Great Chess Players... Born or Made?

That's good. Maybe you are a prodigy, probably not. Many people can get very far in grade school with pattern recognition. I think I learned 90% of basic algebra the first day in class after seeing a few examples, and I didn't have to work hard for a few years in math after that. The problem is, when you get to advanced mathematics, you have to go learn 1000 different things for one subject, and then another 1000 things for another subject. There is no pattern recognition that will help you, only hard work. It becomes very much like chess where you have to learn 1000 specific situations. You can study general topics and ideas, but at some point you just have to do the work to learn how to handle certain situations.

In any case, my question to you is, if you are so advanced, why don't you get serious with your life and stop playing video games, and instead work hard? You are years ahead in math without effort, and to me that makes you a complete failure. You could be so much farther ahead with hard work. Maybe one day you could change the world. But if you remain lazy, you won't change a thing.

While it's interesting to discuss nature vs nurture, I have to wonder, does it matter? You can't change your "natural talent". You can only control how hard you work.

That's just silly.  Change the world?  What the hell are you talking about?  Don't worry, the world will change all on its own.

Being lazy isn't such a bad thing.  It doesn't hurt anybody.

lol, cure cancer? What are you, insane? We can deal with it!

Humans are so damned arrogant.

Why are you all arguing? By next month the cure for cancer would be known to man because of me. And about changing the world, don't worry, I'm working on it.

Starting the Zombie Apocalypse doesn't count.

Wow Guys thanks for such awesome responses, I was afraid y'all would consider it silly, but it seems to be a topic we have all given some serious thought to. While reading one response asked what I called moments of genuis in my play, I have several times while playing better players been able to see and force the direction of play while at the same time not commiting the blunders that so often plague my games. I did see the blunders and could even see why I might choose those moves, but the better or correct path seemed to grab me. Glad I decided to ask the Question!

Ah, one other comment to Ludrah... At least at 1117 rating I know to be humble sir, GL  in your own chess endeavors, I beleive all peoples opinions  need to be considered, some with more weight than others, but all should be weighed. I would love to play you sometime, if its not too much of a waste of your time.....

Hard work makes world champions. Sure, they may have been prodigies, but please tell me how a prodigy becomes so strong without hard work? A prodigy will not become a world champion without hard work and dedication.

I think that even though genetics play a small part, hardwork, will power and dedication will be rewarded but the point is that just just reading articles and watching a video is not gonna help you improve.... We all want to become better,so its clear whoever works harder will be better than others so it all matters on how much hardwork and REAL HARDWORK you put in..... And natural bornt talent is not really important, if you have then its good but if you don't then start working hard NOW!....😊

Take it this way: claiming that there is no such thing as chess talent is like stating that nobody has an aptitude for languages, since nobody has ever been born speaking one. Nevertheless, some people do better at learning foreign tongues than others.

clearly the world's elite chess player - 2600 and above - have some inate ability that the rest of us don't. Chess is no different then any other human endeavor- some people get it and some never will, and the rest of us fall into the middle somewhere. I think most people can achieve master level chess or at least expert, the key is never learn to play bad chess. Yes the one thing that hampers most of us, is that our first chess teachers were bad players themselves and passed along their bad habits. We get the idea that you have to calculate a bazzlion moves ahead, we learn shoddy technique and wind up in common middle game positions not able to see patterns and lacking technique. I notice that most of the top American IMs and Gms all started fairly young ( around age 6 or 7) and reciveved quality chess instruction from day one. Even Bobby Fishcer had a master level mentor from roughly the age of 11 to 14- he just needed to develope his technique which he did and the rest is history ( and yes he did have an incredible work ethic) And looking at the former USSRs methods over making great chess players confirms my belief. Now to achieve the FM, IM, and GM levels you need to play in lots of tournaments where you can earn those norms and here in the states thats no so easy. Over in Europe chess is as played as pool is here and it shows. SO in short if you start before your in high school, get quality instruction fromi the start ( never learn to play bad chess) and work at it most of us could achieve the 2000 + level with a shot at becoming a master- and if you even achieve the former your in the top 10 % of players over all

Sadly its about natural talent. Even if you play 8 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year, if you dont have natural talent your not going anywhere

No, I see I don't believe that thomas.  while it is clear that results might vary given an amount of time and effort.  I that with commitment, passion and wisdom in your chess training program.  Improvement Must occur.

if your struggling in your own chess to improve, you either need more patience or more insight. 

perhaps there is the very occasional case of someone whom has gone as far as his talent would allow- but- I rather doubt it.  most people are not committed and patient enough.  and just mindlessly blitzing is not the kind of serious chess study that I'm referring to...

Great comment rtr and very true.