Beyond Test Scores: Why Go Keeps Appearing in the Background of Gaokao Top Performers

In China, academic success is often measured by performance in the Gaokao, the national college entrance examination taken by nearly all students at the end of high school.

The Gaokao is a highly competitive, high-stakes exam that largely determines which universities students can attend, and in many cases, influences future educational and career opportunities. For students, it represents years of preparation under sustained pressure rather than a single test.

It is a pattern many teachers and parents quietly notice: among students who consistently achieve top scores in the Gaokao, it is not uncommon to find years of experience in the game of Go. This observation is often explained away as coincidence, talent, or family background. But research from psychology and education suggests a more grounded explanation. The skills cultivated through long-term Go training overlap in striking ways with the psychological demands of high-stakes academic performance.

Unlike many extracurricular activities, Go places children in repeated situations of uncertainty. Each game unfolds slowly, with incomplete information and irreversible decisions. Players must tolerate not knowing the outcome for hours while continuing to make rational choices. Studies in educational psychology have shown that such environments are particularly effective at training emotional regulation and delayed gratification, both of which are strongly correlated with academic persistence and exam performance.

One of the most visible traits of top exam performers is emotional stability under pressure. High-stakes exams are not only tests of knowledge but also tests of stress management. Research on competitive board games indicates that experienced Go players show lower impulsivity and more controlled emotional responses during challenging tasks. Neuropsychological studies have linked long-term Go practice with improved activity in brain regions associated with executive control and emotion regulation, especially in adolescents.

Go also trains a specific relationship with failure. Every Go player, no matter how skilled, loses frequently. Losses are concrete, personal, and difficult to rationalize away. Instead of offering instant rewards, Go demands post-game reflection, error analysis, and long-term adjustment. Educational studies have found that children who regularly engage in structured self-review develop stronger metacognitive skills, including the ability to evaluate their own strategies and adapt learning methods over time. These abilities closely resemble the study habits seen in high-achieving exam students.

Another less discussed factor is attentional endurance. A single game of Go can require sustained concentration for several hours, with penalties for even brief lapses in focus. Cognitive research has shown that long-duration attention tasks improve what psychologists call sustained attention capacity, a skill directly related to exam performance where concentration must be maintained across extended periods. This form of attention is different from short bursts of focus trained by fast-paced activities and is particularly relevant to written examinations.

Go also encourages a long-term perspective. Players learn early that short-term gains can lead to long-term disadvantages, and that restraint often outweighs aggression. Developmental psychology research suggests that children exposed to long-horizon decision-making environments develop stronger planning abilities and a greater tolerance for slow progress. These traits align closely with the multi-year preparation process required for success in the Gaokao.

Importantly, research does not suggest that Go directly causes academic excellence. Rather, it appears to cultivate a set of psychological and cognitive habits that make students better equipped to handle demanding academic systems. Emotional regulation, sustained attention, reflective learning, and long-term planning are not exam techniques, but they are the foundations upon which exam success is built.

Seen from this perspective, the presence of Go players among top Gaokao scorers is less mysterious. Go does not train students to answer exam questions faster. It trains them to remain calm when outcomes matter, to think clearly when mistakes are costly, and to continue working when rewards are distant. These qualities, quietly developed over years of play, happen to be exactly what high-stakes academic environments require.