How to become great chess player?

Yes but the Polgar sisters began playing chess at a very little age. We haven't the same fortune all. For example I discovered chess at 16, because when I learned to play at school when I was 8, I didn't know anyone who play and teach me, so I can't continue. Now I'm 16 and I've the maturity to learn by myself, with books, playing online and joining a chess club, but 8 years ago I can't.

I can't help but notice the greatness in this thread. People are great at giving excuses as to why they're not great at chess. :)

Its not an excuse for me cause I am 18 years old and I am in the learning process of this sport for 5 to 6 months and neither I have played so many games.So I have not failed yet to need excuse.What I support is what I believe.And its simple logic really.Dont you believe that brain is a muscle and if you use him you imrove him.Science believes it...who are you to discard that?

By that logic, you understand some are better equipped than others from the start then? Someone made the point earlier with regards to basketball.

The same stands true of other sports. If you are 5' 5" tall and weight 8 stone, you will never be the worlds strongest man. Some people are just smaller by nature. Now, just because you are 6' 8" and weight 20 stone, doesn't mean you will ever be the world's strongest man either, but it does mean you have a much better starting point than the guy in the other example.

The same goes for the brain. Though it can be trained to a certain extent from a young age, and that person can become very good, I think to be in the absolute top tier (Carlsen, Kasparov etc) you need a little helping hand from nature.

Although I believe that brain cant be compared 100% accurately with the height gaining process I do believe that natute can give more potential to someone and help him go further.that again does not mean that an average iq person cant become a great chess player.

Something else that I heard and dont know if its true is that by playing chess you dont use so much of your brain and by that you dont improve your iq.But you do aqcuire knoweledge and become better at chess.

The chess / IQ thing has been done to death.

What do you mean?

I mean that there are a hundred threads about it and that the point I was making in this thread was not intended to raise the debate for the hundred and first time.

I disagree. By playing chess you train a lot of skills.

first you become a chess player. then you beat everyone including Carlsen.

i totally agree.

Of course you'll improve, but most people won't make GM, no matter what.

I disagree, most of the skills are inborn. You can push yourself too much or have too little motivation.It is obvious that those skills were not polished

I disagree. Babies don't use computers, therefore skills are not inborn. One may have aptitude for a certain skill set, but one never ever is born skilled. Sure, some have greater potential than others, yet potential can and does lose to experience. 

Well, these days we are lucky. We have chess engines of GM strenght. It's like you having a Grandmaster right in your room, available 24/7 for you. Just put them to play games against other engines & try to guess the next move, & let them show you why your alternative is slightly inferior or really bad. Or even make them evaluate your own games. Play against Chessmaster's weakest personalities & then go on improving step by step

I can't understand why you believe that...If we could check the IQ from every single of GM's...

Yes, but I wrote that you can train skills, not that you can become a master in these skills. Playing chess trains memory (memorizing a lot of matches, remember a lot of openings' variations, etc...), problem solving (solving chess puzzles, find the best move in a match) , concentration (it's highly recommended for ADHDs), spacial/visual intelligence (moving pieces in your mind), creativity.

It's not high IQ in general. People have different talents in different things. I know a guy whose dumber than me, but he's a better musician than I would ever be.

i like it,i like it