Neurodivergency and Chess Aptitude?
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Jul 10, 2023
0
#22
^oh, and almost always a cripplingly low self esteem bolstered by false confidence. That can be both an asset and a curse haha…
Jul 10, 2023
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#23
i wouldn't be playing chess in the first place if i didn't have adhd. i'd probably have a life instead, or whatever normal people have these days. so my adhd has been infinitely beneficial to my chess development.
Jul 10, 2023
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#24
DoYouLikeCurry wrote:
@ice_cream_cake - here’s a little list of off the top of my head…
Positives: hyperfixation allowed quick improvement, quick thought processing helps do lots of calculation quickly, intuition is enhanced, and our minds work in ways that aid creativity and unpredictability.
Negatives: tendency to rush, difficulty to maintain concentration especially over longer periods of time, impulsivity (the dark side of intuition), intrusive distracting thoughts.
Happy to answer all questions about this, too :)
Positives: hyperfixation allowed quick improvement, quick thought processing helps do lots of calculation quickly, intuition is enhanced, and our minds work in ways that aid creativity and unpredictability.
Negatives: tendency to rush, difficulty to maintain concentration especially over longer periods of time, impulsivity (the dark side of intuition), intrusive distracting thoughts.
Happy to answer all questions about this, too :)
Thanks for sharing! 
That makes a lot of sense.
I was an Anne of Green Gables fan as a kid, and later learned that people think she has ADHD, and of course this isn't scientific, but that book gave me the impression that ADHD does lend itself well to intuition and creativity, which certainly would be useful in chess. I remember you saying that you tend to be an aggressive player going for crazy games, and I can see that correlating with your above description.
ice_cream_cake wrote:
Thanks for sharing! That makes a lot of sense.
I was an Anne of Green Gables fan as a kid, and later learned that people think she has ADHD, and of course this isn't scientific, but that book gave me the impression that ADHD does lend itself well to intuition and creativity, which certainly would be useful in chess. I remember you saying that you tend to be an aggressive player going for crazy games, and I can see that correlating with your above description.
Definitely not scientific, since she is fictional 
.
Jul 10, 2023
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#26
Oh yeah for sure haha. But I'm just saying that it gave me some sense. I've heard people think Montgomery may have had ADHD, leading her to write an experience in the book that resembles what someone with ADHD would experience.
ice_cream_cake wrote:
Oh yeah for sure haha. But I'm just saying that it gave me some sense. I've heard people think Montgomery may have had ADHD, leading her to write an experience in the book that resembles what someone with ADHD would experience.
Ahh, like Shelley was put together from various body parts and ended up writing Frankenstein...
Sorry, just teasing, I thought the Shelley reference was too good to pass up in this particular case.
Jul 10, 2023
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#29
So regarding masters playing blitz....I think it has a lot more to do w cheating concerns.
I notice you play way more rapid than blitz/bullet so....
Jul 10, 2023
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#30
@DoYouLikeCurry what's the source concerning ADHD and master level players?
Also, curious if anyone has any input regarding other types of neurodivergence besides those that have been discussed
Jul 10, 2023
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#31
@ice_cream_chess the source I’m afraid is only gothamchess, but he said in passing in a few of his vids that like tonnes of top players have adhd
Oh and as for me playing rapid it’s mostly cos I get decision paralysis in time trouble - if you watch me play blitz or bullet I’m normally fine until the end 😭😭
Oh and as for me playing rapid it’s mostly cos I get decision paralysis in time trouble - if you watch me play blitz or bullet I’m normally fine until the end 😭😭
Jul 10, 2023
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#33
DoYouLikeCurry wrote:
@ice_cream_chess the source I’m afraid is only gothamchess, but he said in passing in a few of his vids that like tonnes of top players have adhd
Oh and as for me playing rapid it’s mostly cos I get decision paralysis in time trouble - if you watch me play blitz or bullet I’m normally fine until the end 😭😭
Oh and as for me playing rapid it’s mostly cos I get decision paralysis in time trouble - if you watch me play blitz or bullet I’m normally fine until the end 😭😭
forgot you guys spell "tons" that way till i saw this but yeah, that makes sense. time management can be tricky. idk, i think 1500 blitz v 1850 rapid is fine personally....blitz isn't everyone's thing but i don't think that's even that huge a gap
Jul 10, 2023
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#34
Yeah I’m vaguely trying to get it up but normally when I decide to do that i lose the first couple before I readjust to the time format if you know what I mean? And then I go on a bit of a winning streak but it’s been rlly hard to justify doing the losing when my blitz is kinda okay 😂😂
8thMarch2023 wrote:
Incorrect, people's brains do not function differently.
Just as we do not play chess differently.
That's why it's vital to play through flow, rather than rote memorization or crystalized learning.
There are a set number of things that the brain can do, and the same nutrients, conditions and approaches go into it.
The only difference is in competence, but at that point we're talking about quality and not neurodivergence.
You're wishful thinking, as if we were separate but equal.
Too bad
If you understood anything about the brain, you would know that some people's brains function *very* differently. Some people process math in the visual cortex, for example...not just blind people, but people with synesthesia.
You belittle neurodiversity as "psuedoscience", then say ridiculous stuff like "it's vital to play through flow" and "crystalized learning". Do you practice holistic medicine?
Jul 11, 2023
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#36
DiogenesDue wrote:
8thMarch2023 wrote:
Incorrect, people's brains do not function differently.
Just as we do not play chess differently.
That's why it's vital to play through flow, rather than rote memorization or crystalized learning.
There are a set number of things that the brain can do, and the same nutrients, conditions and approaches go into it.
The only difference is in competence, but at that point we're talking about quality and not neurodivergence.
You're wishful thinking, as if we were separate but equal.
Too bad
If you understood anything about the brain, you would know that some people's brains function *very* differently. Some people process math in the visual cortex, for example...not just blind people, but people with synesthesia.
You seem to be bereft of any real knowledge of anything, honestly.
Ignore him, whatever he does or doesn't know, doesn't matter cuz he's a troll.
You obviously know more about the brain than many, so seriously, don't waste any efforts.
ice_cream_cake wrote:
Ignore him, whatever he does or doesn't know, doesn't matter cuz he's a troll.
You obviously know more about the brain than many, so seriously, don't waste any efforts.
I find it useful to help ignorant people embarrass themselves; it prevents their ignorance spreading around and that's just that much less ignorance in the world to deal with. It's not for convincing the troll, but the people reading the thread.
Jul 11, 2023
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#38
Ah, i see what you mean...hadn't thought of it from that perspective.
Jul 11, 2023
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#39
DiogenesDue wrote:
You belittle neurodiversity as "psuedoscience", then say ridiculous stuff like "it's vital to play through flow" and "crystalized learning". Do you practice holistic medicine?
For what it's worth, I don't think that all things which aren't strictly "science" in the realm of medicine are worthless, as I've had very positive experiences with acupuncture. That said, obviously, there are risks with alternative practices and people who pretend to know what they're doing
Positives: hyperfixation allowed quick improvement, quick thought processing helps do lots of calculation quickly, intuition is enhanced, and our minds work in ways that aid creativity and unpredictability.
Negatives: tendency to rush, difficulty to maintain concentration especially over longer periods of time, impulsivity (the dark side of intuition), intrusive distracting thoughts.
Happy to answer all questions about this, too :)