Is The Chess Savant a Myth?

At the tender age of eight, Ashwath Kaushuk defeated Jacek Stopa, a chess grandmaster. While there aren’t any official parameters that define a chess savant, defeating a GM at the age of 8 certainly counts towards it! Such events certainly point to the idea that chess savants are real.

So, what is a chess savant? Let's see some of the most notable stories from the elite chess world. Additionally, let's look at what might be required to become a chess savant (if that's possible).

What Is a Savant: Chess Savant Meaning Explained

A savant is a person with exceptional knowledge, skills, and expertise in a specific area. The modern definition often depicts savants as individuals with a type of learning disability but phenomenal skills in that area.

A chess savant is a person with extraordinary mastery in the game of chess, often at a very young age. Their skill arises from certain key cognitional features:

• Outstanding Memory: They can recall complex board positions from previous games. They can also visualize several game variations in advance, many moves ahead.

• Pattern Recognition: They can recognize key positions and patterns that give them an edge in gameplay. They identify moves that are a turning point in the game.

• Strategic Thinking: Their brains are wired to plan the game several moves ahead. This is because they map out an extensive game plan and outmaneuver their opponents.

The phrase “chess savant” doesn’t always imply that the person is diagnosed with savant syndrome. It usually means that someone is very good at the game and shows an inborn talent for it.

While people with savant syndrome might show great potential, their level of chess gameplay is not attributed to their natural gift. In fact, extensive training, practice, and studying are often a key contributor to their mastery of the game.

Chess Savants in Media

Media, especially Hollywood, plays a huge role in depicting savant chess players and setting up stereotypes and opinions. Lately, by portraying certain characters with savant-like abilities, they have been able to direct massive traffic to the game of chess! Whether their depictions are accurate is more up for debate.

Let’s take a look at some of the most notable examples. We shall start with none other than savant chess player Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit.

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

This seven-episode mini-series revolves around a girl named Beth Harmon, who learns to play chess in an orphanage. Since the beginning of her career, Beth has demonstrated exceptional skills in the game. She beat the regional champion at 14 despite never having played in an official chess tournament.

The show vividly depicts her deep, analytical thinking style, which allows her to be so good at the game. Occasionally, she would look at the ceiling and picture it as a chess board with chess pieces, playing out various scenarios to calculate complex positions.

In the series, Beth’s life takes several rocky turns, but she is finally able to defeat the reigning world champion, Borgov, and take the esteemed title for herself. The series gained massive attention and contributed significantly to the growth of this sport.

The New York Times has reported that the release of this series has sent sales of chess boards and other related items by a whopping 125%! The House of Staunton even has a Queen's Gambit-inspired chess board.

Searching For Bobby Fischer (1993)

A young boy named Josh Waitzken discovers his natural talent in chess in New York. The movie explores the predicaments Josh faces throughout his life, often mirroring those of real-life chess prodigies. It also shows how certain factors can affect their performance. The friction between his family causes Josh to lose several tournaments.

Brief Overview of Savant Syndrome

Savant Syndrome is a rare developmental disorder, characterized by learning and intellectual disabilities, along with remarkable abilities in a specific domain such as mathematics, or music. It has a strong association with autism spectrum disorder, but other conditions might be linked as well.

Most savants, besides having a single exceptional skill, also boast a prodigious memory. The condition itself is rare, and is a spectrum, meaning the degree of ability and disability varies between every individual. The exact cause of the condition is not known.

The Role of Training & Environment for a Chess Savant

In theory, the concept of a chess genius looks thrilling and easy to grasp, but the reality is far more intricate and challenging. As a matter of fact, how well a savant or prodigy in chess develops their skill largely depends on their training and environment.

Related: Find the right tools to develop your child’s chess skills at an early age.

Training

Studies by K. Anders Erricson highlight the significance of deliberate practice, which emphasizes focused, structured practice with the goal of continuous improvement. This strategy has the potential to significantly improve the player's gameplay.

In fact, many great chess grandmasters have adopted this strategy, including Magnus Carlsen who dedicated countless hours to studying and analyzing chess. Some players even use and train a chess engine to make their games harder and hone their skill level.

Carlsen isn’t the only one. other prodigies like Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgar adopted a similar regimen of extremely arduous schedule, which led to their global success in the game.

There are many components of training. Here is a brief list of some of the most important ones:

• Study games of past grandmasters and champions
• Analyze positions
• Use chess engines to practice play
• Dedicate a fixed amount of time daily to practicing the game
• Set goals, and see if you’re meeting them
• Take part in official FIDE tournaments

Environment

A young chess prodigy's upbringing and education are critical, since young people are in a state of rapid development. Someone learning the intricacies of chess while their brain is also developing will typically be significantly better at the game compared to a player who starts their training late.

Access to competent chess mentors and resources can be the difference between a chess prodigy and a genius whose potential remains unrealized. Support from family, especially parents, is imperative in catapulting a child’s career in chess. Parents must take proactive steps to find chess communities that will nurture and develop their children's talent.

There is one more environmental factor that we need to mention: socio-economic status. Not having the capital to afford adequate chess training and resources can hamper the growth of a chess prodigy, and although the game has been made highly accessible with the advent of the internet, there are still many hurdles they must cross, like hefty platform fees, tournament fees, and more.

Is Chess Savant a Myth? No!

The world of chess keeps getting younger and younger, with the grandmaster title being given at the ages of 12 and 13. While the criteria for a chess savant aren’t all that clear, the existence of such remarkable feats is only fueling the presence of such notions.

While at first glance the "chess savant" and their path to success seem simple and captivating, the reality is very different. The highly competitive nature of the sport means that inborn talent alone will not be enough to outshine the competition. There is much more to it, and we can hope and strive for a community and greater chess environment that will allow these talents to reach their potential.