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From: robie@msudoc.UUCP (Jonathan Robie)
Newsgroups: net.games.chess
Subject: Re: The Secret of being a Chess Master
Message-ID: <163@msudoc.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-Jan-86 12:05:47 EST
Article-I.D.: msudoc.163
Posted: Sat Jan 25 12:05:47 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jan-86 20:28:05 EST
References: <269@ihlpf.UUCP> <102100005@haddock.UUCP> <192@isieng.UUCP> <737@ucsfcgl.UUCP> <857@bu-cs.UUCP>
Reply-To: robie@msudoc.UUCP (Jonathan Robie)
Organization: Michigan State Univ., Engineering, E. Lansing
Lines: 13
Summary: 

The DeGroot book is a classic.  Further important work was done by Simon
and Chase.  The paper _Perception in Chess_, published in 1973 by Chase
and Simon, is a true classic.  I think the journal was Cognitive
Psychology, but I'm not sure.

The basic contention is that through practice chess players develop
models which describe the various patterns that occur in chess.  These
models are used to allow rapid perception of the board.  Chase and Simon
felt that practice was the important factor, rather than innate talent.

I have not seen evidence that chessmasters tend to have eidetic imagery.
There are certainly some chessmasters who do not.