Excerpts from LatestChess.com interview with Alexandra Kosteniuk:
LatestChess:- What could be the reason that makes Judith Polgar different to other girls, who cannot make it to 2700 or over?
Alexandra Kosteniuk:- Judith is clearly very gifted, and she has worked a great deal from a very early age. Also the fact that she has insisted on playing exclusively in men’s tournaments has raised her level, and it’s all to her credit.
LatestChess:- Most of the world champions came from Russia, What could be the reasons? What qualities make Russians dominate the chess world?
Alexandra Kosteniuk:- I think it’s the fact that in the Soviet Union chess was so highly viewed, so many kids started to play chess, there were so many chess schools that selected the most gifted kids and gave them top trainers. Chess Grandmasters were heroes and so everybody dreamed of becoming one and worked a lot on chess, creating the famous Soviet Chess School. I think in general the whole world has very gifted people, it’s partly a numbers game, and partly a good teaching system.
Here is another one by LatestChess.
I’m not a psychologist, but clearly the training that the Polgar sisters received was quite influential. I’m quite sure innate ability, excellent memory, discipline, and a host of other qualities has helped make GM Judit the highest rated female player in the world.
Also, playing against men and defeating amongst the best male players in the world. I certainly think she has the ability, still being quite young and over 2700 rated, to someday be the WCC.
Yet, it’s a bit more difficult to find the time to study when you have three children. Male players with families can (as often happens in society) push child rearing off onto the female and not share that much in this huge responsibility. Thus, for some female players I would conjecture that it’s a bit more difficult to get above 2700, not because they can’t…some most certainly could. But, society places responsibilities upon women that they do not for men.
This is just a generalization. I’m sure there are many exceptions.
GM Judit could easily become the Women’s World Champion but, I think any 2700+ player has at least a mathematical shot at the WCC…so, with Judit, I would go for it…someday.
It’s amazing. But, I think it’s a combination of Nature and Nurture. But, again, I’m not a psychologist…just my thoughts.
I am convinced that the ability to play high level chess is mostly genetic. If it weren’t, most of the famous chess players wouldn’t show up as super-talents as children (which most of them usually do).
The reason this is not obvious, because chess is an artificial creation by mankind, thus obviously the ability of playing chess can’t be in the genes. However, I am convinced that it is something else, which ultimately makes people able to be great chess players, which IS genetic. Such as (for example) an ability to keep multiple visual pictures/patterns in mind, and perhaps that’s why most (as far as I know all) high level chess players can play blind chess. Or something similar.
I am convinced that the ability to play high level chess is mostly genetic. If it weren’t, most of the famous chess players wouldn’t show up as super-talents as children (which most of them usually do).
The reason this is not obvious, because chess is an artificial creation by mankind, thus obviously the ability of playing chess can’t be in the genes. However, I am convinced that it is something else, which ultimately makes people able to be great chess players, which IS genetic. Such as (for example) an ability to keep multiple visual pictures/patterns in mind, and perhaps that’s why most (as far as I know all) high level chess players can play blind chess. Or something similar.
I think you’re correct Gabor. Interesting thing, though, high level geniuses in other fields, such as physics (say…Stephen Hawking) I’m sure was born with a predisposition for his talent. But, it’s impossible to know if, hypothetically, someone that is a genius (even with an excellent memory and pattern recognition abilities) in one field might not excel at another.
But, there must be a genetic aspect. But, hard work can do a lot…I don’t think just hard work will make one a 2700+ GM. Hard work Can make almost any person of average intelligence an Expert level or low-Master rating.
Great topic.
Alexandra Kosteniuk’s comments are pretty straightforward and I believe accurate:
1. early training and exposure will allow talent to be fully manifest. It cannot replace talent but without training and experience, that talent will be dormant or only partially expressed.
2. The Soviet and later Russian experience supports this – popularize chess and more people will play; identify those with some talent and offer training. Those whose talent is very strong will then fully develop into top players.
In the US there are probably many kids who could GMs but never developed that skill or used that skill set to pursue other activities.
“Also the fact that she has insisted on playing exclusively in men’s tournaments has raised her level, and it’s all to her credit.”
Why should events restricted to women even exist? It is not like tennis, where the physical differences make inter-sex competition impossible.
You folks should try to catch “My Beautiful Brain (episode 2)”, starring (so to speak) the author of this blog. It discusses all of these things and the program is entertaining as well.