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Uwe Boensch:

The recognition, fostering and
development of chess
talent in Germany

The recognition and definition of talent

For chess the following factors, e.g., are
important:
· the ability to learn: such as intelligence,
powers of observation and analysis, the
speed at which the subject can learn,
· the willingness to become involved, such
as diligence in training, the willingness to
make an effort, persistence, the ability to
put up with frustration,
· cognitive control such as concentration,
motor skills, creativity, tactical powers,
· affective factors such as psychological
stability, stress management skills and
competitiveness,
· social requirements – the ability to take
on roles, fitting in to a team.
“The definition of a talented player or
“talent” is someone who, based on their
possibilities, their willingness to become
involved and their environment, manages
to produce in their performance (where
possible in competition) results above the
average for their age. Such results
demonstrate his or her capacity for
development, such as can be achieved by
an active, pedagogically based and guided
process of transformation by training, and
such as is targeted towards the
achievement of a high level of (sporting)
performance in the future.”
(Joch, Das sportliche Talent (= Talent in
sport) p.97).

Retrospective diagnosis of talent

“It is only with hindsight when the talent
has already proved itself that one can
recognise who is gifted” (p.64). “This
retrospective diagnosis of talent is based

on one hand on the criterion of the juvenile
level of performance, that is to say on
performance ability at the age of a child or
an adolescent; on the other hand, it
summarises and amplifies these prospects
through the criterion of retention as an
adult.” (p.64).
Advantage: conclusive and logical.
Disadvantage: relatively meaningless in
practice since it cannot be used.

Talent recognition as a process

The business of spotting talent for the
future comes into the foreground. This
results in a method of talent spotting which
is closely linked to training.
“Diagnosing talent takes on the character
of a process which should be actively
employed during training. The diagnostic
criteria are the speed of development and
the individual’s capacity to adapt. In this,
the spotting of talent cannot be separated
from the fostering of it.” (p.65).
“The development of talent is a process of
changing which, going beyond motor
activity, covers all areas of the human
personality and should be understood as an
above all open system of a predominantly
determinist nature.”
(cf. Joch 1990, 144-146/p.66).

Methods of fostering talent

There are very different strategies for the
fostering of talented individuals. In what
follows, three methods are presented of
which the first two are radically divergent.

Allow growth
“This is based on the child’s in-built
strengths and defines pedagogical
intervention in terms of measures taken to
keep harmful influences at a distance (...)
Non-intervention in the process of self-
development is the best form of pedagogy
(...) The child grows and develops its
strengths of its own initiative.”
(cf. WILHELM 1963, 17-28).

2

Reducing the degree of freedom
This method was practiced with great
success by the former East Germany.
Central to it is “(...) a logical reduction of
the degree of freedom (...), so that the
prescribed performance targets can to a
great extent be met without any
disruption.” (p.70). The characteristics of
this way of fostering talent in which the
athletes, trainers, selected teachers and
lifetime goals of the sportsmen and women
form a more or less closed unit, are as
follows:
• logical use of kindergartens, schools and
sports clubs,
• schools which are compulsory for high-
performing sports people (classes are
divided according to the sport involved),
• the principle of starting as soon as
possible and the highest possible degree of
pressure, as well as early specialisation.

Intentional versatility
“Only an all-round basic education can
lead to the highest possible personal
ability to perform.” (HANEBUTH 1961,
9/p.72). “In this sense versatility can be
understood in the sense of the
encouragement of motivation (versatile-
varied), but also in the avoidance of
premature specialisation (versatile-
general)” (p.73).
“But a multi-facetted encouragement of
talent also means employing this in the
pursuance of the intended goal or the
intended goals: this is what makes the
versatility intentional. As the relevant
talent-encouraging measures go on longer
and longer, the spectrum of the versatility
shrinks: it becomes more and more sport
and discipline specific.” (p.74).

Planned spotting of young talent and the
introduction of special measures to
support it

Alongside the systematic training and
educating of all young players, one of the
tasks of workshop leaders or trainers is to
be on the lookout for specially gifted

young girls and boys. Starting from talent
spotting in the clubs and regional
federations, we have to come up with a
friction-free, performance orientated
system of fostering, which places firmly in
the centre the developmental path of the
young player, while taking into account
any specific basic interests of the region.
For highly talented children the targeted
special fostering must possess absolute
priority. The following special criteria
characterise the development of the
performance of a talented player.

Stages All players

1

- Talent spotting in regional

federations according to the
policies of these federations.
- Talent spotting tournaments
from U8, talent spotting measures
in school chess and at centres for
talent support.
- Inclusion in the D1-D2 squad.

2

- Inclusion in the D3-D4 squad of
the regional federation.
- Acquisition of an international
Elo rating.
- Success at national level.

- Participation in regional training

3

- Inclusion in the national D/C
squad (while remaining part of
the regional squad).

- Acquisition of an international
Elo rating, or improvement of the
said rating.
- Success at national and
international level.

- Participation in national training

4

- Improve Elo rating to 2350
(boys)

- Improve Elo rating to 2100

(girls)
- Success in international norm-
awarding tournaments and
international championships.

3

5

Inclusion in the C-squad of the
German Chess Federation.

C squad - Male
First included with an Elo rating of at least
2350, or particularly young and highly
talented players.

C squad - Female
First included with an Elo rating of at least
2100, or particularly young and highly
talented players.

B squad - Male
First included with an Elo rating of at least
2500, or particularly young and highly
talented players.

B squad - Female
First included with an Elo rating of at least
2250, or particularly young and highly
talented players.

A squad - Male
Elo rating above 2650

A squad - Female
Elo rating above 2425


There is no doubt that the forecasting of
performance which can be expected with
this “look into the future” is one of the
most difficult of tasks. But when measured
against the personality profile of a chess
master, one can already recognise in
children between six and ten years old
certain characteristics which are relevant to
future performance. When judging talent,
the coach should bear in mind the
following criteria:
- a high level of intelligence, which is
measured by the average of marks obtained
in general school subjects (the mark in
mathematics!),
- noticeable intellectual potential,
especially reasoning, judged by means of
special observations and psychological
tests (Raven etc.),

- harmoniously developed overall
behaviour, without putting too much
emphasis on the school’s mark for
behaviour,
- generally good state of health and
resilient vegetative nervous system,
- healthy level of ambition and targeted
striving to improve performance,
- marked play instinct, enjoyment of
playing and solving mind puzzles,
- targeted will and diligence (sticks in at
homework and solving exercises),
- capacity for maintaining attention levels
during chess lessons and training and for
unremitting concentration in training and
match games,
- lack of worries and sound self-confidence
(rapidly getting over a setback), courage
and determination,
- a memory capable of taking a lot in, that
stands out in the remembering of opening
variations and the ability to reproduce their
own games,
- a rich imagination and creative fantasy
(rapidly solves chess tasks).

It is not often that all these criteria are
found in the same person. However, on
account of his experience of life and ability
to compare, an older trainer or coach
quickly spots in children specific positive
abilities and characteristics. For example,
children in the 10-13 age groups who are
already able to concentrate for four hours
in completing a training unit (special
training) show promise of rapid progress in
their performance.
The basis for all aims at sponsoring of
children is the backing of the parents. They
have to be won over and their agreement
and/or financial support obtained for local
training as well as the participation in
training courses and competitions.
The German Chess Federation offers its
squad players a series of encouragements:
- entries to European and world
championships from U8 to U20,
- entries in international individual and
team tournaments,

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- entry to the international youth
championship of Germany,
- free entry to adult German
championships
and, for some age ranges,
- inclusion in special support groups such
as the “Princes” and the “Junior
Princes”,
- courses for younger and the strongest
members of the squad,
- trainer support at international
championships,
- provision of home trainers,
- financial grants for tournaments and
training.