Gauge of success in chess

Natural aptitude not only gauge of success in game
Saturday, April 12, 2008 3:01 AM
By SHELBY LYMAN

Confidence is a constant issue in sports, even among top performers.

It is especially germane for those who never come close to their full potential — which is, of course, most of us.

Complicating the situation is a cultural bias that emphasizes talent and aptitude over hard work. The argument is familiar: “If we can’t do it, it’s because we don’t have the necessary ability to do it.”

In a study of the participants in the 1925 Moscow international tournament, Soviet psychologists were unable to discover a single chess aptitude as such.

Their finding is impressive if only because the players they studied included chess greats such as Jose Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker, Richard Reti and Carlos Torre.

Most chess players worked hard to attain their proficiency, the psychologists reported. This is both heartening and hopeful. But, of course, there can be a lot of fun mixed in with the work.

The findings of modern neuroscience assure us that cognitive powers can continue to repair themselves and even expand well into old age.

Here is the full article.