What has surprised me most about what I've learned in these various "IQ" threads is the apparent role of memory in Chess mastery. 

I'm also still curious about what sorts of cognitive abilities are correlated with a natural ability to learn chess. Obviously, learning and study are necessary, but for some, it comes easily.  For others, it is a struggle, or never comes despite the effort.  Several studies have shown that whatever is measured as IQ has only a weak correlation with the ability to play Chess, but is there anything else that can be measured, and can also predict Chess success?  If we give someone an IQ test and they do well, we can predict that they will succeed when studying mathematics, engineering, law, or some other "difficult" subject. Is there some sort of test we could give someone that predicts that they have the sort of brain that would be  good at chess playing?

And then, the question becomes, is it worth it?  One study I saw compared the art of Chess playing with a radiologist's talent for interpreting MRI images, but both skills required years of study to be honed.  That seems to suggest a Chess master could have spent the same amount of effort and developed a talent for radiology, which most people would say would be a better use of time.  It's a rather subjective determination, of course, but it is something to consider before setting out with a goal of becoming great at Chess.  The fact that it seems to be memory related suggests that there are no shortcuts. You will have to spend an awful lot of time achieving that goal.  Of course, if the pursuit itself is pleasurable, then it makes sense to pursue the goal, but if there is a lot of sacrifice and it's not a lot of fun, would it be wiser to pursue something else?

I am both highly stupid and bad at chess; however, as I have no shame, I shall go on playing. Is there a thread for the dumb bunnies? 

Unfortunately, I think that was it...

Unfortunately, the only thing I've learned is what I already knew:  that chessplayers will blather on like Einsteins about virtually anything.

You can't learn what you already know ...

You are much too clever for us naughty people. 

Yeah, and the naughty ones get all the women ...

Hm, you may be right...

Reminds me of him:

Thanks for the recent posts ( and the " scary " photos ). Zaxso, you have the ability to operate a Computer plus you are also able to put together coherent sentences so you would seem to be at least average  lol. 

Meadmaker you make some good points. When one thinks of Chessplayers in blindfolded games one gets an idea of the type of memory needed. Someone here has a thread on the go on Chess Intelligence in which some interesting info is quoted on Chessplayers and IQ tests, it is an ongoing debate to be sure. 

There are some people who "never forget a face".  There are other people who remember all sorts of information they read.  Both could be described as having a "good memory", but it seems that the former sort of memory is more closely correllated with Chess performance than the latter.  IQ tests, on the other hand, are more likely to reward the latter.

Thanks for the Info Meadmaker.

In some of the threads here on Chess and IQ, etc, the age factor has been brought up. Some people are of the opinion that a serious Chessplayer must start in competitive Chess when he starts Kindergarden and be a GM by the time that he finishes High School or all is lost  lol. Recently I came across an interesting article in " Check Magazine " ( actually a large newsletter ) published by the CCCA up here in Canada. The article in question is about Mikhail Chigorin who lived in Russia from 1850 to 1908. Chigorin did not take up serious Chess until he was 22 years old and yet went on to win the All-Russia Championship in 1899 ( at age 49 ). He won this prize again in 1901 and 1903, not bad for a " late-bloomer ".    

On the otherhand there are now more and more young stars in the Chess World.  Recently I was going thru a copy of Chess Life from a couple of months ago and I came across an article on 8 year old Awonder Lliang of Madison, Wisconsin. This young lad recently won the under 8 title at the WYCC and is also the youngest person in the USA to get the Expert rating ( 2000 or higher ). If this kid does not reach the GM rank by the time that he is in the 16 to 18 year age bracket I'll be very surprised.   

I once read a quote where the speaker said that people play chess to prove how smart they are. It took me aback because I had to admit to myself that as a child that was one of the reasons I wanted to learn chess. However if proficiency in chess is proof of anything, then, to quote Charles Barkely "I'm a dumba**ss".

Thanks for the post SquareDealer. I guess that many of us get into Chess to prove our mental superiority over the general population and of course most of us are very soon brought back down to earth. Of course it is important that we try a wide variety of activities in our attempts to find those things that we may be good at. I mean what if Luciano Pavarotti had channelled his efforts exclusively towards Soccer ? Instead he was also active in the singing societies that were to be found in his home area of Italy and as they say the rest is history.

Thanks for the post Tweelie. I'm glad to hear that your studies are going well, it is good to hear of a young person that is working hard in University. You seem to have found one of your areas of expertise and that is very important in life. On the subject of IQ tests we have had quite a variety of opinions expressed here in this thread ( ie: are they useful or even accurate ? ). 

can someone explain exactly what is it that an iq test tests?

Thanks for bringing up this question Frank124c. We have discussed this point a bit here in this thread and one possible answer is that IQ tests mainly measure memory capacity and the ability to memorize facts. Of course the question of what areas that the IQ tests do NOT measure has also come up.