Chess, by reputation, is considered a dull game. However, this general perception is neither entirely true nor false. If you find yourself addicted to the game, you can utilize it to your advantage or disadvantage.
In this blog post, I will list and explain 10 ways you can leverage chess to your benefit.
Top 10 Benefits Of Playing Chess:
1. Chess Can Make You Physically Fit
I know you’ll be surprised, but there is a way to make chess a healthy activity, especially if you play it online and are already engaging in several blitz and bullet games a day.
For every blitz game and bullet game played online, set a rule for yourself that you’ll do 5 pushups. You can either do them after every game or play a series of games up to a limit where you can perform pushups. For example, if you can do 20 pushups in a row, play 4 games and do pushups before moving on to the next game.
This strategy is very helpful for people who can’t follow a workout routine or are always thinking that they should start exercising from tomorrow.
Take this challenge as an experiment, and later you can attach pushups or any other exercises to some other time-wasting activities, like 1 pushup for every reel watched. 😀
2. Chess Engages Your Mind in a Challenging Activity
Humans are complex! When we are free with nothing to do, our brains can create mountains out of molehills, thinking of things that are never going to occur.
If you want to engage your brain in something healthy and fun without moving from your couch, chess is a good time killer.
At the very least, it will help you develop the skill of pattern recognition. Skilled chess players are adept at recognizing patterns, and their memory is sharper than that of an average human.
Chess constantly puts them in situations where they have to solve certain patterns, and this mental involvement is excellent for memory.
Check out how well they remember Vishy Anand’s (former world champion) games:
3. Chess Improves Intelligence
Playing chess has a link with intelligence in many forms.
These forms include, but are not limited to:
- Logical intelligence: Chess requires players to think logically and critically, analyze patterns and make strategic decisions.
- Spatial intelligence: Chess requires players to visualize the board and imagine potential moves, which can help improve spatial awareness and visualization skills.
- Mathematical intelligence: Chess involves mathematical concepts such as probability, risk assessment, and pattern recognition, which can help improve mathematical skills.
- Linguistic intelligence: Chess has its own terminology, which can help players expand their vocabulary and improve their linguistic abilities.
- Memorization and concentration: Chess requires players to memorize patterns, sequences, and strategies, which can help improve memory and concentration skills.
- Emotional intelligence: Chess helps players develop emotional control, as well as the ability to handle stress and frustration in a healthy way.
Regardless of one’s skill level, emotions will be experienced during the game, and if a loss occurs, the player must learn from their mistakes and be better prepared for similar situations in the future.
This can be used as an analogy for real world problems where if you make a mistake once or fail at something, you can learn from that mistake and not repeat it again.
Intelligence is not only about avoiding mistakes, but also about learning from them and making positive changes for the future.
4. Chess Enables You To Enter A Flow State
Flow means giving your utmost concentration to a single task at a time.
According to research, theta waves are heightened in electroencephalograms (EEGs) taken when people are in a state of flow.
That flow is important to build a habit of focus. Which as a result, can bring a significant improvement in whatever your profession is.
That flow is equally good for athletes, students, artists and everyone else.
Successful people are more focused. They don’t only know their goals but also are constantly focused on how to make those goals turn from dreams to reality.
Play chess to improve your focus and become a more successful person.
5. Chess Elevates Creativity
One benefit of chess that many people may not be aware of is its potential to improve creative thinking.
Chess is often thought of as a highly structured and rigid game, but in reality, it requires players to constantly come up with new and innovative strategies.
Chess players need to think outside the box and find new ways to approach the game in order to succeed.
Through playing chess, people can learn to embrace uncertainty and see opportunities where others see obstacles.
By encouraging players to think creatively and take calculated risks, chess can help players develop a more flexible and adaptable thought process that can be applied to other areas of their lives, such as problem-solving, innovation, and decision-making.
6. Chess Improves Planning Skills
Planning is a process used in all walks of life. It gives you a direction and goals to strive for.
No business can survive without an action plan. And chess is a proven solution to help in improving planning skills.
Right from the beginning, both players are in a constant struggle of controlling the important squares and the center.
Then comes the middle game phase, where both the players are constantly looking for checks, threats, and captures.
Plus keeping an eye on where the opponent is going and what his plans are in each passing move.
That awareness of position is required right till the end of the game. And you constantly have to look for and plan moves based on threats and initiatives.
All this power struggle leads to better planning skills.
7. Chess Is Helpful Against Dementia
A National Library of Medicine’s study suggests that people who play chess are 35% less likely to suffer from dementia.
The assumption that chess may have protective effects against dementia is largely based on its cognitive benefits.
However, further research with stronger evidence is needed to definitively prove that chess can serve as a protective factor for individuals already diagnosed with dementia.
8. Chess Is Helpful Against ADHD
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
According to this sapup study, chess has been shown to have a positive impact on children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The study found that playing chess improved attention span, concentration, and cognitive flexibility in children with ADHD.
In addition, the study found that playing chess also helped children with ADHD develop better social skills and self-esteem.
The competitive and social aspects of chess can help children with ADHD learn to manage their emotions, improve their interpersonal relationships, and increase their overall sense of well-being.
It’s important to note that while the study showed promising results, it is only one study and more research is needed to fully understand the impact of chess on ADHD.
Nevertheless, the study suggests that chess can be a useful tool in addressing some of the challenges faced by children with ADHD.
9. Chess Improves Mental Endurance And Resilience
One underrated benefit of chess that is not well known is its ability to improve mental endurance and resilience.
Classical chess games can last for several hours, requiring players to maintain focus and concentration for an extended period of time.
This can help improve mental endurance and increase a person’s ability to handle mentally demanding tasks.
In addition, chess can also help players develop resilience in the face of setbacks and losses.
The game teaches players to persevere through difficult situations and to not give up even when the outcome seems uncertain.
This can be a valuable lesson in life, as it helps individuals learn to maintain a positive attitude and keep working towards their goals, even in the face of adversity.
10. Chess Is Good For Kids
Curiosity is the desire to learn and kids are no short of it. To a certain age, they want to taste anything and everything. Then comes the age of observing, looking at, and testing things. That is where you can introduce chess into their lives.
Bobby Fischer, the greatest US chess player ever was not a kid from a chess family. In a way, he became the accidental genius who was introduced to chess by his Mom gifting him a chess set as a Christmas gift.
If you are looking for gift ideas for kids, a chess set from here can be a good option.
By encouraging kids to play chess you will enable them to think creatively and take calculated risks.
Chess can help kids develop a more flexible and adaptable thought process that can be applied to other areas of their lives, such as problem-solving, innovation, and decision-making.
Before you go…
I’d like to encourage you to read our article on the potential disadvantages of playing chess. While there are many benefits to playing this game, it is important to understand the potential drawbacks as well.
