Myers-Briggs Types and Chess

Yes, very  funny! It's a first step anyway.

INTP

ISTJ here :) 

I suspect that the majority of chess players are "N" intuitives, "I" introverts, and "T" thinkers.  And they probably split 50/50 on the "judgers" versus "perceivers."

But 16 flavors is just too many.  4 is about the right number--NT, NF, SP, SJ.

The military was the "funding source" for the Myers-Briggs, ditto with the Internet under DARPA.  So we can all sleep soundly, because they keep us safe. 

ENFP : - )

ISTJ.

INTP as well.

There seem to be many more INTPs here than would be expected. In the general population, estimates of INTPs range from 1% to 5%, so it cries out for an explanation that there are so many INTPs in the responses so far.

That gives us 9 INTPs, 5 ISTJs, 3 INTJs, 2 ENFP, 1 ENTP and 1 ISFJ

The 2 ENFPs are certainly surprising. I guess this type's main attraction would be meeting people over the board?

I didn't expect so many fellow INTPs, although now that I think about it, it makes sense.

I had thought that _S_J's would be more suited to chess because they would always be aware of where everything is on the board and always having a plan of what to do next. However, INTP's are reputedly lovers of theory, puzzles and esotericism, so chess would hold great attraction in these departments.

Yup, would be interesting to see personality types of masters.  Maybe INTPs are attracted to the game, but are not very good at it.  ISTJs would seem to have the ideal type as others have speculated. 

So I guess I can blame my meager skills on my personality type!! 

Admittedly, Myers-Briggs types aren't exactly precise, and there isn't much science in cutting a bell-curve in half and saying 'this half is type a and the other half is type b', however for the purposes of this thread I am simply interested in general trends. These MBTI results - for example - have given us a reasonably good indication that chess players are very often introverted. I should think that's difficult to dispute.

I think part of the issue being that there no room for those who are riding the fence; I know when I took it there were some where were very strongly positioned in one area (ie: an I).. and others who were riding the fence.  The exercise plotted these two as the same - yet they were in reality likley quite different.  In fact those riding the fence are more likley to be on the E side on another day perhaps or maybe as they change over time and age - they may shift slightly one way or the other.  For those who are positioned strongly into one area - then it is likely fairly accurate - for those who are near the middle it is not a great indicator. (especially where the two items are very different in specific areas - ie: an I and E are quite different in many areas)   Now one can also force somewhat of a change themselves - over time due to necessity I have done a LOT of things more typical of an Extrovert (and as I did them more and more often I became better at them and found them easier to do).. this does not however make one an Extrovert - when they can they will and do revert to their natural Introvert selves.

So is it accurate - not really in all cases -- for those who are strongly positioned in an area - it is likley a fairly good indicator.  If a person were stongly positoned in all four areas (unlikely I would think for most) then it would possibly be very accurate for them.

@ D_Plew  Oddly enuff I consider myself to be introverted, although I'd like to see some convincing stats regarding the majority of chessplayers being introverted; I'm not sure what you mean by  These MBTI results - for example -...

In the meantime I agree with the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, who said We're all mad here.

Consider a typical tea party hosted my one of us "I's".  My preferred guest list likely would be limited to myself, plus the Cheshire Cat, as long as he were well mannered enough to not sprawl across the board.

Hmm...except for Tal.  I wouldn't have minded sitting across a teapot (or other beverage) from Tal.

"Introverted" in the Myers-Briggs sense is not what most of us think of as introverted.  It is not a bad thing, it has to do with how you process information, solve problems and where you draw energy.  Intoverts, in the Myers-Briggs sense, may be friendly out-going and gregarious.  However, they process the world internally and rejuvinate in quiet solitude.

I am an introvert and my wife is an extrovert.  After a day of work, I want a few moments of peace and quiet, perhaps a little chess, she wants to discuss her day.  We found these traits in conflict until we understood what was happenning.  Now, I am patient when she wants to download her day and she allows me my quiet time to recharge my batteries.

 Well, I came out as ISTJ, which is probably evidence against the above theory

Because my personality is fairly balanced in three of their personality facet arrays, my results can vary wildly from one day to the next.

This test was administered once at the office, and those of us who didn't match the "correct" pattern have had our careers set back terminally.