Max Deutsch is a self-described speed learner.
He recently gave himself one month to learn to play chess . . . well enough to take on the world champion.
The unlikely series of events that brought him to this stage began last November, when Max challenged himself to a series of monthly tasks that were ambitious bordering on absurd:
November: Memorize the order of a deck of cards in less than 2 minutes
December: Draw a realistic self-portrait
January: Solve a Rubik’s Cube in under 20 seconds
February: Land a standing backflip
March: Play a 5-minute improvisational blues guitar solo
April: Hold a 30-minute conversation in Hebrew on the future of tech
May: Build a self-driving car
June: Develop perfect pitch — identify 20 random musical notes in a row
July: Finish a Saturday NYT crossword puzzle in one sitting
August: Complete one continuous set of 40 pull-ups
September: Continuously freestyle rap for 3 minutes **PG language advisory**
October: Defeat world-champion Magnus Carlsen at a game of chess
He recently gave himself one month to learn to play chess . . . well enough to take on the world champion.
The unlikely series of events that brought him to this stage began last November, when Max challenged himself to a series of monthly tasks that were ambitious bordering on absurd:
November: Memorize the order of a deck of cards in less than 2 minutes
December: Draw a realistic self-portrait
January: Solve a Rubik’s Cube in under 20 seconds
February: Land a standing backflip
March: Play a 5-minute improvisational blues guitar solo
April: Hold a 30-minute conversation in Hebrew on the future of tech
May: Build a self-driving car
June: Develop perfect pitch — identify 20 random musical notes in a row
July: Finish a Saturday NYT crossword puzzle in one sitting
August: Complete one continuous set of 40 pull-ups
September: Continuously freestyle rap for 3 minutes **PG language advisory**
October: Defeat world-champion Magnus Carlsen at a game of chess
He kept a web log (blog) of his activities almost daily, recording his research and strategies for each challenge.
He memorized the order of a shuffled deck of cards.
He sketched an eerily accurate self-portrait.
He solved a Rubik's cube in 17 seconds.
He developed perfect musical pitch and landed a standing back-flip.
He studied enough Hebrew to discuss the future of technology for a half-hour.
Did Max beat the world champion?
That might be the wrong question . . .