Take the Chess Aptitude Exam and Find Out How Good You are in Chess

Jonathan Levitt, a chess grandmaster with many experience in chess under his belt, devised what I think is the most effective and ingenious "self-tests" to evaluate chess aptitude. The book "Genius in Chess," written by Levitt, mentions this talent test.

Prior to taking this exam, you need to know how to study the illustration of a chessboard in algebraic notation. If you are a knowledgeable chess player who is familiar with chess notation, you can skip this part and go to the part where I explain the exam. Using algebraic chess notation, every row of the chess board is numbered from one thru eight, starting with the white side. Every column is given a letter from a through h, going from left all the way to the right from the white side. Every square is described by a letter-number combination in relation to the intersection of the column and row which contains the square. If you are on the side of the one playing white, the top rightmost square, is h8. The website which is mentioned above contains a diagram showing h1 as the square on the upper rightmost part of the chessboard.

You can log on to my chess game strategies site. You can see a typical square checkered chessboard that has the algebraic notation. The diagram is found in the resources link at the bottom of the page.

Now let me to describe the quiz:

The exam requires a timer, a chessboard, 1 white knight, and 1 black queen.

Position the knight on b1. Position black's queen on d4. The white knight has to move around the chessboard, going through the squares in this order: c1, e1, f1, h1, a2, c2, e2, g2, h2,…,g8. Some squares like h8 that cannot be visited because black's queen controls it. At any time during the test, the black queen should never be taken nor can the knight be placed in danger of being caught by the black queen.

It is all right to move the knight without using the order given above as long as it is absolutely necessary, like moving from c1 to e1. But, the squares must be visited again at the proper time in the order given above. The test is time-critical and needs to be taken only once. Levitt believes that anyone who can complete the test in 10 minutes or less shows "real chess talent."

Unwavering attention and the determination to learn is what is needed to pass the test. You have to prepare well on how the knight should move. Not everyone who took the exam made it passed c1.

If you go to my chess tips site, scroll to the bottom, and choose the resources link, you can access the solution to the exam and the results, in seconds, of several very accomplished players of chess.

Give your computer a break and give this test a try.

You don't have to be discouraged if you end up completing the quiz after the ten-minute mark. bear in mind, it's not about memorizing the moves but to be able to plan your move.

Most people who simply memorize moves, but don't understand chess strategy, will get in trouble with this quiz. Real chess skill is not merely memorizing moves and tactics but about strategy. Spacial talent is also something that the exam needs. All of these skills are taken from experience on the chessboard, constant coaching, and consistent study.

Bio: Chad Kimball began playing chess at an incredibly young age. Other than playing chess, he has written, edited, and published chess books. His books are published online. He also provides courses on chess online. Because of him, we have "The Grandmaster Strategy Video Training Library." This is a very valuable resource found online.

There are 29 videos with hours of trainings, 14 books with a total of 2,219 pages to help you succeed in chess. These 29 videos allows you to confidently sit down at the chessboard, knowing that you are ready to defeat your opponent. You can log on to the world wide web and check this amazing chess game resource site.