A couple of minutes ago the young Chinese player Wei Yi has beaten Alexei Shirov in the World Cup. He then was asked a few questions by Susan Polgar and the other Commentator (don't know his name) at the commentator booth and surprisingly he didn't know much about the usual things we learn. When they asked him, who he's working with, he wasn't able to name someone and when they asked him if he knew certain patterns/positions from his home study, he denied it and said he found that out on the board. Even a rule where the rook has to cut off the enemy king from the pawn, he found out by himself on the board during play.

So how is it possible that one can play so strong without doing all that chess studies normal players of that strength do ?? Is this by sheer calculation or how comes ?

without knowing much chess

Sure. Oh, and if you didn't found out he barely knows any English. I'm pretty sure he gets training and coaching.

yeah he does lol u obviously forgot hes chines and speaks chinese

His rating is 2557 so yes, he does know "a little" about chess.

Without knowing how it happened to him play in fide world cup?

lol @op

Wow, some people really have a lot of talent and brainpower.

Wei Yi is pertty good at the chess.

Just waiting for one of those kids to get out there one day, completely unheard of, and beat Carlsen in 14 moves.

Never.

How is it that Wang Hao can tie his shoelaces after seeing him and hearing him speak? He beat Carlsen.

Yes, it's called phenominal talent.  He is probably this century's Morphy/Capablanca/Fischer, or one of them given that we have far more people now than the previous two centuries. 

Please 2557 is a weak grandmaster.

Not when you're 14, I doubt it's a settled rating.

lol no way!!! he is 14 you idiot!!!!

Age has nothing to do with it, rating does. Sure he will get better but he's rated 2557, that's all I said. You need a minimum 2500 rating to become an GM. Use your brain. If he was 2700 THEN he'd be a strong GM.

Use your brain. Rating lags behind playing strength for fast improvers.

So naive.

We forgot how Carlsen a little boy had a completely winning position vs Kasparov and Kasparov escaped with a draw due to Carlsen failing to convert properly.   Of course Kasparov is leaps and bounds better than Shirov will ever be. 

I don't know if this Chinese player knew English, but I am going to guess he has no knowledge or no working knowledge of the English language.

Don't use your brain. It clearly doesn't work properly. Use someone else's. Use mine. I rent mine out for special occasions ... wedding receptions, funerals, voting in municipal elections (but not federal - brains don't help there), clipping toenails, and auto-euthanasia. Low rates, satisfaction guaranteed. Not that you'd know if you should have been satisfied, what with your brain not working properly, but it'll be money well spent regardless.

lol