Psychology says simply spending more time on something doesn't guarantee mastery; researchers studying 44,213 chess players found focused training far outperformed repetition

Forget the 10,000-hour rule; a new chess study reveals focused, feedback-driven practice is key. Researchers found players who reviewed mistakes and took lessons improved 3.6 times faster than those just playing games. This targeted approach, especially for beginners, significantly boosts skill acquisition, suggesting quality of practice trumps sheer quantity for mastery.