# What sort of mental skills/gifts are basic to becoming a good/great chess player?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-mental-skills-gifts-are-basic-to-becoming-a-good-great-chess-player/926158>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** board-card-word-game, chess\
**Created:** [November 21, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-mental-skills-gifts-are-basic-to-becoming-a-good-great-chess-player/926158 "2020-11-21T21:32:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 10

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**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-mental-skills-gifts-are-basic-to-becoming-a-good-great-chess-player/926158/10 "2020-11-21T23:33:35Z")

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P.S. I should add that when I reached 2390 (and won a national chess title), I had an amusing conversation with Grandmaster Nunn (a world-class player and decent chap.)  
“Seriously, glee” he said “Nobody rated below 2400 understands chess.”  
I was flabbergasted - but after analysing with him (and reading some high-level chess books), I had to agree. 😨  
Yes, I can crush players rated 2000. **But there is so much more to learn**. Thankfully I never turned professional!

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