Yes, and I'm the living proof!
But seriously, Chess is more about pattern recognition and memorization than raw intelligence.
Can you be a dumb person and still be good at chess?
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You cannot be noticeably lacking intellect and play chess successfully.
Well, what is intellect and what is dumb? We sort of know chess is multi-discipline because we have no idiot-savant in chess. But what is intellect? Is it a good education? Is it knowledge? Is it the amount of time one needs to learn new things? Is it being good at calculation?
I think it's fair to say that for being 'good' at chess (when are you good at chess btw?) you need to be good in a very limited amount of skills (memory, calculation and seeing how things interact / have overview of the pieces/board), but I don't think being good at chess tells us anything about a persons intellect.
Jan 27, 2015
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#5
You can be a strong chess player but it involves a significant amount of training.
Isn't that question a bit lame? The kind of intelligence needed to play chess can't be applied, consistently, to anything else. I don't recall ever needing to know what the en passant rule was to do a job (or get a job) or needing to know which piece, bishop or knight, works best in a position to solve a math problem. Knowing how to spell zwischenzug, or knowing what it is, doesn't make you an engineer or bring you success on your final exam. My point: the question compares apples to oranges.
Yes theres hope for anyone including you
Wilbert_78 wrote:
Well, what is intellect and what is dumb? We sort of know chess is multi-discipline because we have no idiot-savant in chess. But what is intellect? Is it a good education? Is it knowledge? Is it the amount of time one needs to learn new things? Is it being good at calculation?
I think it's fair to say that for being 'good' at chess (when are you good at chess btw?) you need to be good in a very limited amount of skills (memory, calculation and seeing how things interact / have overview of the pieces/board), but I don't think being good at chess tells us anything about a persons intellect.
Intellect is not education or knowledge, although it is associated with both. It is synonymous with intelligence, which is not easy to measure reliably. Calculation is impossible without a certain level of intelligence. Calculation is needed to play chess. It therefore follows that a person who is "dumb", in the sense intended here (lacking intelligence), rather than the other meaning, which is mute or unspeaking, will not be able to play chess at any significant level.
I shall now await the compulsive gainsayers and arguers and their spurious comebacks and squabbling tendencies.
Jan 27, 2015
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#9
Yes, I'm not particularily bright, so I rely on my emotions to play. The result ?....I win about 1 outta 3 games at about 1600 to 1800 and my TT is about 1700. So hang in there Mr. King Henry IX....L
Jan 27, 2015
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#10
r4chess, that was an excellent answer, that is the way you put! Hope the OP understands?
But if you can spell zwischenzug, you cannot be dumb
Lady Ghostess_Lola, being dum or smart is not as important as being happy regardless, lets see a big smile
Jan 27, 2015
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#11
I think it is a good foundation to learn on. You don't assume learning is easy and you are willing to work hard. - because you think you have to.
I have seen a lot of people who thought they were the new born genius but as soon as they got a task that they couldnt solve they came up with all sorts of excuses than to work hard and solve the task.
I don't believe in people being brigher than others - I believe that people just need to learn another way.
some may have learned that 9+9 =18 faster. but if you learned this math probem faster or slower everybody gets to the same result.
I think it is the same with learning everything else.
Yes, intelligence has nothing to do with chess ability. You can be a brilliant chess player and still be a stupid human being(Fischer).
9KingHenry wrote:
Ususally when I think of chess masters, I think of them being pretty intellegent. If I'm not the smartest person, is there any hope for me to good at chess?
If chess brings you happiness, then youre already ahead of the curve.
Fixing_A_Hole wrote:
Yes, intelligence has nothing to do with chess ability. You can be a brilliant chess player and still be a stupid human being(Fischer).
No, Fischer was right about everything. It's Kasparov that proves you can be a dumb human.
9KingHenry wrote:
Ususally when I think of chess masters, I think of them being pretty intellegent. If I'm not the smartest person, is there any hope for me to good at chess?
Average to above average teens can be GMs, so the adult equivalent would be an IQ somewhere between 70 and 100. And if we're just talking master then it's not even worth worrying about. Bottom line is:
Rogue_King wrote:
You can be a strong chess player but it involves a significant amount of training.
Jan 27, 2015
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#17
I'm quite dumb, and doing fine percentage wise against other chess players. Put in the time, and reap the rewards!
Jan 27, 2015
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#18
I have yet to meet an uneducated or "dumb" chess player with talent. The point of the game is to make good moves which draws a parallel to life choices. Therefore one could argue that there arent any good chess players that can be considered "dumb."
There can be chess players that are unknowledgable but not dumb.
Ususally when I think of chess masters, I think of them being pretty intellegent. If I'm not the smartest person, is there any hope for me to good at chess?