Finding the Edge of Enjoyment in Chess

In the world of endurance sports, there’s a fascinating figure known as “Barefoot Ted,” a runner famed not just for completing 100-mile races barefoot, but for finishing them with a smile. His philosophy? Don’t chase the limits of pain. Chase the limits of pleasure. “I’m not interested in the limits of what’s painful. I’m interested in the limits of what’s pleasurable.”
This mindset applies powerfully to chess training. Too often, improvement is framed as a grind: memorising opening lines late into the night, analysing losses until enthusiasm drains away, or forcing ourselves to solve puzzles long after focus has faded. The traditional narrative says: if it hurts, you’re doing it right.
But what if we reversed that? What if the best gains come not from pushing through misery, but from staying as long as possible in the zone where chess still feels like a game—not a job?
Enjoyment isn’t soft. It’s sustainable. A player who trains with joy returns to the board day after day, not out of obligation, but out of genuine desire. Pleasure builds momentum. And just like Barefoot Ted’s races, the “limit” isn’t a wall of fatigue—it’s the edge of curiosity, creativity, and flow.
So next time you train, test your joy, not your willpower. Stop your puzzle session while it’s still fun. Play one blitz game fewer than you want to. Let your training be a place you look forward to, not recover from.
Chess improvement doesn’t need to be a test of suffering. It can be an exploration of joy. Find the edge of enjoyment—and stay there as long as you can.