Research from the neurosciences and behavioural sciences highlights the importance of individual differences in explaining human behaviour. Individual differences in core psychological constructs, such as intelligence or personality, account for meaningful variations in a vast range of responses and behaviours. Aspects of chess have been increasingly used in the past to evaluate a myriad of psychological theories, and several of these studies consider individual differences to be key constructs in their respective fields. This book summarizes the research surrounding the psychology of chess from an individual- differences perspective. The findings accumulated from nearly forty years' worth of research about chess and individual differences are brought together to show what is known - and still unknown - about the psychology of chess, with an emphasis on how people differ from one another.

‘This fascinating book explores, from a sound scientific perspective, the relationships between chess and a broad variety of psychological, biological and social factors, evoking widely acknowledged individual differences. Angel Blanch did a superb job addressing the mysterious blend that amazes many of us.’

Roberto Colom - Professor of Individual Differences, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain

‘Chess has long been the canonical sandbox for the study of expertise development, intelligence, brain functioning and personality. This remarkable monograph provides an excellent synthesis of scholarly work in these areas, and highlights the key findings in social science research derived through the study of chess competition and its players.’

Mark Glickman - Senior Lecturer on Statistics, Harvard University, USA

‘Angel Blanch provides an in-depth discussion of chess psychology, focusing on intelligence and personality, but also covering topical issues such as brain functioning and sex differences. The analyses raise important questions that will inspire future research. This book is an essential reference work for anyone interested in individual differences in chess.’

Fernand Gobet - Professorial Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

‘This book is essential reading for those interested in the psychological research on chess. It provides an excellent summary of the evidence about the factors that can explain individual differences in the game and integrates this knowledge into a coherent theoretical framework. In this way, it can inspire researchers and chess players themselves.’

Roland H. Grabner - Professor of Psychology, University of Graz, Austria