I've just seen a chess joke (which I will repeat another time) that relies on left handed chess players for its humour. It did get me thinking about whether being left handed makes you a better chess player, Certainly right handed opponents appreciate you more if you are left handed (the clock is on the best side for both players) but does it count for anything more than that.
Apart from the usual lefty propaganda (left handers are just smarter than right handers), the only real numbers I have seen are a 1988 study which found 16.9% of USCF players were left handed, a figure that rises to 18.1% for Master players. This is above the global average (11%), and therefore suggests that chess attracts left handers, but whether this makes them better is another question.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
But chess attracts all sorts of odd-bods and novelties, Shaun. :)
I am a lefty and it why I play 1. b4. It's just the natural pawn for me to reach for.
Southpaws might do even better at chess-boxing!
Post a Comment