system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[XFiles/Chess] Could someone who reads minds really be able to become a chess master because of that skill?

It's been ages since I've seen the show but I remember that kid was able to read minds, and he was a chess master or something at one point.
gpt
Short answer, yes.

One of the cornerstones of chess is trying to figure out what exactly your enemy is going to do, and trying to get them to do things that aren't in their own interest. Being able to actually hear your opponent's inner monologue as they react to your moves and plot their own course, presuming you have enough knowledge of chess strategy to properly interpret it, is as damning as being able to see the opponent's hand in a game of poker. 

Mind reading doesn't instantly make you a master, but as long as you keep it secret it's a massive edge against virtually any skilled opponent.