maybe, getting a chess.com membership and doing everything they recommend; chess mentor, tactics, etc., discussing games with IMs in forums, would do it? And don't get sidetracked by threads like this... you have to do the chess... not talk about it!

Basically, you have to practice with purpose for a long time. 10000 hours is a long time, so that's basically the message.