Does luck exist in chess?

Do you think luck exists in chess?

I guess that this largely depends on what you define to be luck. I personally think of luck in terms of elements outwith any of the players' control, e.g. the roll of a dice or how the cards are dealt in other games.

So, for me, chess has no luck involved. But I do acknowledge that a lot of players, including GMs, will say "I was lucky", etc. I wonder how they define luck in chess?!

Thoughts?

http://www.exeterchessclub.org.uk/luck.html

Originally posted by Varenka

So, for me, chess has no luck involved. But I do acknowledge that a lot of players, including GMs, will say "I was lucky", etc. I wonder how they define luck in chess?!

Thoughts?[/b]

I think luck exists, in the sense that you might be 'lucky' and an opponent will miss a resource which, 99 times out of 100, they would see. But you wouldn't expect any given player to be more 'lucky' than another.

I think someone famous said good chess players make their own luck - meaning that what appears to be good luck is actually strong play.

Game 1844056

was it Luck?

Or was it Blunder?

Originally posted by Varenka
Do you think luck exists in chess?

I guess that this largely depends on what you define to be luck. I personally think of luck in terms of elements outwith any of the players' control, e.g. the roll of a dice or how the cards are dealt in other games.

So, for me, chess has no luck involved. But I do acknowledge that a lot of players, including GMs, will say "I was lucky", etc. I wonder how they define luck in chess?!

Thoughts?

Originally posted by Varenka
Do you think luck exists in chess?

I guess that this largely depends on what you define to be luck. I personally think of luck in terms of elements outwith any of the players' control, e.g. the roll of a dice or how the cards are dealt in other games.

So, for me, chess has no luck involved. But I do acknowledge that a lot of players, including GMs, will say "I was lucky", etc. I wonder how they define luck in chess?!

Thoughts?

Technically no, either you played well, your opponent played poorly or some combination thereof. However pointing out that your opponent played a terrible game or missed a winning combination could be condiered to be rude.

Originally posted by zebano
Technically no, either you played well, your opponent played poorly or some combination thereof.

I don't play games because I don't trust my fate to luck.

Chess is not a game, and I make an exception for poker on fishing trips.

Originally posted by zebano
Technically no, either you played well, your opponent played poorly or some combination thereof. However pointing out that your opponent played a terrible game or missed a winning combination could be condiered to be rude.

So, there is a common opinion that when a player makes a significant mistake – not consistent with their general ability – then their opponent may be termed to be “lucky”. Fair enough, I can see some sense in this, but not enough to agree with it.

Compare other things that require people to perform to their ability consistently and repeatedly. For example, doctors or pilots.. if a pilot forgot to put down the wheels and crash landed – after 1000 previous successful flights – would it be appropriate to say that he was unlucky? It doesn’t sound right to me. Yes, it wasn’t his usual standard, but ultimately he still got it wrong and can only blame himself. But chess players are more symmpathetic with themselves… “I was unlucky not to win” as if some external force intervened. Why not just get to the point and say “I was too tired” or “I wasn’t concentrating today”, etc.?

As well as the above, there is another possible aspect of “luck” in chess. For example, my opponent after prolonged attack appears to have a forced mate. He thinks so, and so do I. But then I suddenly notice a saving resource that allows me to escape with perpetual check and get a draw. Now, given that none of us seen this possibility in advance, was I “lucky” that it existed?

Again, I don’t regard this as luck. Even if I don’t see everything in advance, I believe my judgement, etc. is responsible for creating all opportunities. i.e. if my position has the potential for a draw, then I’m responsible for creating that (seen in advance or not); just as I’m responsible for creating lost positions, etc.

Originally posted by Varenka
Compare other things that require people to perform to their ability consistently and repeatedly. For example, doctors or pilots.. if a pilot forgot to put down the wheels and crash landed – after 1000 previous successful flights – would it be appropriate to say that he was unlucky?

Suppose you could say that if an opponent blunders, then it would be considered luck. A strong move to us could be a serious blunder to a grandmaster.

Therefore, the only blunder free moves are perfect moves. There is an element of luck in the sense that a move of your opponent could be weak. Hence a blunder further down the line, although you can't see it yet.

I lost a critical game (from a superior position) while my opponent's wife was sitting in the room reading a book on witchcraft. Was my blunder "luck" for my opponent. I don't think so, and I worked to have his wife banned from the playing room in all future tournaments.