Studies in Chess Expertise
Principal Investigator:
Fernand Gobet
Aims
Theoretical Background
Computer models of
chess expertise
Empirical research
On-Going Research
WWW links on expertise
Selected Publications
Aims
This project of studying (chess) expertise under its various
aspects has been on for the last six years, and has been carried out
in collaboration with
Herbert
Simon (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh) and Adriaan de
Groot (University of Groningen). The goal is to understand the
acquisition of (chess) expertise, with a special focus on learning,
memory, perception and attention processes in skilled individuals. It
has included experimental investigations, computer simulations, and
theoretical work.
Theoretical Background
The computer model developed in this project
(CHREST) and the experiments that were
carried out to test it are inspired by Chase and Simon's chunking
theory and by Simon's earlier models of chess expertise, such as MAPP
and PERCEIVER. The strength of CHREST is to embody these programs
into a single model. A major addition to the model is also the idea
of template, which offers the high-level structures that were
absent in the earlier models. The CHREST framework has motivated most
of the experiments reported below.
References:
- Simon, H. A., & Barenfeld, M. (1969). Information
processing analysis of perceptual processes in problem solving.
Psychological Review, 76, 473-483.
- Simon, H. A., & Gilmartin, K. J. (1973). A simulation of
memory for chess positions. Cognitive Psychology, 5, 29-46.
- Chase, W. G., & Simon, H. A. (1973). The mind's eye in
chess. In W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual information processing.
New York: Academic Press.
Computer models of
chess expertise
CHREST
- CHREST (Chunk Hierarchy and REtrieval STructure) is a computer
model (programmed in LISP) that simulates human behavior in
perception and memory chess experiments, such as those described
later. The model, which is based on the notion of chunking,
accounts for most of the empirical evidence.
- Main sources on CHREST
CHUMP
- This program, based on CHREST, plays chess by pure pattern
recognition and without search. It is planned to add a search
module to it.
- Main sources on CHUMP
Empirical research
Eye movement studies
- Study of eye movements as an indicator of chessplayers'
cognitive processes and heuristics (in collaboration with Prof.
Adriaan de Groot, University of Groningen).
- Main sources on Eye
movements
Example of eye movements (presentation time = 5
seconds)
Master's eye movements
|
|
Novice's eye
movements
|
Recall of random and distorted positions
- Use of random and distorted positions (e.g. by mirror image)
help understand the organization of knowledge in expert
chessplayers.
- Chess information seems to be locally encoded, as mirror-image
reflections decrease recall performance.
- Contrary to a widely held opinion, chess masters do better
with random positions than weaker players.
- Main sources on random and distorted
positions
-
Recall of multiple boards
- In these experiments, subject have to recall a sequence of
rapidly presented chess positions.
- These experimentes give us invaluable information about the
interaction of short-term memory and long-term memory in chess
experts
- We are still analysing a unique experiment where a single
subject was trained to recall as many boards as possible
- Main sources on recall of multiple
boards
Identification of chunks
- These experiments replicate and extend the classical study of
Chase and Simon (1973)
- One key conclusion is that chunk size was underestimated by
Chase and Simon (1973)
- The observed chunk size, large for experts, is what is
predicted by the template theory.
- Main sources on identification of chunks
-
Research on chess problem solving
Two directions of research in this domain:
- Replication of the classical study of De Groot (1946). The
main difference found is that stronger players search deeper than
weaker players, while De Groot didn't find any skill difference in
search depth.
- Analysis of the role of pattern recognition and search in
simultaneous games. We analyse the results of PCA world-champion
Kasparov against national teams.
- Main sources on problem solving
On-Going Research
- Use of the CHREST model in the study of the role of aging in
expert behavior.
- Development of CHUMP into a search program and validation of
the program using empirical data.
WWW links
Psychology of chess
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess#Psychology
Computer chess
http://www.xs4all.nl/~verhelst/chess/programming.html
http://www.dcs.qmw.ac.uk/~icca/
Cognitive science
https://chessprogramming.wikispaces.com/Cognition
http://www.psy.cmu.edu/psy/faculty/hsimon/hsimon.html
Selected Publications
GENERAL EXPERTISE (see also: papers
on expertise)
- Gobet, F. (1998). Chess, Psychology of. MIT encyclopedia of
the cognitive sciences. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
- Gobet, F. (in press). Memory in chess players: Comparison of
four theories. Cognition.
- Gobet, F. (1996): Expertise und Gedaechtnis (Expertise and
Memory). In H. Gruber & A. Ziegler, (Eds.).
Expertiseforschung. Theoretische und methodische Grundlagen.
Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
- Richman, H. B., Gobet, F., Staszewski, J. J., & Simon, H.
A. (1996). Perceptual and memory processes in the acquisition of
expert performance: The EPAM model. In K. A. Ericsson (Ed.),
The Road to Excellence. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
CHREST (see also: papers
on CHREST)
- Gobet, F. (1993). Les memoires d'un joueur d'echecs.
Fribourg (Switzerland): Editions Universitaires.
- de Groot, A. & Gobet, F. (1996). Perception and memory
in chess. Heuristics of the professional eye. Assen: Van
Gorcum.
CHUMP
- Gobet F. & Jansen, P. (1994). Towards a chess program
based on a model of human memory. In H. J. van den Herik, I. S.
Herschberg, & J. W.Uiterwijk (Eds.), Advances in Computer
Chess 7. Maastricht: University of Limburg Press.
EYE MOVEMENTS
- de Groot, A. & Gobet, F. (1996). Perception and memory
in chess. Heuristics of the professional eye. Assen: Van
Gorcum.
RANDOM AND DISTORTED POSITIONS (see also: papers
on expert learning and memory)
- Gobet, F. (1996). EPAM-like simulations of the recall of
random chess positions. In U. Schmid, J. Krembs, & F.
Wysotzki, (Eds.): Proceedings of the First European Workshop on
Cognitive Modeling (Rep. No. 96-39). Berlin: Technische
Universität Berlin.
- Gobet, F. & Simon, H. A. (1996). Recall of Random and
Distorted Positions: Implications for the theory of expertise.
Memory & Cognition, 24, 493-503.
- Gobet, F. & Simon, H. A. (1996). Recall of rapidly
presented random chess positions is a function of
skill.Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 3, 159-163. Abstract
- Gobet, F. (1993). Les memoires d'un joueur d'echecs.
Fribourg (Switzerland): Editions Universitaires. Content
s
(in French)
MULTIPLE BOARDS
- Gobet, F. & Simon, H. A. (1996). Templates in Chess
Memory: A Mechanism for Recalling Several Boards. Cognitive
Psychology, 31, 1-40.
- Gobet, F. (1993). Les memoires d'un joueur d'echecs.
Fribourg (Switzerland): Editions Universitaires.
- IDENTIFICATION OF CHUNKS
- Gobet, F. & Simon, H. (in press). Expert Chess Memory:
Revisiting the Chunking Hypothesis. Memory.
- PROBLEM SOLVING (see also: papers
on problem solving)
- Gobet, F., & Simon, H. A. (in press). Pattern recognition
makes search possible: Comments on Holding (1992).
Psychological Research.
- Gobet, F. (in press). Chess players' thinking revisited.
Swiss Journal of Psychology.
- Gobet, F. (1997). Roles of pattern recognition and search in
expert problem solving. Thinking and Reasoning, 3, 291-313.
- Gobet, F. & Simon, H. A. (1996). The Roles of Recognition
Processes and Look-Ahead Search in Time-Constrained Expert Problem
Solving: Evidence from Grandmaster Level Chess. Psychological
Science, 7, 52-55.
frg-research/chess_expertise.html
Fernand Gobet
CHREST.info
Last Modified:
02/07/2015