Importance of Intellect/IQ on Chess Performance?

To what degree do you think your own intelligence quotient affects how good you can be at chess? Do you think it plays a bigger role than theory, or vise-versa? Just a fun question

General intelligence as measured by IQ tests is correlated with learning ability. Higher IQ means that learning Chess will come easier to you. Who are the better Chess players, those who have learned Chess or those with the greatest ability to learn Chess? I leave you to answer that one yourself.

I don't think it has any affect on how good you can be at chess. I think there are some things that can help almost anyone become a very good chess player if they start early enough, have a passion for chess, are willing to workhard on their game, study chess, play many 1000's of games at different time controls and to analyze your games to learn from your mistakes It is true that some of the best chess players of all time have had very high IQ's but it's also true that many of the best chess players over 2700 don't have very high IQ's, just average. Some talents can certainly be very beneficial such as a good memory as to improve at chess to a higher level you have to memorize 1000's of patterns although you can still do this without an especially good memory but it will take far longer and be harder to do. Other factors like determination and a strong work ethic are essential to becoming very good at chess.

Have you ever listened to the world's top grandmasters being interviewed? As a whole, they seem like a pretty bright bunch, but do you get the impression of overwhelming intellectual brilliance? I sure don't. 

It seems to me that the most important attribute the top players have is a tremendous love of chess and an appetite for hard work

Anyone who can't go passed 1800 in a year 😆 I've played seriously since Feb, I'll be happy if I get passed 1000 in my first year! Got to love internet wisdom.

It can't hurt to have a high IQ 

     The most important chess talents are visualization--the ability to clearly "see" in your mind's eye what a future position will be after a few moves you have calculated and therefore accurately assess--and visual memory--the ability to recall positions previously seen and studied. Those who have a great amount of these abilities have the greatest potential for chess achievement.

     Many other factors contribute. The capacity to keep calm under pressure, study and practice, learning the game when young to embed the moves in the deeper levels of the mind, competitive spirit, and more. Certainly high intelligence will help with the study and understanding factors but it is not one of the main components of chess strength. The players with exceptionally high levels of the visual abilities that start young and also put in the work sit atop the ratings.

High iq allows you to learn and understand complex concepts quicker and solve problems more efficiently. Higher iq is definitely a big benefit for a player.

However, someone with an average iq is definitely able to learn chess and become a master. Hard work beats high iq. Another point of view is that someone with a very low iq wont be able to become a great chess player.