Originally posted by cheater1I have learned a second language after the age of 7.
JONROTHWELL, you sir, are UNEDUCATED. The critical time to learn a language is COMMON KNOWLEDGE, or so I thought.
Research it. I WONT HOLD YOUR HAND, here are a few of millions of COMMON KNOWLEDGE quotes,
"Unless they are exposed to language in the early years of life, humans lose much of their innate ability to learn a language, and especially its g I like slapping you all upside the head with FACTS. I DONT. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!!!!!!
JONROTHWELL, I am making the distinction between excellence and elite. Excellence is defined as something at which a person excels at. It goes without saying that a 2600 players is an EXCELLENT chess player. Elite is defined as the BEST or most skilled members of a group (the best of the best).
A 2600 is by far NOT the best of the best. Take the top 100 players in the world at anything and take the top 20% and you got yourself a bunch of elite performers at whatever it is that you sampled.
I defer that practice will churn out excellent chessmaster after excellent chessmaster...but that's it. There is something else needed to get to the TOP of the excellent bunch--the elite. And that something is a photographic memory.
I do believe there is nothing left to clarify regarding my position.
Originally posted by cheater1Thankyou for clarifying your position for me cheater1.
JONROTHWELL, I am making the distinction between excellence and elite. Excellence is defined as something at which a person excels at. It goes without saying that a 2600 players is an EXCELLENT chess player. Elite is defined as the BEST or most skilled members of a group (the best of the best).
A 2600 is by far NOT the best of the best. Take the top 100 ...[text shortened]... a photographic memory.
I do believe there is nothing left to clarify regarding my position.
Personally, I disagree with your conclusion that memory is the primary factor in becoming a member of the chess elite, it is an important factor of that there is no doubt, but not the most important if such a thing exists.
Abstract thinking, memory, calculation, motivation, dedication, opportunity and other important factors clearly all play a part in becoming an elite chess player. To state that one component is more important than another is to reduce a complex issue to general simplification, something which I am guilty of myself.
Originally posted by cheater1I learned to speak Spanish (native English) at age 17....
Hello RAM, sorry about my BELATED reply. That was quite the in depth article. I loved it. Thank you for having civilty, a trait that nearly no one else has exhibited at this site.
After reading that article, one thing stands out: The MAJORITY of cases were sports related or instances that involved MUSCLE MEMORY or genetics: typing, golf, marathon runners ...[text shortened]... chess practice were ALL it took to be elite, you'd have MILLIONS of 2900+ people. FACT.