Why is competitor analysis so important.

When I first mentioned it on this blog, I was surprised at the adverse reactions. New anonymous blogs were formed to attack the idea.

I asked why don't we do competitor analysis? More importantly; against our neighbours. We need to benchmark, to know what we are up against, to measure the gap and then to find the training to narrow it. I thought this was obvious.

But now I see better why they were so fearful of that suggestion. You see, the moment we do competitor analysis, we start to learn about ourselves, who we are, what is our gifting? Are we natural attackers, defenders? Do we like high tension games and complexities or we like to simplify? Are we conceptual players or calculators? Etc etc etc.

Simply put, we measure our competitors relative to ourselves.

So that is one thing more thing that terrifies certain people. Once you do competitor analysis your self delusions will have to go. Competitor analysis is about reality not fantasy.

Once you do competitor analysis and see the gap, you cannot say I want to be GM and it is easy anymore, you cannot claim to be one of asia's best player anymore, you cannot say they are all washed up by 15yo anymore etc. Those type of people need their delusions like addicts need their drugs.

And so now you know why a few people will foam in the mouth at that word. But don't be fooled, they are not chess players who can compete? At the most they are club level players or hobbyist today. Now do you see another reason why we don't have a GM?

So don't let them stop you. Those people live in "No GM" land. A fictitious la la land that does not exist. It can be done but we must base the effort on reality not fantasy.