Benefits of Chess

While the details of the birth of this ancient game remain obscured in the mists of the past, it is believed to date back to 4th century India. Later moving to Persia, it was picked up by Arabian traders, then traveled to the royal courts and religious orders of Europe via Moorish Spain and on to the New World.  Lack of historical specificity notwithstanding, chess is arguably the oldest game still being played on Earth. For nearly two millennia chess has entertained and challenged us, and today, amidst the technological wonders of the 21st century, it continues to develop and hone the minds of young and old alike.

Years of anecdotal evidence have provided ample justification for the growth of scholastic chess programming for children, where critical thinking and life skills were learned and practiced. With the advent of “dynamic MRI’s”, it is now possible to visualize brain activity in real-time, showing that chess players are experiencing significant activity on both sides of the brain, thus enjoying a total brain workout.

The cognitive benefits of chess have been well-documented and include the following skills:

Focusing

Children are taught the benefits of observing carefully and concentrating. If they don’t watch what is happening, they can’t respond to it, no matter how smart they are.

Visualizing

Children are prompted to imagine a sequence of actions before it happens. We actually strengthen the ability to visualize by training them to shift the pieces in their mind, first one, then several moves ahead.

Thinking Ahead

Children are taught to think first, then act. We teach them to ask themselves “If I do this, what might happen then, and how can I respond?” Over time, chess helps develop patience and thoughtfulness.

Weighing Options

Children are taught that they don’t have to do the first thing that pops into their mind. They learn to identify alternatives and consider the pros and cons of various actions.

Analyzing Concretely

Children learn to evaluate the results of specific actions and sequences. Does this sequence help me or hurt me? Decisions are better when guided by logic, rather than impulse.

Thinking Abstractly

Children are taught to step back periodically from details and consider the bigger picture. They also learn to take patterns used in one context and apply them to different, but related situations.

Planning

Children are taught to develop longer range goals and take steps toward bringing them about. They are also taught of the need to reevaluate their plans as new developments change the situation.

Juggling Multiple Considerations Simultaneously

Children are coached to not become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try to weigh various factors all at once.