Chess players aren't necessarily "geniuses" in the broad sense, but top players, especially Grandmasters, possess exceptional skills like pattern recognition, memory, calculation, and focused strategic thinking, which often correlates with high general intelligence but is more about intense practice and specific cognitive abilities than a universal genius label. While many GMs have high IQs, the game itself is a specialized skill requiring dedication, making it more a mastery of a complex system than inherent genius across all fields.
For as long as people can remember, chess players were described unanimously as smart and highly intellectual. We are accustomed seeing their high IQ's, praise regarding their memory, their excellent and well trained mental states etc.
Despite the myth of chess genius, there are many examples of successful chess players who are not necessarily geniuses. Bobby Fischer, for example, was a world-renowned chess player who was known for his exceptional skill and strategic thinking.
The studies mentioned in this article indicate that chess can improve memory, attention, problem-solving abilities, and even contribute to the development of a larger and more active brain. While chess alone may not turn everyone into geniuses, it offers specific benefits that can enhance cognitive functions.
Albert Einstein was a good friend of World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker. In an interview with the New York Times in 1936 Albert said, “I do not play any games. There is no time for it. When I get through work I don't want anything which requires the working of the mind.” He did take up Chess in his later life.
Being good at chess shows strong strategic thinking, memory, and problem-solving skills, which are linked to intelligence, but it doesn't automatically mean high general intelligence; while a small correlation exists, especially in beginners, serious chess mastery relies more on dedicated practice, pattern recognition, and specialized knowledge, with general IQ explaining very little in top players, highlighting that intelligence manifests in many ways.
Elon Musk famously called chess a "simple game," saying it's understandable for humans but limited compared to modern tech, lacking features like a tech tree or fog of war, preferring games like Polytopia instead, though he played chess as a child. He feels chess offers too little complexity and randomness for real-life strategic application, despite once being on a high school chess team.
The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) in chess means 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts, so you should focus on high-impact areas for maximum improvement, like mastering tactics, core endgames, and essential openings, rather than trying to learn everything. Key focus areas often cited include tactics (pins, forks), fundamental endgames (like king and pawn), basic opening principles (center control, development), and analyzing your own games to find recurring mistakes.
Challenging mental activity from playing chess “produces and strengthens synaptic connections and stimulates neurogenesis” [3]. These strengthened synaptic connections may then generate changes in the brain that could slow the onset of dementia.
Brain training uses mental fitness activities to help your mind function better. These exercises include number games like Sudoku, word games like crosswords or Scrabble, and even full training programs like Lumosity. They stretch your individual soft skills like critical thinking and logic.
90% accuracy in chess can be a sign of cheating, especially in long, complex games for lower-rated players, but it's not definitive proof, as simple games with big blunders or strong human play can also yield high scores; instead, look for consistent high accuracy (90%+) alongside perfect engine moves, unusual time usage, or unexplained rating jumps, as the Computer Aggregated Precision Score (CAPS) is meant as a performance tool, not a cheat detector, though patterns of high scores often trigger moderator review.
14 Habits of Strong Chess Players
For every great chess player of his time known to be born with it, hundreds of players wrote their destinies across the chessboard with their hard work. Even the prodigies like Magnus Carlsen developed their game by starting early, practicing consistently, and are still working at being better than the best.
If we plug in 100 IQ (average IQ score) into the equation, we will get 2000 ELO, meaning that an average person should be rated 2000. However, some chess players (actually most chess players) play their whole life and never reach even 1700, making the 2000 mark fall into the top 4-5% of all chess players on the planet.
Being good at chess shows strong strategic thinking, memory, and problem-solving skills, which are linked to intelligence, but it doesn't automatically mean high general intelligence; while a small correlation exists, especially in beginners, serious chess mastery relies more on dedicated practice, pattern recognition, and specialized knowledge, with general IQ explaining very little in top players, highlighting that intelligence manifests in many ways.
Cons of chess
The results of the review showed that chess therapy/training is effective in the management of ADHD patients in terms of reducing symptoms and severity. Due to its effectiveness, playful nature, high adherence and low cost, it can be used as a therapeutic tool in multimodal management to improve ADHD symptoms.
The rule most frequently called the "stupidest" in chess is stalemate, where a player with no legal moves (but not in check) results in a draw, frustrating those who feel it rewards a defending player who's been outplayed and defeats the goal of checkmate. However, proponents argue it demands endgame precision, adds tension, and is a crucial tactical theme that prevents endless games, with many players agreeing it should remain a draw because the defender made no mistake in creating the situation.
The world's #1 chess player, as of January 2026, is the Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, consistently holding the top spot in classical ratings with a formidable rating (around 2840), followed closely by players like Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, with Carlsen also dominating other formats like Rapid and Blitz.
4 ... Rh7 The Rooks and Queen are known as 'Major Pieces', and they shouldn't be moved out until you complete all '3 Golden Rules'. The 3 Golden Rules are: 1) Control the centre. 2) Develop your minor Pieces. 3) Protect your King.
Einstein is quoted as saying: "Chess grips its exponent, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom and independence of even the strongest character cannot remain unaffected."
Elon Musk has publicly stated he has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, which he disclosed during his 2021 appearance on Saturday Night Live. He described his traits as including taking things literally, struggling with social cues, and finding reward in intense focus, suggesting it aids his work. His comments sparked conversations about autism and how individuals, particularly high-profile ones, experience it.
The Great Captain was also a great lover of chess, and practiced it, always on occasion, from his early youth to the last days of his life.