Chess has been popular for centuries. It has been an intelligent board game and an integral part of many societies since way before Netflix launched “The Queen’s Gambit” series. Phenomenal chess players like Bobby Fischer, Vladimir Kramnik, Boris Alterman, or Yifan Hou, have been living the benefits of chess throughout their entire lives.
Chess takes us back 1500 years, but the certain and specific origins of the board game are still uncertain. The oldest version of chess most likely originated in India, and from there spread to Persia. It was when the Arabs conquered Persia that chess became part of the Muslim culture, and then spread to the south of Europe. Chess then evolved into its current form, back in the 15th century.
But let’s go beyond history. We want to challenge you by asking you a simple, but hard question: What are the main benefits learning chess can offer children? Do you know how many skills and abilities your kids can both strengthen and develop from scratch if they’d only learn how to checkmate someone? Would there be a difference between your kids’ ability to solve problems and to think strategically if chess was an important part of their life?
In this short but important article, we want to show you what’s beyond the queen, the king, or the knight. Now, we want to show you everything your kids could become if chess was part of their life.
Are you ready to see your children reaching their full potential? Well, chess can definitely help.
7 skills chess strengthens in children of all ages
In just a few moments we are going to share with you some of the most important skills and benefits chess has to offer. If you are thinking of enrolling your children in a chess program or course, we have your back and we are here to support you.
Chess can offer way more than just good times and potential participation in the Olympics. Kids who play chess are more likely to succeed in an unknown future, and according to research, show significantly better results in the projects and goals they set for themselves.
But, what are the chess benefits we are talking about? Here we go!
1. Improves memory and concentration
We know how hard and challenging it can be to improve your child’s focus and concentration. While playing chess, your children will be forced to put both their concentration and memory into practice, to succeed and win each game.
Being focused while playing chess is a must, and concentration is a skill that will help your children understand what their opponent’s next move is going to be. No exaggeration, the longest chess game in history lasted 4 months. Yes, 4 months of concentration, focus and an extremely well-trained memory.
Interesting, right?
2. Cultivates critical thinking
Because chess players need to fully analyze and understand their opponent’s attitude, moves, and way of thinking, their critical thinking skills get boosted and optimized with every single game.
After a few chess games, this way of analyzing factors and elements will become an inherent part of your kids’ way to interact with the world and with the challenges they might face in the near future.
Do you think critically enough? Maybe chess can help you too! Play it with your kids!
3. Enhances creativity
To surprise your adversary, you have to be creative, and in chess, surprising whoever is opposite you is always a must. Playing chess will put your children in situations where they have to come up with innovative ideas and solutions, to create moves their opponents were not expecting.
An article we published a few weeks ago on this same blog explains all the elements related to creativity that your kids have to work on in order to have a bright future. In this goal, coding and chess can be an outstanding asset.
4. Encourages hard work
It is not enough with wishful thinking, although a positive and proactive attitude always helps. Chess requires practice and encourages learners to always become the best version of themselves. Being a chess player is not a piece of cake, and fully understanding how to play as a master will include hard work.
Chess masters spend hours and hours practicing their moves and training their “anticipation” skills. It takes time to become an expert, and chess players will learn this in a fun, engaging, and very encouraging way.
5. It strengthens both sides of the brain
According to “The Chess Improver”, the right side of the brain is more visual or artistic while the left side is more related to either logic or science. Kids who play chess have to use both, the right side to visually recognize positional patterns of the pieces, and the left side to analyze the appropriate logical response to those patterns and create great chess moves.
In order to play a queen’s gambit, a four knights game, or an Albin countergambit, your kids will have to use both sides of their brain and train a capacity not a lot of people have… but the people who do, succeed.
6. Motivates foresight and planning ahead
Having the ability to live in the moment, while planning ahead is just great. Having a plan for the future will enable your children to set-up short, middle and long term goals, and pursue them in a smart and intelligent way.
To have foresight doesn’t mean that your children will dedicate their lives to Tarot or to palm reading, rather, it means that they will gather all the information they need to provide themselves with all the potential scenarios they might have to face in the future, and that is priceless.
Of course, chess can help with these two.
7. Teaches how to lose well
Winning is always great, but losing is not fun all the time. When playing chess, your kids will learn how to “lose like a gentleman or a lady”. We deeply believe in the philosophy of making mistakes into learning experiences, and chess is the perfect stage to put that value into practice.
In this article we published a few days ago, we explain further the value of learning how to lose well, in relation to chess and to the tools our kids need to have in the near future.
Start today. Give your kids the tools they need.
Give your kids the tools they need. Explore the courses offered by Tekkie Uni and, knowing your kids’ personalities and preferences, choose the perfect one for them.
All of the courses are led by well-trained instructors who will offer a safe environment in which kids can express themselves, experience hands-on learning, have fun and engaging classes, and see mistakes as learning experiences. The time is now.
