lol You are very smart. You will do what smart people do... smartly, of course. :) Do not get stuck with IQs and greatness in chess. They, most often, do not go well together. Have fun playing chess! 
The Mental Paradigm of Chess
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Are you some NSA, CIA guy, trying to infiltrate Chess.com? Why do you have a picture of yourself taking a picture of us? And you're from Washington, D.C.? Hmmm...
To answer the original posters question, chess is not a matter of brute force calculation and IQ. This is evidenced by humans continued outstanding performance against computer programs, despite their tremendous advantage in calculation ability. It is a combination of calculation ability/visualization as well as the application of general principles and forming plans, which is independent of IQ and more a function of the ability to observe, identify patterns, and recall appropriate rules of thumb. Memorization certainly is necessary and helpful, but not a driving factor of chess performance. In my opinion chess performance is most closely related to pattern recognition, visualization (calculation), and strategic understanding. Strategic understanding contains elements of knowing general ideas for given positions arising out of different opening systems, but also that "memorized" type of information, such as common endgame algorithms that are more a matter of recalling rote theory.
First off, thanks for all the replies. Am happy to have discovered this site!
1) Fun is the all pervading aspect, but, simultaneously, if you're going to do something, perfection is always a goal to strive for!
2) I'm confident that I'm smart, but, not necessarily sharp! When I play others over a period of time, I do relatively well, but when I play real time here? I've yet to win a game. Even though I lose, am still fascinated.
3) When I used the term paradigm, I meant how one chooses to see the play of game...the "system"...a constant flow? little battles? from the gut or purely cerebral? Some kings would launch a thousand ships, whereas others send one assassin. Are certain pieces favored for use (aside from the point system?) I'm in danger, because being so new means I probably don't know what I'm talking about yet.
4) Play, play, play, practice, practice, practice, seems to be a recurring theme...but if someone keeps doing the wrong thing over and over and over, they'll never get better! <laughing>
5) Am not taking a picture of you...took the picture of myself in a mirror. As for CIA/NSA, not at all. I work for a non-profit that gets books to kids in at-risk areas. lk;asdgcode23a;lkji; eawg;wihanymeans;liuagdishiewainfiltrationsuccessful;piasdgihterminate
6) Whis - I think your answer was exactly what I was looking for. Am going to process the info. But, the point about humans beating computers really struck home. Thanks.
Hello Everyone. I hope all is well.
Recently fell in love with chess, and am still an extreme rookie. I would like to pose a few questions in the hope that I'll start off on the correct footing.
Is chess merely a mathematical process, where, the greater one's capacity to see moves ahead, or to memorize plays, is the final determing factor in one's level of skill? Or, is there a certain mental paradigm that one can develop, a "cognitive systems template" that one can cultivate in order to be successful? If it's the former, why play chess if say your IQ is 110 when there are 140 IQ's out there? And if it's the latter, how would you describe the paradigm or function within which you operate?