This answer is unsupported. The stimulus suggests that beginner players must think through the consequences more frequently, but that doesn't mean they're better at considering the consequences compared to experts.

This answer is unsupported. The stimulus does not offer a judgment as to what beginner chess players should do.

This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus whether pattern recognition is a necessary condition for improving chess skills.

This answer is strongly supported. An expert is relying crucially on his or her memory when deciding the next moved based on information recalled about that move’s consequences.

This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus whether any other activity requiring pattern recognition skills would help a chess player improve their chess skills.