Because of the incredibly unrelishable characters who play chess that i have known both in real life and in cyberspace, i have concluded that chess is not at all indicative of intelligence. Chess is a reflex of the brain, a certain spasm some do more naturally than others. It is not a higher brain function, but a pattern recognition trick some master better than others. Judging by caracter most chess players are a-holes and certainly not possessed of any superior intelligence. They like to flatter themselves that they are, but the truth is another matter.
I agree that chess is not a measure of intelligence. Personally I think "intelligence" is too generic of a word to even be measured. If someone can remember every book they've ever read from memory, but can't tie their own shoes, are they intelligent?
Because of the incredibly unrelishable characters who play chess that i have known both in real life and in cyberspace, i have concluded that chess is not at all indicative of intelligence. Chess is a reflex of the brain, a certain spasm some do more naturally than others. It is not a higher brain function, but a pattern recognition trick some master better than others. Judging by caracter most chess players are a-holes and certainly not possessed of any superior intelligence. They like to flatter themselves that they are, but the truth is another matter.