Jon Speelman: Grandmasters are not robots!

In this reflective column, GM Jon Speelman examines sportsmanship and self-control at the highest level of competition. Drawing on recent examples from the FIDE World Cup and the Candidates Tournament, as well as personal experience, he contrasts online habits with over-the-board conduct under pressure. Speelman argues that blunders are part of chess, even for elite players, and that maintaining composure and dignity in public moments of success or failure remains an essential virtue of the game. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza