Maths and chess

I've been reading a lot of these forums and it looks like a lot of people are implying or straight out saying that you have to be pretty good at maths to be good at chess. I was just wondering if this is correct?

I mean technically I thought that chess was more about pattern recognition, so would expect you'd need to have a more visual intelligence. I believe Maths ability is a different type of intelligence, so I'm curious as to what is really correct.

Visual or mathematical...

Originally posted by icantwrite
I've been reading a lot of these forums and it looks like a lot of people are implying or straight out saying that you have to be pretty good at maths to be good at chess. I was just wondering if this is correct?

I mean technically I thought that chess was more about pattern recognition, so would expect you'd need to have a more visual intelligence. I ...[text shortened]... e of intelligence, so I'm curious as to what is really correct.

Visual or mathematical...

Maths and chess have nothing to do with each other:
1) Memory
2) Logic
3) Improvisation
4) Analytical Brain (i.e. can visualize)

So is it more of a coincidental relationship? i.e a lot of people that enjoy chess also enjoy mathematical problems etc..

Originally posted by FlyingDutchman
[b]Maths and chess have nothing to do with each other

Eh, that's just not true, especially regarding geometry...

Originally posted by ivan2908
Eh, that's just not true, especially regarding geometry...

haha.

Originally posted by icantwrite
I've been reading a lot of these forums and it looks like a lot of people are implying or straight out saying that you have to be pretty good at maths to be good at chess. I was just wondering if this is correct?

I mean technically I thought that chess was more about pattern recognition, so would expect you'd need to have a more visual intelligence. I ...[text shortened]... e of intelligence, so I'm curious as to what is really correct.

Visual or mathematical...

they have as much in common as tennis and chess.


which is: a diciplined & persistent approach improves you. if you can sit down and train a couple of hours every day, you'll get pretty good in a few years.

Yeah, its quite widely believed the two are pretty closely related. Both are based primarily in logical thinking and problem solving. And often pattern recognition is also important in maths.

In saying that, I am a pretty gifted mathematician (near enough top of my year in my final year of high school), but suck at chess.

Still prefer chess though, lol.

Originally posted by FlyingDutchman
haha.

huh ? Look at the John Nunn's 50 favourite puzzles section in Chessmaster Academy, there is one done in way that uses geometry to confuse human brain and therefore it is unbelievably hard to solve.. Look at the endgame for example, basic laws of opposition, distant opposition, distant opposition without direct connection of the kings, outflanking, it is all simple or less simple math.

Also, if you do not want to calculate if you will queen your pawn before your opponents king could catch it, you make abstract square in your head and therefore you do not have to calculate at all to see if the King will be able to catch your pawn.

So, basically you use geometry to save precious time, now isn't that so ? .

And those were only simply examples !

😉



EDIT: I never said that you have to be expert in math to be able to be good at chess but chess DOES use mathematical and geometrical principles, that is for sure.

So does this mean that even though I never took maths past secondary school (high school in the USA) I can still get a good rating at chess?

Originally posted by icantwrite
So does this mean that even though I never took maths past secondary school (high school in the USA) I can still get a good rating at chess?

Of course you can ! Math is everywhere, like music. All of us are constantly using it without even being aware.

Originally posted by icantwrite
I've been reading a lot of these forums and it looks like a lot of people are implying or straight out saying that you have to be pretty good at maths to be good at chess. I was just wondering if this is correct?

I mean technically I thought that chess was more about pattern recognition, so would expect you'd need to have a more visual intelligence. I ...[text shortened]... e of intelligence, so I'm curious as to what is really correct.

Visual or mathematical...

When I was at university, in my particular college there were about 400 students, of whom about 8-10 used to play chess regularly. Maths students were less than 10% of all students, but about 50% of chessplayers.

What does that tell you? Who knows? Maybe there is a correlation, but certainly, there are many people who are good at one and not at the other.

Originally posted by d36366
When I was at university, in my particular college there were about 400 students, of whom about 8-10 used to play chess regularly. Maths students were less than 10% of all students, but about 50% of chessplayers.

What does that tell you? Who knows? Maybe there is a correlation, but certainly, there are many people who are good at one and not at the other.

I have a friend. He is math freak. I slaughter him on the chess battlefield all the time. 😛

Originally posted by ivan2908
I have a friend. He is math freak. I slaughter him on the chess battlefield all the time. 😛

Haha that's good to know 🙂 Fingers crossed with a lot of hard work I'll get a decent rating one day!

I'm sure if I studied math my chess rating would improve...

Originally posted by ivan2908
I have a friend. He is math freak. I slaughter him on the chess battlefield all the time. 😛

maybe because he doesn't play chess as much?