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 encouraged not to become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try to weigh various factors all at once.
None of these skills are specific to chess, but they are all part of the game. The beauty of chess as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children’s minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. As a result, children become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision makers.
Benjamin Franklin was not the first to underscore the social benefits of chess when he published the article, “The Morals of Chess”, in the Columbian Magazine, in December of 1786, and he will not be the last. In schools, chess often serves as a bridge, bringing together children of different ages, races and genders in an activity they can all enjoy. Chess helps build individual friendships and also school spirit when children compete together as teams against other schools. Chess also teaches children about sportsmanship – how to win graciously and not give up when encountering defeat. The school chess team can serve as the place where core values can be modeled and learned that will guide the young minds that have been cultivated there. Chess provides a positive social outlet, a wholesome recreational activity that can be easily learned and enjoyed at any age.
