Chess player reaches 2400 ELO after replacing substance addiction with competitive play

Chess player says replacing substance abuse with competitive chess helped him reach 2400 ELO rating online

A chess player has shared how replacing a long-term substance addiction with intensive chess study helped him reach a 2400 ELO rating on Lichess.

The player, who posts on Reddit under the name peaked_in_high_skool, said his journey began in 2020 when he was struggling with what he described as a “hopeless addiction” to marijuana.

At the time, he said his chess ability was around 1200 ELO. While using marijuana, he came across videos by chess YouTuber Antonio ‘Agadmator’ Radić, particularly games featuring former world champion Mikhail Tal.

“His attacking style + Antonio’s commentary + influence of marijuana made his games seem like a work of art,” he wrote. After learning aggressive openings such as the Fried Liver Attack and encountering opponents who could counter it, he began dedicating more time to studying chess.

According to the player, the increased focus on chess reduced the time he spent thinking about substance use. “The more time I spent learning these, the less time I had left to think about my life and spiral into substance abuse,” he explained. He added that while the shift was “like one addiction replacing another”, chess was not harming his life in the same way.

In an update posted several years later, the player said chess continued to support his recovery despite setbacks. “I relapsed many times, but kept coming back to Chess and using it to suppress relapses. And in tandem, I managed to cross 2400 on Lichess a few months ago,” he wrote. A screenshot shared alongside the post showed a peak rating of 2425 ELO.

The player said he now feels ready to step away from competitive chess, stating that it had served its purpose. He credited the game with teaching him discipline and analytical thinking, while noting he may return to chess later in life.

Members of the chess community responded by congratulating him and wishing him well in his next chapter.