Yes that&#x27;s true. GMs are GMs, because they have full and complete mastery of the game- opening, middle, and ending. But that mastery is disproportionate, which is what I was trying to say (and didn&#x27;t do that great of a job). You might be able to play a mad middle and end game, but if you didn&#x27;t open strongly, your game could already be decided.<p>To pinpoint my gripe with chess, a single tactical error in your opening game can be unrecoverable, and the deciding factor on losing your game. It&#x27;s too precise. Whereas with some other abstract strategy games, such as Go, you might make a strategical error, but the game might be more forgiving, where you can heal from your mistakes.<p>Of course, weak players should lose to strong players, regardless of game. I just wish chess didn&#x27;t depend so strongly on defining a strong player by who has more opening variations memorized.