I learned chess at an early age; this is perhaps not surprising, I was a nerdy kid and went on to get degrees in math, electrical engineering, and computer science. However, I am a <i>very</i> mediocre player. I’ve studied chess on and off for many years —- I think my copy of MCO (Modern Chess Openings) is 50 years old. My bookshelf currently holds 59 books on chess.<p>But why am I so bad at chess? After pondering this for years, I’ve decided my problem is that some people are, like the Brazilian maid in the featured article, just astoundingly, preternaturally good at the game. Humans talents are so interesting. No amount of practice will make me another Michael Jordon nor even a strong ranked chess player.