Is it highly likely that I will never become proficient at chess, no matter how hard I work at it?

Question

I'm relatively new to chess, meaning that I've known the rules of chess for a long time but I've never seriously looked into strategies of play or ways in which to increase my abilities until recently. I have been using a few books - 'Logical Chess' by Irving Chernev and 'The Game of Chess' by Siegbert Tarrasch. Frankly, going through the first couple of chapters of both of these "beginner" books has been incredibly difficult for me as I have a very difficulty time mentally picturing even simple exchanges. Even while playing through the descriptions over the board I tend to lose my sense of material gain or loss. I simply couldn't tell you whether I've won or lost an exchange involving, say, 2 or 3 of my own pieces and 2 or 3 of my opponent's pieces.

Let me give you a little more background. I am no stranger to mental effort and I understand the experience of continued concentration on a subject. I have a university degree in the humanities, have learned foreign languages, and am able to read music. I'm not saying these things to prop myself up, but to illustrate a discrepancy. My friends say that I couldn't find my way out of a paper bag but I can talk and write circles around most people. My college entrance scores (many moons ago) reflect this apparent dichotomy in my brain. I would not have passed 'mechanical engineering 101' but scored above 97% average for linguistic/verbal skills on the ACT.

Ironically - I very much enjoyed a few passages from Aaron Nimzowitsch's book 'My System' in which he describes the relationship between certain chess elements. My question is this - Is it possible that some people are just not cut out for chess? Is it highly likely that I will never become proficient at chess; no matter how hard I work at it? I had the initial thought that I could use chess to sort of 'round out' my mental abilities but perhaps it would be more beneficial to spend my energies elsewhere.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Now as one who has made attempts at the game myself, I find chess to be a very difficult game to understand at higher levels of game play. Also not one to puff up my own intelligence (sometimes i'm just not smart :) I find that sometimes my brain doesn't work in certain directions of thought. Now if your truelly interested in the game by all means don't give up on it.... it may just be a matter of practicing and "reprogramming" your brain to follow certain lines of strategy and chess mechanics. (Practice makes perfect cliche' installed here)

Answer 2

To start, you should learn the best opening moves/opening move combinations that give an early advantage, and higher likelihood of winning.  Then try looking into the other elements of the game.  Also the key thing with chess is to predict what the other player will do in response to your moves, you have to think ahead 2-3 turns or more and see the outcome of the game/try to control the outcome in your favor

Answer 3

Chess ability is a game that is fairly dependent on each player's own visuospatial capabilities. You seem to suffer in that particular department, and it will be particularly hard for you to get better at the game. However, that doesn't mean you can't improve and I encourage you to continue playing. The best way to improve is to play, experience is the answer. But, don't just play, record your moves through short algebraic notation (e4 Nf3 Bc4 Re1 Qe2 etc.); that was one thing that helped me to improve.

I learned to play three years ago, my junior year in high school. After one year of studying, practice, and competetive play I was the best in the school. Notation was one of those things that I feel was vey helpful. A daily chess puzzle on chessgames.com helped me develop as well. When you have no one to play against, visualize a game in your mind (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf3 and so on). When you can understand the beginings of a game without a board you should try playing a game without looking (essentially blindfolded). Trying to push yourself like that is a good way to develop.

You sound like someone interested in a challenge like improving in chess, and I think the best way to do that isn't to memorize openings that you don't understand, but improve your ability to visualize positions and recognize patterns so as to better plan attacks and exploit weaknesses. One thing to study though is endgames because what you want to do during a game of chess is manipulate the middlegame into an endgame you know you can win. Endgames you know you can win come from studying positions that have been proven advantages for a certain side. Most endgames have certain patterns that prove victorious for a specific side; these patterns are what you need to begin to recognize. The best way to recognize the patterns stem back to developing your visuospatial capacity.

Answer 4

I feel your pain, and went through much the same thing as you when I first took up chess.  Luckily I met an old-timer who became my chess mentor and helped me on my way.  The first thing I notice from your story is that the books you mention are too advanced for you right now.  chess is 99% tactics, the first thing you need to study and really understand is tactics.  I suggest you get a copy of

"Winning Chess Tactics" by Seirawan and Silman. and work through this book several times until you understand and can solve the basic tactics of chess.  Once you have done this you will be ready to learn some of the basic strategies of chess and why not continue with the same series of books

"Winning Chess Strategies" by Seirawan

you'll want to continue solving chess puzzles at least 15min every day

Next "Winning Chess Ending" followed by

"Winning Chess Openings"

you are still spending time solving puzzles every day and you'll want to go over each of these books several times.

only after laying this ground work will you be ready for

"Logical Chess" and "The Game of Chess"

and you will not be ready for "My System" until you have become a strong club player.

When Baseball players show up for spring training they don't start playing games right away, even though they are the Grand Master of their sport, first they spend time mastering the basics of their game before they start playing games again.  Chess is like this you really have to put the time in on the basics before you start studying more advanced topics.  After all when you went to college you didn't start with level Biology 404 you started with Biology 101.

Chess is a game and you should spend half of your chess time playing and enjoying it, you'll enjoy it even more as your skill grows.  I've enclosed a link to one of the best chess sites on the web bookmark it you'll get a lot of help there.

Answer 5

Hi,

     You may like to visit my chess web page - link below?  

Yours,

Chesmayne.

Answer 6

Chess is a complex game but like most things some people are naturally talented at it, some are not.

It takes time to become good at chess, talent or not, but everyone is capable of doing so. It might take you a tiny bit longer if you are not a natural but that doesnt mean you wont become good at it. Practise makes perfect.