Challenge the kid who always wins at chess. You’ll lose, and you’ll see moves you didn’t know existed.

Playing someone better than you is the fastest available education and the least comfortable one, because you lose and the losses are not close. What you get in exchange is exposure to moves you would never have found on your own. Improvement stalls in a circle of people you can already beat.

Ask the strongest person you know for a game this week. Pay attention to what they do rather than to the score. Ask them afterwards where you went wrong, since most people are glad to explain.