Does this include getting out of bed and going to the toilet first thing in the morning?
I wouldn't call that luck. It depends on the actions of your opponent, and they entitled to do whatever they want when the result is going to include them. Maybe you can call that probability.
unable = un+able = not able = lack of ability =/= lack of luck = not lucky = un+lucky = unlucky
Consider the following case: a computer that makes random movements.
Just statistically, 1 out of 10.000.000 games (or put any number you want there depending on your level) it could beat you.
If you play against such a computer and lose, ¿would that be unlucky?
Does this include getting out of bed and going to the toilet first thing in the morning?
Thankyou for your insightful contributions.
Ancares: That is probability.
I wouldn't call that luck. It depends on the actions of your opponent, and they entitled to do whatever they want when the result is going to include them. Maybe you can call that probability.
Luck is not a tangible thing, its a concept that refers to situations where there are factors outside of our control. Whether or not these factors work in our favour is "luck". In chess we are given all the information about the starting position and the way the pieces move (unlike in poker where the deck is hidden) and this minimizes luck to the extent that we have greater knowledge of the game and are therefore better able to predict the results of our moves. However, it does not remove luck entirely since it is impossible that we could see every continuation therefore there will always be factors beyond the control of the players. The only argument is the point at which simple lack of vision changes to luck - for example a 1200 player missing a mate in 2 is not "unlucky" but a 3300 engine playing against itself missing a crushing variation that is 20 moves beyond its horizon is in the realm of luck imo.
Ancares: That is probability.
Probability and luck are essentially the same thing. Luck is when probability works in your favour.
This is the incorrect meaning of luck.
Luck is success or failure brought about by chance. Chance is mindless and without intent.
WHen your opponent makes a mistake, that is not mindless chance without intent.
But it is quite understandable that people would not fully understand this. We use the word 'luck' so casually. 'I got lucky I caught the ball and won the game!'
I think chess players really like the idea of this casual definition of luck because it allows them to say 'He got lucky and [insert move here] and won the game'
Chess does not work on probablities and probabilities play no part in chess; so how can chess have luck?
Kleelof seconded.
Ancares: That is probability.
When flipping a coin you have also probability: 50%
If you bet money when flipping a coin and you win, we say you have been lucky. We all know that in the long term you will win as many times than you lose.
In chess the difference is that the % depends on your skill. The harder you work, the higher your %, and that doesn´t happen with a coin or a dice.
Chess does not work on probablities and probabilities play no part in chess; so how can chess have luck?
If you play 1,000.000 games against a player that has the same rating, you will probably win/lose the same amount of games than him.
So we can say that the outcome of a game between you and him is like flipping a coin: 50% (if we discard the draws).
This is the incorrect meaning of luck.
Luck is success or failure brought about by chance. Chance is mindless and without intent.
WHen your opponent makes a mistake, that is not mindless chance without intent.
But it is quite understandable that people would not fully understand this. We use the word 'luck' so casually. 'I got lucky I caught the ball and won the game!'
I think chess players really like the idea of this casual definition of luck because it allows them to say 'He got lucky and [insert move here] and won the game'
My point was that chance doesn't exist - chance and luck are concepts we use when the determining factors are beyond our control. We use the term "chance" when we are incapable of determining an outcome. For example - there is no true "chance" when you roll a dice, the force a direction of the roll determine the outcome in advance. Similarly luck is simply when these factors work in our favour. In chess we are given enough information to theoretically be able to predict every possible outcome but in practice this is not possible.
I believe there is some merit in what Robertie said. Thomas also makes a good point.
This is the incorrect meaning of luck.
Luck is success or failure brought about by chance. Chance is mindless and without intent.
WHen your opponent makes a mistake, that is not mindless chance without intent.
But it is quite understandable that people would not fully understand this. We use the word 'luck' so casually. 'I got lucky I caught the ball and won the game!'
I think chess players really like the idea of this casual definition of luck because it allows them to say 'He got lucky and [insert move here] and won the game'
Exactly!
Chess is a game that should teach people to abolish this foolish notion of luck.
But instead, many people twist things around and try to convince others (and themselves :D) that there's luck in chess...
Typical example of twisting the reality to suit one's wrong beliefs, tsk tsk
Chess does not work on probablities and probabilities play no part in chess; so how can chess have luck?
Can you predict when your opponent will make a mistake? No, you can't. Or may be you can predict when you will make a mistake? No... But on every move there is a probability that a player will make a mistake and this probabilty depends on his rating (and on some other things too).
The rules describe a game with no luck.
Imperfect players introduce at least a small element of chance.
The rules describe a game with no luck.
Imperfect players introduce at least a small element of chance.
Yes, humans are imperfect, they make mistakes. For example, one can make mistakes in simple mathematics if he makes the calculations by himself. But you can't say there's luck in mathematics... can you?
"Why didn't you score well in that math test?" "Oh, i was unlucky... We got questions from the part of the book i hadn't studied, and made some mistakes in the questions i had studied, too" "Ah, don't worry son, next time your luck will turn around" :D lol
Man, chess has no luck.
Thomas: If you say chess has luck then it is like saying football, cricket, rugby, motorsports, et cetera have luck too.
Yes every human activity contains an element of luck to the extent that we cannot predict the results of our actions with 100% accuracy. The only time this is not the case is when the action is trivial enough that we can be completely accurate - in games the example is tic-tac-toe.