Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Luck
Is there luck in chess? Objectively, in chess all the information is available. Both players see the same board, the same pieces and the time available in their clocks. Starting with that information, each player analyze the position. The difference lays on each player’s conclusions and decisions. Is luck responsible for that difference?
Dutch GM Robin van Kampen’s point of view is: “The lived experience [of playing chess] is nothing close to a game of perfect information; in practice luck is not determined by the information content in the game but by the ability of the players to process said content, and we’re nowhere close to processing it all.”
To understand van Kampen’s comment, please take a look at the position below. It appeared in the game Ni Hua vs Le Quang Liem, 2012.
Ni Hua defeated a strong opponent. However, was he lucky that his opponent missed that amazing tactic line on move 29?
Of course, there are other factors affecting players’ performance.
If your opponent plays better than his or her rating implies, does that mean you were unlucky? If the night before a game you stay up preparing but your opponent plays something you are not expecting, is that bad preparation or just bad luck?
Former Women’s World Champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk, claimed that “it’s the strongest who has the luck… you need to deserve it!”
There is also arguments against luck in chess. For example, in blitz and bullet games is common that players make mistakes and blunders when low on time. And that gives the feeling that apparently something random is happening. However, the strongest players win most of their time scrambles. Are they lucky or perhaps strong players have chess skills and knowledge that are difficult to quantify?
Maybe you play chess but are unable to attend a local club. If that is your case, then join our virtual Chess.com club. On our site, we regularly play online tournaments and team matches. More than 1940 members enjoy that chance and new players join every week. For the coming months we have new tournaments scheduled waiting for players! Join now! Additionally, we have an interesting puzzle section.
