Raised in a Cult, Became a Chess Master—and Had to Find Himself Again

Raised in a Cult, Became a Chess Master—and Had to Find Himself Again | UNMASKED | Olga Karpman

In this episode of UNMASKED, Olga Karpman sits down with one of our special guests.
He was taken from his mom by a cult leader at age 12 to become a chess world champion.

He was told that chess was his spiritual destiny. He spent years believing his value was strictly tied to his performance, eventually spiraling when he failed to become a world champion. This conversation explores how that intense pressure created a fractured sense of self-worth that bled into his marriage and daily life.

He eventually realized that his identity crisis was not a failure of talent, but a misunderstanding of his own motivation. By rebuilding his relationship with his mother and separating his value from his accolades, he found a new way to engage with the world. This discussion is for anyone who has ever felt defined by their achievements and is ready to pursue authentic personal growth.

Rather than walking away from chess, he was able to find a different reason to choose it again—not simply as an achievement, but as a way to connect people, teach, serve, and create shared experiences.