Maths and chess

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...

I never got a passing grade in a math class in High School (I only took college-prep math classes.) I eventually reached expert-level in chess (peak published USCF rating of 2002).

In maths you need to be right,
in chess only more right than your opponent.

John Nunn

Originally posted by Helder Octavio
[b]In maths you need to be right,
in chess only more right than your opponent.

John Nunn[/b]

That's a great quote.

Playing chess requires a certain set of skills, and there are many different ways to learn those skills. If you have a strong maths background you may be able to learn those skills a little bit quicker, although not being a mathematician doesn't stop you from playing good chess. [I finished my maths degree last year, so you can check out my rating and decide which pile of anecdotal evidence you can add me to 🙂 ]

It seems to me that a lot of people won't play chess seriously because it is 'nerdy' but if you are already a mathematician then you are already too much of a nerd to care!

And for the OP, there is a great deal of pattern recognition in maths (at all levels), its just that a lot of people don't recognise it as pattern recognition...

de Groot studies suggested spatial relations, e.g., pattern recogntion,
figure manipulation were primary in chessplay. there is no strong
correlation tween math skills and chess skills. One of 20th century's
greatest mathematicians was lousy at chess: Norbert Wiener.

I think chess improves math more than math improves chess. Since I started to play chess, I find it easier to calculate with bigger numbers. But that is just arithmetics. However, in chess you build up your pattern-recognition skill which is actually very important when solving mathematical exercises such as equations.

Originally posted by kbaumen
I think chess improves math more than math improves chess. Since I started to play chess, I find it easier to calculate with bigger numbers. But that is just arithmetics. However, in chess you build up your pattern-recognition skill which is actually very important when solving mathematical exercises such as equations.

you only build pattern recognition for the things you train for, eg. the exact (and very similar) chess positions you used in the training. -it has been shown that even GMs don't recognize random positions any better than an amateur.

so it doesn't really carry over to anything else.


study habits naturally do carry over, and I believe it's the most important way chess can influence a person's other activities. and it works just as much from math (or any other discipline) to chess as the other way around.

Originally posted by wormwood
.... it has been shown that even GMs don't recognize random positions any better than an amateur.

There wouldn't be recognisable chess-related patterns in random positions, would there? That brings recognition back to pure graphical memory, which has nothing to do with being a GM or an amateur in chess.

edit. but some of Tal's games certainly come close 🙂

Originally posted by wormwood
you only build pattern recognition for the things you train for, eg. the exact (and very similar) chess positions you used in the training. -it has been shown that even GMs don't recognize random positions any better than an amateur.

so it doesn't really carry over to anything else.


study habits naturally do carry over, and I believe it's the most i it works just as much from math (or any other discipline) to chess as the other way around.

Well, I certainly feel an improvement in math since I started playing chess. For me it has helped greatly to develop pattern recognition. Or maybe the ability to more quickly memorize patterns.

I heard that what separates a good and a great player is the ability to visualize the chessboard in your head and some positions ahead.

It is not absolute necessary to be great in math for this wonderful game. It's a educated and width broaded mind and vision you must have over different kinds of interests. For me, myself I am intersted in my work (not important), my wife and three children (very important), Vacations (!) and my Msc study. What I want to say is that balance is the most important.