The sixty-year-old Russian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov, was well known for being incredibly witty and highly intelligent.
According to the Levitt equation, Garry Kasparov’s highest Elo rating of 2780 estimates his IQ to be around 180!
But is that Kasparov’s actual IQ score? Although an IQ score of 180 is a slight overreach, Garry Kasparov’s real IQ still falls in the genius category of IQ scores, which is pretty impressive.
So let’s see what Garry Kasparov’s real IQ is.
What Is Kasparov’s IQ?
Aside from all the estimates and allegations, Garry Kasparov had an IQ test back in 1987-1988 for Der Spiegel magazine, where he scored 135.
Over the span of three days, he took a battery of tests that assessed his memory, spatial ability, and abstract reasoning. The magazine’s article dives into the details and actual results of Kasparov’s three-day IQ test.
He excelled in a few aspects, such as reading speed and comprehension, fast arithmetic, and general memory.
However, other aspects of intelligence, like picture-based thinking and making educated guesses, weren’t his strong suit.
These results may be related to the fact that Garry has trained his brain to avoid taking impulsive actions and only make moves that he’s certain of.
Is Garry Kasparov’s IQ Remarkable?
Garry Kasparov’s score of 135 comfortably sets him in the genius category. His intelligence, comprehension, and memory are quite remarkable. But with all his glory, Garry Kasparov doesn’t hold the title of the highest IQ score in chess.
Even though Garry Kasparov doesn’t have the highest IQ score, he’s still in the top two percentile of the world population. Since his score is above 130, he classifies as highly superior according to the Personality Tests Center.
His high IQ score is based on a combination of his exceptional strategic thinking, analytical abilities, and strong memory.
All of these traits allowed Kasparov to become a world-renowned chess grandmaster at the young age of 22 years old.
What Are Garry Kasparov’s Chess Skills?
Garry Kasparov’s style while playing chess is described as being an aggressively dynamic player.
As the brilliant tactician and attacker he is, Kasparov focuses on tactics, subtle calculations, depth of strategy, and original opening moves.
In fact, he was known for his extensive opening preparations and how aggressively he played them. Kasparov is also madly skilled in gaining initiative and forcing the game to follow his plan.
So, if you’re thinking about learning anything from Garry Kasparov’s chess skills, focus on strategy, power, and playing your own game.
Better yet, you could go through these eight tips on strategies from Garry Kasparov’s winning chess routine. Since Kasparov is also a great chess teacher, you’re sure to benefit greatly from his teaching.
Garry Kasparov’s Most Memorable Games
Throughout his career, Kasparov shook his audience with how he stood his ground and won the following games:
Kasparov VS Magerramov
This game was in 1977, when Kasparov was only 14 years old, against Magerramov when he was 19.
Although Kasparov was younger than Magerramov, he won this game with a few deadly tricks up his sleeves and checked Magerramov’s white king.
Nikitin, his trainer, analyzed the game and began to notice how Kasparov would take control of a game — as we’ve mentioned before.
Kasparov VS Palatnik
Another one of Kasparov’s beautiful attacking gems is his game with Semon Palatnik in 1978.
He started with a strong opening, which gave him a firm grip in the black squares, and finished it off with quick, tactical sacrifices.
Garry Kasparov never hesitated about a sacrifice that he was confident of winning shortly after. This fact proves that his style has always been the same since the beginning of his chess career.
Kasparov VS Karpov
During the World Championship in 1984, Kasparov went against Karpov for a match. The match was then called off after their record-breaking 48 games!
Although it may sound intimidating, Kasparov came out of this match as a stronger player and ready to rematch Karpov.
Seven months later, they met again in 1985, when Kasparov beat Karpov without any sacrifices—just pure skill and logical thinking. Two years later, they both met for another game. Kasparov once again managed to hold his position and win the match.
Once again, in 1990, Kasparov won the match between him and Karpov in the World Championship. This time, Kasparov showcased his mind-blowing, machine-like calculations and attacking skills.
FAQs
Which Chess Player Has the Highest IQ?
Although he never publicly took an official IQ test, Magnus Carlsen is estimated to have the highest IQ based on his chess rating.
His rating is 2859, which sets his IQ up to 190. Of course, 190 is beyond genius level since even Einstein’s was 160.
Do Chess Players Have High IQ?
Yes, most grandmasters are highly intelligent and have an IQ score of 130 or more.
High IQ helps chess players excel in their game because it mostly depends on brain function, such as quick calculations, solid knowledge, and a powerful memory.
Can Low IQ Play Chess?
Of course! Everybody can play chess. Chess is a game, like any other, which people could learn and practice to become good at it. It’s an acquired skill that people with all levels of IQ can work on.
However, only people with relatively high IQs can grow quickly as professional chess players and become grandmasters at a young age.
Do I Need to Increase My IQ to Be Great at Chess?
Imagine chess as the gym for your brain muscles.
If you practice enough, you’ll stimulate your brain muscles, activate its functions, and improve your overall performance. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.
Conclusion
The Russian grandmaster, Garry Kasparov, is one of the most remarkable chess players to ever exist.
His extreme intelligence and mind-blowing skills led people to overestimate his IQ up to 180. However, his actual IQ score, which is 135, is still equally impressive.
Kasparov became famous for his tactics, strategic planning, and strong memory, which helped him win many unwinnable games throughout his career. No wonder he has a genius-level IQ!
