&gt; The gap in our training would then be apparent at that level because they&#x27;d be playing against kids who are learning enough chess theory, i.e endgame theory.<p>Openings are a vast area of theory as well.<p>I played competitive chess in my teens for a bit (my neighbor was insanely good at it and I got better just by being his punch bag) and I always refused to learn any theory. I think it&#x27;s comparable to cheating on a test, it&#x27;s supposed to be a game and a puzzle and I would feel the same if I learned how to solve a puzzle by memorizing solutions from a book.