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As an Asperger player, I played from 5 to 10. I won at school and at regional tournaments. I left it

I returned at 18. I spent 15 years playing online and OTB (a lot of daily hours).

My best:

  • 2900 in chess.com tactics trainer.
  • 1950 in rapids (playing 15' games in french Federation).
  • 1750 in slow games at Spanish FEDA.

I have books but I do not read them. I get bored because I do not understand what they say and I have never tried seriously to study theory. I am not good evaluating positions either. I failed many times to match with Stockfish evaluation. Reading here what a master thinks at a position was the definitive read when I knew that was impossible to me. Even I hadn't left chess at 10 I do not think I would have reached more than 2000.

I find I have some kind of limitation in my brain. I only won 1700 because of tactical mistakes and because I know a bit how to enter in won endgames.

I am curious if other autistic players succeeded to "decrypt" chess. Maybe GM Julio Granda is a clear case (related)?

  • An obvious problem (for research, not for an answer here) is a lack of data. I myself might have some Asperger treats (I'm just a tiny FM and don't count anyway) - but I simply couldn't care less to do an univocal test. Other might think alike. – Hauke Reddmann Nov 29 '23 at 08:36
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    Maybe GM David Navara ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Navara – Evargalo Nov 29 '23 at 10:22
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    @Universal_learner I would edit it, or roll back the change. Somebody has change the meaning of your question after all – Ian Bush Nov 30 '23 at 07:45
  • @Ian Bush But the answer also includes the term. It is indeed a different question, also interesting to include other people than ASD. But I edited it to speciphy in my case I am Asperger. –  Nov 30 '23 at 08:06
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    @Universal_learner your question, you do with it what you want! – Ian Bush Nov 30 '23 at 08:28
  • @Ian Bush I decided to change it –  Dec 01 '23 at 18:28

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I am also neurodiverse and have written a book about that (and a second one is almost done). I play chess badly but I enjoy it.

I think there are going to be two big issues in answering this question. First, you have to define exactly what you mean by "neurodiverse". This term is relatively new and the meaning is somewhat in flux. Second, you have "known to be". That would indicate you want a list of people who have been diagnosed with something, and are open about it. But a lot of neurodiverse people either a) Don't have an official DX (diagnosis) or b) Aren't open about it.

It's still hard to get a DX (and much harder in some places than others), and there is still a lot of stigma (more in some places than others).

It's tempting, but dangerous, to diagnose from afar and based only on what we read. Was Bobby Fischer neurodiverse? It sure seems like it, but I doubt he was ever tested.

Peter Flom
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    Might be an idea to define "DX", it's not a term/abbreviation/acronym I have come across – Ian Bush Nov 29 '23 at 13:58
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    What is your book? Is it available in .epub in Amazon or so? –  Nov 30 '23 at 09:11
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    My book is Screwed Up Somehow but not Stupid: Life with a Learning Disability. Support independent book stores by buying it from Bookshop https://bookshop.org/p/books/screwed-up-somehow-but-not-stupid-life-with-a-learning-disability-peter-flom/11169784?ean=9780692611692 – Peter Flom Nov 30 '23 at 12:59
  • My question was speciphically about ASD. I am sorry but it has no sense to say an schizophrenic decrypted anything, as they have a creative mind (for an ASD it has). –  Dec 01 '23 at 18:29