Pawn star: How the 'David Beckham of chess' became a national hero

    By Sheena McKenzie, for CNN

    Updated 1333 GMT (2133 HKT) February 1, 2016

    Levon Aronian is the <a href="https://ratings.fide.com/top.phtml?list=men" target="_blank">fourth-best chess player</a> on the planet. And in his native Armenia, that also makes him a national treasure.
    Photos: Levon Aronian: Armenia's chess champion
    A brilliant mind – Levon Aronian is the fourth-best chess player on the planet. And in his native Armenia, that also makes him a national treasure.
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    "What I really love about chess is it's kind of an art form, but at the same time you have a distinct level of judging who's better and who's worse -- which is the rating system," said Aronian.
    Photos: Levon Aronian: Armenia's chess champion
    An intimate game – "What I really love about chess is it's kind of an art form, but at the same time you have a distinct level of judging who's better and who's worse -- which is the rating system," said Aronian.
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    "I've played a couple seven, eight-hour games. Consider the fact that you also train for three hours, generally, before the game. So it's an 11-hour working day," he added.<br />
    Photos: Levon Aronian: Armenia's chess champion
    Mental stamina – "I've played a couple seven, eight-hour games. Consider the fact that you also train for three hours, generally, before the game. So it's an 11-hour working day," he added.
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    "Women are generally weaker than men at chess, because they are told from a very young age: 'Oh honey, you lost, you're a girl, it's OK.' So it's also a psychological thing," said Aronian.<br />The chess champion believes women should play with men.<br />"When you limit women to playing against each other, that creates a disbalance. Every woman who stopped playing against women, and started against men, became a much stronger player."
    Photos: Levon Aronian: Armenia's chess champion
    Female players – "Women are generally weaker than men at chess, because they are told from a very young age: 'Oh honey, you lost, you're a girl, it's OK.' So it's also a psychological thing," said Aronian.
    The chess champion believes women should play with men.
    "When you limit women to playing against each other, that creates a disbalance. Every woman who stopped playing against women, and started against men, became a much stronger player."
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