Why play chess?


Chess is a very old game, with evidence showing it has been played for at least 1500 years (though it has evolved somewhat since then). While it was originally conceived as a war strategy game, chess also provides benefits to players outside the armed forces on various levels. We summarize here the proven and most commonly mentioned benefits of playing chess.

Chess is fun. Chess is an excellent sport for all ages, but particularly lovely for children. It is cheap, it can bring people together, there are a lot of opportunities to feel success when playing chess, even if we lose. Kids love to handle clocks, it becomes they second nature to press the clock. There is a good stress about playing, and if we can achieve our goals.

Inclusivity and openness. Chess is one of the most inclusive sports played across the globe. This inclusivity is reflected in the motto of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), “Gens una sumus” (We are one family), adopted since its foundation. In chess, the outcome of the game does not depend on the players’ social background (age, gender, race, wealth, disability, etc.), physical appearance, or personalities—anyone can win or lose. For instance, even an 8-year-old can defeat a grandmaster, as demonstrated in the case of Ashwath Kaushik.

Improves memory. A fun fact: one of the most common traits among chess players is enhanced short- and long-term memory. That is why, chess is recommended to prevent dementia. Our brains learn to recognize various patterns that frequently appear on the chessboard. As a player improves, they begin to calculate moves further ahead, considering multiple alternative outcomes. As a side effect, experienced players can play entire games in their heads, and advanced players can even play multiple games simultaneously while blindfolded. For instance, Judit Polgar played such games against 100 players in Hungary. Interestingly, there is also a championship specifically for blindfold chess.

Teaches you win and lose. It is guaranteed: eventually, everyone will win, and everyone will lose in chess. Yes, everyone likes to win, but failures often teach us more. When chess players win a game, they usually feel that everything was fine, and because of the positive outcome, they often overlook the mistakes made during the game. However, when they lose, they are more likely to analyze what went wrong and why. Making mistakes or losing is part of the game – and part of life. Everyone makes mistakes, even grandmasters, though they typically make fewer than less experienced players. This is not a problem at all. The real issue arises if we cannot cope with failure or fail to learn from it. In chess, players are encouraged to try new, even risky, strategies. And yes, they might lose, but they learn from it and gain valuable insights about themselves in the process.

Better understanding of people and self. We are not computers, all of our personalities are in the game. Who does fear to harm someone avoids to capture pieces, or their first instinct is to retreat when one of their pieces are attacked. Those who are brave tend to go forward with pieces without backup or safety net. Impulsive personalities love the tactical element of the game. More pensive people are closing down the positions, and pressing the structural weaknesses of a given position. We are all different, and we feel rather comfortable with different situations. It is all there in our games. When experts analyse the game with a player, they also helps to realise what personality the player has, and what prevents the player to play something. Experienced chess players are more conscious about what kind of personalities they have, and what they can or cannot do. Similarly, by watching others’ game, one can read the personality of their opponent, too.

Enhances creativity. There is no single way to get to Rome. In chess, usually, there are more than one way to glory. What chess can teach is that if one sees an opportunity, that is not enough. The question is, do we see them all? In a simplistic way, chess focuses on how many ways one can solve a problem, not just finding a single solution. That kind of thinking requires creativity all the time, and often even out-of-box thinking.

Stimulates both halves of the brain. According the cognitive psychologist at the University of Tübingen and the Riken Brain Institute of Japan, more experienced chess (and shogi, go, etc.) players are using both sides of the brain when analysing patterns on the board. It is a process, but basically they state that experienced players are learning to use more of their mental capacity than the beginners. Players can develop this skill, and it can only be acquired by practice.