If you were looking for some more excuses and reasons to play Chess, this page is for you. With the amount of cognition and focus involved in Chess, there must be a benefit or two to playing Chess, right? Yes indeed.
Last Updated: November 4th, 2021
Here are twenty benefits of playing Chess.
1) Chess Practice Is a Pro-Health Mitigation Strategy To Prevent Dementia
Chess is expected to be a protective factor due to its cognitive benefits. Still, further research is necessitated to show whether chess can protect against dementia in individuals diagnosed. Overall, people with dementia who engage in chess practice produce beneficial results through published research and indirectly assumed as a protective factor.[1]
2) Chess can help improve a child’s ability to solve mathematical problems
Chess training appears to have a beneficial impact on math performance, as shown by the study’s findings. The experimental group showed more remarkable improvement in math than the control group.
According to this research, even a short-time chess strategy in kids may help them improve their mathematical skills. Highly developed mathematical problem-solving ability in children aged 8 to 11 years old) was tested. Two groups of 500 students were formed, half of whom were given the task, and the other half were not. The experiment involved two experimental groups (with chess lessons and online training), a control, and a comparison group. The test measured students’ mathematical and chess skills in addition to their regular education.[2]
3) Chess enhances a person’s creativity and perceptual comprehension.
Chess is typically attributed to as a “brain sport.” There’s a similar difference between calculation and pure instinct in chess, just as there is in many physical activities. Like many other sports, chess has some parallels with other activities. In particular, the way we employ our visual imagination in sports and chess has an interesting link. Even though chess, on the other hand, is quite different from sports that require the same level of fitness and agility as they do. Chess is sensory-governed, skilled behavior necessary for juggling or anticipating multiple possible scenarios at the present moment.[3]
4) Chess encourages you to be patient.
When you have a decisive move at your disposal, but you delay utilizing it and continue building up your position while leaving the danger on the table, it psychologically impacts your opponent (Capablanca – Ragozin Moscow 1935). Your opponent must calculate variations that parry your threat on every move. Still, to their surprise, after they’ve finished calculating, one of their next moves was to leave the danger on hold by making your position even more solid. Patience, in evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience, is regarded as a decision-making issue. Even though long-term rewards typically have more advantages than short-term ones, patience is researched between a small quick reward and a tremendous valuable long-term reward.
5) Chess enable us to read people’s insights and discover their personalities.
Is it possible for the other person to respond quickly and not get flustered? Adapting to specific situations is one of the keys to being great at chess and in business. The passage of time aids in illuminating that skill. It’s not what you want to see if they let you win. To check this, make a stupid move at the beginning of the game and see if they take advantage. Losing a key piece is one of the most unpleasant experiences in chess. If this happens early, you’ll undoubtedly have to work the rest of the game to recover your position. This is one of the most crucial moments for a chess player’s mentality.[4]
The inability to forget the mistake will lead you to become ineffective. In these scenarios, pay close attention to how the opponent responds. Is he immediately angry and irritable? Does he brush it off or show no reaction at all?
6) Chess taught us to make sacrifices
Sometimes, it is necessary to make sacrifices. Chess sacrifice tactics are a way for you to get used to sacrificing a move to win the battle. In chess, we have the option of sacrificing pawns or other pieces to create a more vigorous assault at a later stage. We win the game as a result of the sacrifice. Once we’ve quit playing chess, the same idea applies. Sacrifice is an inevitable aspect of life. We may never achieve what we truly desire or need if we don’t make sacrifices.[5]
7) The lesson we learn from chess is that there is always a second chance.
In chess, we must have a fighting spirit. We must force moves and take risks to win. Chess is a forcing ground where the fruits of character may develop more entirely than they would in everyday life. The combination imagines himself in the future; the player begins with the given position and tries aggressive moves in his mind.[6]
8) Chess motivates us never to lose hope
The skill of not losing heart when things appear to be going badly in our nation’s state is known as chess. And in a realm that includes hidden danger and stress, hope is no longer the same. It’s not only about you anymore. We all have a lot going on in our lives these days, but we’re still looking for something to make it better. A chess game is divided into three periods: the first, when you believe you have an edge; the second, when you think you have an advantage; and the third, when you discover that you will lose.[7]
9) Chess Is a lucrative profession with fundamentals that can help players profit in trading.
To begin, top players in the United States receive a yearly bonus at the U.S. championships, where even last place receives free lodging, meals, and more than a first place at most American weekend Swisses. This year’s open tournament prize (USD 50,000) was somewhat higher than the current national average wage ($48,000).
In terms of money management, chess is similar because there’s risk management when the position or market turns sour. Nakamura emphasized that “knowing when to cut your losses” is a strong point for stronger chess players. It’s a two-way street; it applies equally to trading and investing. In chess, if a player makes the best move, all things are possible. Obviously, in markets, if something goes wrong, it does so swiftly.
10) Chess teach calmness under pressure despite unfavorable situations.
Chess players who engage in timed moves must consider their current position on the chessboard and select the most pleasing possible move before time runs out. Students will learn how to stay calm when considering potential responses, allowing them to make well-informed and well-considered judgments under pressure in real-life circumstances in the future.
When asked to consider circumstances where their children must remain calm under pressure, most parents immediately recall activities. Games may provide an opportunity to take a game-winning shot only once or twice a season. In reality, few sports activities give as many chances to remain calm under pressure as a typical chess match.[8]
11) Chess helps us to be faster, precise, and more accurate.
Chess aids in our ability to accomplish speedy response time by allowing us to practice reacting and responding to a problem at a quicker rate. The speed of our response time is affected by the frequency we are mentally prepared to react or respond. When someone is involved in chess, they constantly expect to think about what their opponent may do. This means that the brain becomes more prepared for mental activity. People who play chess can recognize moves much quicker than people who don’t play chess because they always expect the unexpected.
Chess also has a significant impact on our ability to be precise and accurate. Both hypotheses were supported by analyses of three samples of blitz chess tournaments. As little as 5% of the standard time allowed players to account for up to 81% of the variance in chess skill (measured by rating). Ever since chess players started playing in competitions, they have noticed an improvement in their mathematical and decision-making skills.[9]
12) Intelligence is associated with chess ability.
According to a brand-new study, endless practice and cognitive ability play a role in chess mastery. The study provides some of the most definitive proof to date that cognitive ability is linked to effective performance, a contentious issue in psychology for decades, and refutes theories that suggest expertise is only acquired through lengthy training. In the Michigan State University study, they said to imagine that a grandmaster can teach a chess prodigy to play well quickly at an early age, whereas an average person may take longer. As you continue to practice and learn more about the game, you will avoid cognitive limits.[10]
13) Chess aids us in robust planning and visualizing.
Chess may expand our creativity. We move the pieces a few moves ahead and consider various possibilities without disturbing the board from time to time. You may discover a few beautiful plays when you analyze your games. However, this isn’t the case. You must devise the entire sequence of moves, rather than just one. Planning is what makes those movements meaningful. This evidence supports the conclusion that high-level thinking and low-level recognition of known patterns are necessary for chess position memory.[11]
14) Chess improves our ability to solve problems in real life.
Chess helps you concentrate and improve your reasoning, according to World Champion Garry Kasparov. It teaches you to play by the rules and take responsibility for your actions, and how to problem solve in an uncertain situation. In life, chess players can apply some of the tactics and strategies in all areas. Rex Sinquefield is a successful entrepreneur and the driving force behind the resurgence of chess in the United States through the establishment of the St. Louis Chess Club.[12]
15) Chess stimulates both halves of the brain.
According to research conducted in Germany, both the left and right hemispheres of chess players’ brains became highly active when they were asked to identify chess positions and geometric forms. Their reaction times to the basic shapes were comparable. Still, they used both sides of their brains to respond more quickly when presented with chess position questions. Studies have shown that top chess players use both hemispheres of the brain to make judgments, combining visual processing on one hand and analytical reasoning on the other.[13]
16) Chess develops self-assurance and confidence in children.
There are advantages for both young and adults. In 2019-20, the St. Louis Chess Club did its study and discovered that: On days when they get to play chess, 65% of students look forward to school more than usual. According to a recent poll, playing chess has increased confidence in complex material for 72% of pupils. Chess encourages students to challenge themselves more in the future, according to 75 percent of pupils.[14]
17) Stalemates are possible with Chess
In the beginning, both teams are identical, but sad moments may overtake us in an attempt to draw. We may be drawn into a circumstance similar to trying to survive in life. Maybe there is a stalemate that we, as a person, might be drawn into. When one has the opportunity, one should capitalize on the opportunity.
For example, it is not uncommon for an individual to have made up their mind about playing chess. Some people are more attracted to the game than others. Stalemates are possible with Chess and can range from being very easy to solve to be difficult for some new players.
18) Chess is romantic, it enables us to foster relationships
Chess is one of the world’s oldest games, having been played for over 15 centuries. The game of chess has evolved as it spread across the globe, turning into the game we enjoy today. As a result, this journey has brought people from all around the world together since they share a passion for chess and a desire to increase their abilities.[15]
19) The Power Of Chess To Help Children Recognize The Results of Their Actions
It’s satisfying to think things through before executing them, but rushing your decisions might have unpleasant consequences. The worldwide chess boom has been gaining momentum for the last decade. More significant than these youngsters becoming excellent chess players or obtaining high ratings is that chess instills in them the importance of their decisions having consequences—both good and bad from a young age.[16]
20) Chess Is A Fun And Educational Game For Kids
Chess is an excellent sport for people of all ages, but it’s particularly lovely for children. They participate in chess during the day at their school. Chess is a low-cost pastime that youngsters of all backgrounds and abilities may enjoy right on campus. Children of all ages, backgrounds and special needs can join a chess class or club.[17]
That concludes the benefits of playing Chess. The bottom line is, Chess benefits research shows that Chess is beneficial for kids, students, adults, and anyone else.