Is Luck a factor in chess ?

We know Chess is one of the world games where Luck has less influence....But does Luck play a role in winning or losing a game?? Yes or No? If Yes, how much does it influence a game???? If No, why and when??? Please post your opinions, chessmates.

Yes,Depends

Go watch topalovs games in Norway Chess to see luck being utilized at the highest level

I guess it does play a factor in online chess, especially with faster time controls. 

But in standard OTB, I don't think so. 

No

Definitely yes, but under several conditions:

1. Both players have no significant rating difference, such as more than 200 rating point.
2. Faster time control (without increment) increase the significance of luck factor
3. One player plays under strong emotion during the game, such as too happy or too sad, furious, depressed, underestimate opponent, etc. It can give a winning by luck to his or her opponent.

The interesting thing is luck usually come to the one who has a balance between fighting spirit to win and the ability to letting go when loose. It applies in real life too

Loose is an adjective.

Toulouse is where Lautrec came from.

No.  That's why chess is such a beautiful game.

Yes, your opponents blood sugar just hit the floor and he made a move he never would have otherwise, how lucky!

Yes, your higher rated opponent is outplaying you and becomes more interested in the games going on around and misses a mate in one or a loss of the queen, how lucky!

Or, in a complicated position you have a piece on a certain square. You put it there ten moves ago for a completely different reason even though a different move was better. Now it saves the game! How lucky!

Yes, but it's not a major factor. At least that's how I see it.

Luck surely is a factor!

Take the following as a perfect example, coming from a game I played in the Chicago Open, 2nd round if memory serves me right, and if not, it was round 4:

So if your opponent doesn't know an opening or makes a poor move, they are unlucky (which is the logical sequitur to your argument that this is lucky for you)?  That's faulty thinking.  The fact that they don't know an opening or make a poor move has nothing to do with bad luck.  It's just an 'is' related to knowledge and skill.  If they were a better player they would make the correct move. 

You can make a blunder but if your opponent sees it not, then you have gotten lucky and have the chance to rectify your mistake.

However, I also like the logic in harterhare's post, which claims that this is not necessarily considered "luck" but your opponent's..., well, blindness.

Chess is logic pure and simple. Playing card games or games that involve throwing  dice is part luck.

"Luck is a byproduct of skill."

Sure, you can catch a player when they are not playing well. They can get distracted at a critical time. They can have a sudden episode of chess blindness or miscalculate a combination that they would normally get right. It can all happen. 

• Can you get lucky in a chess game? Absolutely! You are completely outplayed in a game and your moves are more or less irrelevant to the result. Your opponent blunders horribly and can resign on the spot.
• Can you get unlucky in a chess game? No way! You blundered horribly? You're a donk, accept it.

You first have to define Luck. Is it lucky to win due to an opponent mistake. Or is it just opportunistic. Chess is pure logic, thowing a dice is chance. However perfect chess is beyond most people.

Luck plays its part in any position where one or both players are not "in control" of the complications. In a wild, unclear position luck is more likely to be a factor than in a more technical position.

For that reason, if you are playing a much stronger opponent than you, you should attempt to steer towards wild and unclear positions so that luck is a bigger factor (and may go your way). Conversely, if your opponent is a lot weaker than you, avoid wild positions like the plague and aim for technical ones where luck is less of an issue and your superior technique should prevail.

(I learned the above advice from the late Simon Webb's book "Chess for Tigers".)

But it was luck that they made a mistake...