Chess puzzles have become a mental warm-up for the author, helping occupy their brain and provide a break from mindless scrolling. They came across a book called “Think Like A Super-GM,” which takes chess puzzles and examines the thought processes of players of various skill levels. The most striking lesson from the book is the correlation between a player’s skill and the amount of time they spend falsifying their ideas. Grandmasters spend more time trying to prove their ideas wrong, while amateurs tend to play their moves without much skepticism. The author also discusses the importance of trying to falsify one’s own beliefs and the role of conviction in problem-solving. They highlight the difference between chess puzzles and real-life situations, where definitive answers may not always exist. The author draws comparisons between founders and scientists, and the challenges they face in their respective roles. They also discuss the role of complacency and the need for thoroughness in puzzle-solving and scientific thinking. The author concludes by mentioning the role of working memory in chess puzzles and the innate talents and intuition of skilled players.
https://nabeelqu.substack.com/p/notes-on-puzzles