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Subject: Re: Commercial program strength vs. amateur program strength

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 08:19:25 12/23/01

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On December 22, 2001 at 13:36:01, Russell Reagan wrote:

>On December 22, 2001 at 10:05:21, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>It actually works like this:  Being a good chess player does not mean you
>>have a high IQ.  But having a high IQ _does_ mean you can become a good
>>chess player.  IQ is about the ability to visualize, recognize patterns,
>>and so forth, all of which will help a chess player.
>
>I think you're slightly off, or that you phrased what you meant to say
>incorrectly.
>
>I use the logic of a rectangle isn't always a square, but a square is a
>rectangle.
>
>A person with a high IQ is not always a good chess player, but a good chess
>player is always a person with a high IQ.


That's _not_ what I meant.  IQ has a lot to do with pattern matching and
visualization skills (those that have taken tests to measure IQ will
remember this).  It also has to do with reasoning skills as well, of
course.  But I have known good chess players that were not high-IQ, and I have
known high-IQ people that were not good chess players.

Why the contradiction?  Becuase the hi-IQ people I knew that were not good
chess players had _not_ tried to become good chess players.  It takes work
for anyone.  _and_ desire.  I would bet, however, that all things being
equal between two players (drive, interest, wanting to learn chess, etc.)
that the player with the higher IQ will most likely end up being the better
chess player.  I'm sure there would be occasional exceptions, as always.
But in general...



>
>For the sake of relating my point to the previous square and rectangle example,
>I was a little loose with the good chess player and IQ example, so I will
>clarify some loose ends.
>
>I think that having a high IQ does not convert to a good chess player, but it
>can't hurt. On the other end of the spectrum, I think to be a good chess player
>you have to have an above average IQ.
>
>That's how I see it anyway. You basically said the exact opposite of what I
>said. I have a well above average IQ and I'm still struggling along as a chess
>player. I would add that my laziness overcomes my passion for becomming a better
>chess player.
>
>Russell



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