The cognitive difference between amateur and expert chess players

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The cognitive difference between amateur and expert chess players

by<br>Karina Petrova

May 26, 2026

Reading Time: 5 mins read

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Novice chess players rely extensively on their ability to recognize familiar board patterns rather than purely calculating moves ahead, suggesting memory for specific piece arrangements drives early skill development. These results, published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, demonstrate that even beginners process real game scenarios completely differently than random assortments of pieces. The research indicates that integrating visual pattern training from the very start of a player’s journey could be highly effective for building future competence.

Chess skill is traditionally measured by the Elo rating system. This mathematical model assigns a fluctuating numerical score to competitors based on their history of wins and losses against other rated players. Researchers have studied highly rated grandmasters for decades to understand the mental mechanics of expertise. The system provides a reliable way to differentiate the strength of various players across different eras.

The origin of chess mastery often sparks a debate about innate talent versus acquired skill. Some cognitive science theories propose that a high baseline intelligence or advanced natural working memory dictates the speed at which a player progresses. According to this view, people with better basic brain functions will absorb the game faster than their peers. Other scientists argue that dedicated, deliberate practice is the sole driver of an expert’s ultimate potential, meaning that countless hours at the board outpace natural gifts.

Experts absorb the game through a psychological concept known as chunking. Instead of seeing individual knights and pawns, they process groups of pieces as single, unified blocks of information. This mental shortcut allows them to recall vast numbers of board states instantly. It reduces the cognitive load required to understand a complex position.

Extensive research shows elite competitors rely heavily on this rapid pattern recognition. The cognitive processes of beginners remain largely a mystery to academics. Novice players lack the years of experience needed to build a massive mental library of chess configurations. They have not yet internalized the patterns that allow grandmasters to play intuitively.

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Isidoro Astudillo-Sandoval, a researcher at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos in Mexico, wanted to fill this gap in the literature. Astudillo-Sandoval and colleagues designed an experiment to see exactly how beginners process information while staring at the chessboard. They aimed to determine if novices lean on early pattern recognition techniques or if they possess the capacity to rely on a strategy called deep search. This distinction helps separate what players naturally do from what experts are trained to do.

Deep search refers to the mental calculation of future moves. A player visualizing a sequence of attacks and counterattacks uses their working memory to hold those changing positions in their mind. Working memory acts as a temporary mental workspace for holding and manipulating information. Establishing a relationship between deep search calculation and overall playing strength remains a challenge for sports psychologists.

The research team recruited a group of fifty-one university students to participate in the study. These participants were amateur chess players who had received between six and twenty-four months of basic training as part of a recreational sports program. They played regularly as part of a university routine but did not compete in official rated tournaments. This specific criteria ensured the scientists were testing actual novices rather than occasional hobbyists who merely knew how the pieces moved.

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To establish a baseline, the researchers estimated each participant’s Elo rating using a standardized ten-board chess puzzle test. The group averaged a score typical of novice practitioners. Following this, the participants completed four computerized psychological assessments to map their general cognitive abilities. These tests allowed the team to measure functions separate from their actual chess knowledge.

One assessment, known as the Corsi block-tapping task, measured visual working memory by having participants recall a sequence of flashing squares in reverse order on a monitor. The sequence length increased automatically as the participant answered correctly. Another test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, evaluated cognitive flexibility by...