ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the topic of cognitive processes in chess showing that pattern recognition is an essential cognitive process for chess playing. Pattern recognition is not only useful for recognizing positions and generating possible moves in the current position, but it is also an integral part of the search process. Instead of moving pieces in the actual chess board, chess players simulate their movement in the mind's eye, and they recursively apply pattern recognition over the positions held in the mind's eye. The seminal studies inspired many cognitive scientists to investigate cognitive processes in chess players, not only to understand chess expertise per se but also as a model to study the cognitive processes that underlie decision making in general. The chapter discusses three cognitive processes that were investigated in chess players: pattern recognition, search, and imagery.
