Study. Play. Write. Repeat.
If you’ve made your way here, chances are you’re a kindred spirit and chess devotee and, like me, a perpetual student of this most complex and nuanced avocation.
Six years into the game, I am constantly amazed by the ever-unfolding perplexity of chess. It seems the more you learn, the more you have left to learn … and the more you realize the depth of knowledge chess requires of you. It’s not for the weak of heart, mind, or backbone.
Grandmaster2B.com is the online home for my articles, essays, thoughts, and experiences along my journey as a chess player. Here you’ll find writing about chess culture, great players, tournament coverage, analysis, challenging exercises, and more.
ABOUT GRAYSON RORRER
If I’m not studying chess or playing chess, chances are I’m writing about it. Currently I serve as Features Editor for American Chess Magazine, Board Member and Webmaster for Chess Journalists of America, and have been a contributing writer for Chess Life magazine. I’m an active tournament player and achieved the National Master title in 2020 and FIDE Master in 2022 along with my first IM norm. An avid reader and book collector, my chess library currently includes more than 350 books.
Like many, my greatest goal and challenge to myself is to attain the coveted title of Grandmaster. I have a long way to go, but, as they say, everyone has to start somewhere!
USCF RATING
FIDE STD RATING
FIDE USA RANK (U 21)
TX STATE RANK (17 YO)
TEXAS RANK OVERALL
NATIONAL RANK (17)
MY CHESS TIMELINE
12/2015
First chess set
- Received a “No Stress Chess” set for Christmas, and started playing sometime in late January. I resisted as long as I could, figuring since my parents gave it to me, it must be uninteresting. 🙂
3/2016
First rated tournament
- Played my first rated tournament at the Austin Regional Scholastic Chess championship. 0 > 422
9/2016
An upset!
- Won the “biggest upset” prize at a local tournament by winning against a 1239 rated opponent. 572 > 634
9/2016
A perfect score
- Won my first tournament with a 5-0 score. So began the thirst for more victory! 630 >899
11/2016
Another 5-0 score
- Another 5-0 score at a scholastic tournament – went up 371 points! Wish I could make numbers like that these days. First time breaking 1000. 897 > 1268
01/2017
First money prize
- First big money prize with a tie for first at the Austin Chess Club championship U1400 section. 1285 >1440
02/2017
The big league
- First time attending a truly massive, non-scholastic tournament (The Southwest Class Championship). 1469 > 1444
05/2017
TX State Championship
- First great result in a big tournament (Texas State and Amateur U2000 section: five wins in a row! Won a little money, too. 🙂
1696 > 1790
06/2017
USCF Top 100
- First big milestone: crossed 1800 after 1 year 2 months of tournament play. Also first time breaking into the USCF Top 100 list.
07/2017
First expert scalping!
- First time wining against an expert level opponent – won against a 2074 (as black!). 1850 > 1886
08/2017
First FIDE event
- Played at my first FIDE rated tournament at the Dallas Chess Club. (Managed to win against another expert, too!) 1864 >1872
08-09/2017
Let’s just forget this one
- First and last time (I hope) that I lost all of my games in a tournament (5 in total) at the Southwest Open. Oof. 1872 >1813
02/2018
New highest rated win
- New highest rated win while playing at the Dallas Chess Club FIDE Open II – won against a 2145 rated opponent. 1811 > 1859
03/2018
Looooong game
- I played what is still my longest game ever at the Dallas Chess Club FIDE Open III. (Draw against a 2091.) It lasted over 5 hours! 1846 > 1866
03/2018
First NM draw
- I drew my first National Master (2243) … hoping to convert that to a win very soon!
04/2018
More like this, please!
- Great result at a FIDE tournament, drawing a 2150 and winning against two others 2100+ to go up a total of 83 points.
1880 >1963
06/2018
First NM win
- First ever win against a master (2201). Closing in on 2000! 1972 > 1982
06-07/2018
Cleared 2000!
- Went over 2000 (expert) for the first time at the San Antonio City Championship. 1982 > 2009
08-09/2018
More progress
- Second draw against a master (2221) and solidified expert status (2035) at the Southwest Open. 2006 > 2035
01/2019
A stumble
- Bad loss from a winning position in the last round of a tournament drops me under 2000 and startles me in to improving my stamina significantly. 2006 > 1981. Oof.
03/2019
Bouncing back!
- Back over 2000 after the Southwest Class with only my second draw against a master (2292) and two wins against fellow experts. 2004 > 2051
03/2019
On the road
- First tournament out of state at the Mid America Open brings another draw against a master (2351). 2051 > 2057
03/2019
US Championships
- Attended the US Championships for the first time (as an observer unfortunately). Hung with Timur Gareyev and met Yasser Seirawan, Fabiano Caruana, and many others.
05/2019
Ups and downs
- Another draw against a strong master (2372) at the Texas State and Amateur is the highlight of an otherwise awful tournament. 2048 >2022
08-09/2019
More progress
- Two more draws against masters (2279 and 2218 respectively) at the Southwest Open puts me on the path to beginning to win against them. 2044 >2067
10/2019
First win against an IM
- My highest rated win to date in the Dallas Chess Club FIDE Open, against a 2440 IM. DCC. 2057 > 2081
11-12/2019
First time in St. Louis
- Two wins against masters (2224 and 2216 respectively) propels me to a tie for first U2200 in the SLC Thanksgiving Open. First time playing at the esteemed St Louis Chess Club. 2081 >2112
01/2020
Golden State Open
- Great result at the Golden State Open in California, with three draws against masters (2232, 2314 and 2273 respectively) and a win against a master (2265). 2123 > 2146
02/2020
Achieved NM
- First time playing a 9-round masters section at the Southwest Class: 4 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses against mainly 2250-2400 opposition. I go over 2200 after a win against a 2400 in the last round. After this, chess essentially stops due to COVID-19. 2146 > 2216
06/16-20/2021
National Open
- First live tournament in more than a year. Scored 5/9 with performance rating of 2400+. 2216 > 2246 USCF, 2117 > 2202 FIDE. Good to be back!!