21 Mar 10
Originally posted by wormwoodWhat on earth do you mean by "muscle memory?" The test I have encountered with brain scanning - using Judith Polgar as subject - suggested that when she played five minute chess she was using that area of the brain normally devoted to recognising faces. She had stored a huge library of chess positions in an accessible form and could rapidly spot a good fit. The calculating - when done - was really checking for possible errors or differences. However, other players have long said that typically, their first idea is the best and if anything, thinking and calculating can spoil a good idea and replace it with a less good - or plainly bad - one.
1. not all IQ test have limited time. in fact, the modern ones usually don't.
2. memory monsters don't rule the top player list.
3. strong players relay on muscle memory, weak players on conscious thinking. observed fact, verified by CT-scans.
4. chess is not basketball.
More generally, genius has been associated with immense amounts of practice - it is contentious to claim it is nothing but that, but large amounts of time are essential. When the young Chopin, a child prodigy at the piano, was sent to a professional teacher, the teacher decided not to offer any technical lessons playing the piano, but concentrated on exposing Chopin to a range of excellent music. Of course the Polgar sisters were exposed by their father to countless chess positions and expected to solve them as a daily discipline.
In order to survive, we have to master an awful lot of skills during childhood. I think it is accepted that human brains are at their most intelligent and flexible when we are about 11 years old. Without doubt, this is a good time to catch the train if you want to become a genius. But the life stories of child geniuses is generally unhappy. It is interesting that Chopin's father did not allow him to become a full time child prodigy nor to play for money, like Mozart and others, but instead Chopin had a normal (for his day) schooling. He emerged a hugely likable and pleasant character but was no less a genius for that.
21 Mar 10
Originally posted by WulebgrI am doing postmortems on as many of my games as I can find time for and it's fascinating. Aside from the worst stupidities, it seems to me that every game offers lots of scope for snatching the advantage or losing it, often quite subtly. I have had great positions against much stronger opponents (but not recognised it), suicidal positions against weak ones (and not recognised it). I have been giving up trying in games which I could have saved or maybe won.
If you succeed at solving little problems, you will win.
Pondering positions without seeking truth seems senseless, even to the Zen master.
Without self-improvement, life lacks its spark.
If anything, every game has now become just a preparation for the really interesting work - the postmortem. I don't want to memorize lines. I want to understand what is happening. And I don't really mind how long that takes - the process is the point. The only purpose of playing is play.
26 Mar 10
Originally posted by finneganGood god, that's a brilliant post.
I am doing postmortems on as many of my games as I can find time for and it's fascinating. Aside from the worst stupidities, it seems to me that every game offers lots of scope for snatching the advantage or losing it, often quite subtly. I have had great positions against much stronger opponents (but not recognised it), suicidal positions against weak ones ...[text shortened]... lly mind how long that takes - the process is the point. The only purpose of playing is play.
And may I add, that the only purpose of living is life.