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WarrenS - Sort of, but not always. Autistic people, for instance, don't lose all those neurons; they keep the local neurons at the expense of neuronal links between different parts of the brain. But yes, I agree 100% with your final comment, which is really the most important point of all. Why should anyone stop if they enjoy the game? You don't have to be the best at something to love it and have it become a meaningful part of your life.
The whole argument in this thread really only applies to the very very best players. Probably any person can become very good at chess with enough dedication and effective instruction and practice. If your goal is to become a grandmaster, you probably need the advantage of having learned very young or being extraordinarily good with visualization and memory, but if you want to become an excellent player who deeply understands and enjoys the game for the rest of your life, the path is open to you if you have the willpower, dedication, and time.
But this is true with anything. If you want to be the best at anything in a world with 7+ billion people, you almost definitely need an early, early start.
The whole argument in this thread really only applies to the very very best players. Probably any person can become very good at chess with enough dedication and effective instruction and practice. If your goal is to become a grandmaster, you probably need the advantage of having learned very young or being extraordinarily good with visualization and memory, but if you want to become an excellent player who deeply understands and enjoys the game for the rest of your life, the path is open to you if you have the willpower, dedication, and time.
But this is true with anything. If you want to be the best at anything in a world with 7+ billion people, you almost definitely need an early, early start.
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WarrenS - yes, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Some of my comments were just general comments about this message thread.
It's kind of sad to think of people giving up on chess (or anything) simply because they think they don't have "natural talent" or that they can't reach the highest levels of the game. From what I've seen, chess at the IM and GM level is really really stressful and frustrating. I'd rather just enjoy the game for its beauty or enjoy playing with friends.
With autism, I'm not sure it's just 1% of chess players. Games that include pattern recognition tend to attract people who are really good at pattern recognition. But anyway, yes, it's an exception.
It's kind of sad to think of people giving up on chess (or anything) simply because they think they don't have "natural talent" or that they can't reach the highest levels of the game. From what I've seen, chess at the IM and GM level is really really stressful and frustrating. I'd rather just enjoy the game for its beauty or enjoy playing with friends.
With autism, I'm not sure it's just 1% of chess players. Games that include pattern recognition tend to attract people who are really good at pattern recognition. But anyway, yes, it's an exception.
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