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What Is Garry Kasparov's IQ?

By Samantha Davis, Psychology Writer
Published on July 02, 2024 | Updated on August 22, 2024

Image by Carlos Osorio/Collision, used under CC BY 2.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

Garry Kasparov Has a 190 IQ

Garry Kasparov is a chess legend with an estimated IQ of 155. Born in Azerbaijan in 1963, he became the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion at 22. His peak FIDE rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest ever recorded until Magnus Carlsen, another high-IQ chess player, surpassed it in 2013.

He famously faced IBM's Deep Blue in 1997, a match that highlighted the evolving relationship between humans and machines. Though Deep Blue won using brute force processing, Kasparov emphasized that true intelligence lies in creativity and strategic thinking, as discussed in his book Deep Thinking.

Since then, Kasparov has also ventured into politics and writing, advocating for human rights and strategic thinking. In particular, he's a made profound contributions to the AI conversation. He argues that intelligent machines can enhance human creativity and problem-solving, urging us not to fear but to embrace this technological evolution . His views on AI highlight the potential for collaboration between humans and machines, rather than a competitive threat.

Beyond his chess and AI insights, Kasparov is also a vocal critic of the Russian government and a champion for democracy. He formed the United Civil Front movement and ran for Russian president in 2008 but withdrew due to logistical problems he blamed on "official obstruction." His strategic mind is evident in his analysis of political situations, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He believes that psychological factors and morale play critical roles in warfare and that Ukraine's resilience is a testament to the power of human spirit .

Garry Kasparov's IQ

190

How We Know Garry Kasparov's IQ Is 190

Average Confidence Level

Medium

Garry Kasparov's IQ was calculated by taking into account the scores from three sources, two of which are considered moderately reliable.

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Curious Matrix

190 IQ

Mindvalley

135 IQ

India TV News

190 IQ

5 Reasons Why Garry Kasparov Is Considered a Genius

Youngest World Champion: Garry Kasparov became the World Chess Champion in 1985 at the age of 22. He was the youngest undisputed champion in the game's history at that time.
Peak Rating Achievement: In 1999, Kasparov reached a chess rating of 2851. This rating was the highest ever recorded at that time!
Victory Over Chess Computers: Kasparov beat the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue in 1966, a testament to his sharp intellect and capacity to outthink artificial intelligence in chess.
Author and Analyst: Kasparov also has writing talent to go along with his intellect and chess genius. He has authored several books on chess with insights that reflect his deep understanding of strategy. Kasparov has also addressed life, with his book, "How Life Imitates Chess" being available in 20 languages. Furthermore, he has been a contributing editor to the The Wall Street Journal, commenting on human rights and politics.
Historic Chess Records: Garry Kasparov holds records for the most consecutive professional tournament victories (15) and the longest unbeaten run in professional chess, highlighting his dominance and sharp mind.

Image by Fronteiras do Pensamento, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

How Does Garry Kasparov's IQ Compare to Other People?

Garry Kasparov's IQ of 190 is a rarity. This score exceeds the entry requirements for the world's most exclusive high-IQ societies. He easily qualifies for Mensa, Intertel, and the Epimetheus Society, which admits only the top 0.003%. In short, Kasparov is among the one in a billion people tier, a level of intelligence so rare it defies common understanding.

Image by Carlos Osorio/Collision, used under CC BY 2.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

Ranking Garry Kasparov's IQ Among Chess Players

As we've seen, Garry Kasparov is a legendary chess grandmaster with a genius IQ. Let's compare his intelligence with other chess luminaries.

Magnus Carlsen, also with an IQ of 190 IQ, is known for his incredible skill and dominance in the chess world.

Bobby Fischer, with an IQ of 180 IQ, remains one of the most famous and enigmatic figures in chess history.

Next, Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player ever, has an IQ of 170 IQ. Her achievements have inspired many in the chess community.

Until now, we've covered IQ scores above 160, which is a rarity. In fact, most modern IQ tests have an IQ ceiling of 160. Take Emory Tate for example. The late chess player was known for his brilliant and unconventional playing style. His 145 IQ is still considered a very high IQ by all standards.

Finally, we'll mention Hikaru Nakamura, a leading figure in modern chess and a popular YouTuber. This chess prodigy has an IQ of 102 according to several sources. There's only two possible explanations for this much lower IQ – which by the way is still above average. Either those sources are incorrect, or IQ simply doesn't tell the full story!

Illustration composed of multiple sources: images by Gage Skidmore under CC BY-SA 2.0, Eleri Kublashvili under CC BY-SA 3.0, Bert Verhoeff for Anefo under CC0 1.0, Stefan64 under CC BY-SA 3.0, Chess.com under Fair Use, Eldar Azimov under CC BY-SA 4.0 / Incorporated into an illustration

Do you feel that 190 IQ is a good indicator of Garry Kasparov's accomplishments in life? Join the comments section below to let us know!

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