The famous social myth that whoever practices “chess” is an unusual intellectual has penetrated the social conscience, and this discipline is always used to give force to ideas of acts of human intelligence, such as, for example, In political analysts it is very common to say “political chess” when referring to electoral strategies; or perhaps in the business field, when similar expressions are used, to mean that to capture this or that business, a certain strategy and a concrete plan to achieve it must be carried out.
Without over-dimensioning the game of chess, because it is definitely a game, this writing wants to give an account of the remarkable benefits that it develops by the simple fact of playing it, just like that, not to mention the competition, whose characteristics are special and require of a particular analysis.
Beyond personal talent to play Chess, the constant practice of this sport can bring the following intellectual benefits, namely:
1. Growing IQ: Scientific studies of proven seriousness have shown that the constant practice of Chess produces a gradual elevation of the intellectual quotient -which is a measurement of the index of the intellectual capacity of a certain person-, this can be demonstrative of the level of reasoning that is used in this sport, in order to find the best move within a set of possible plays, which we can conceptualize as “pure chess reasoning”.
2. Improves Emotional Intelligence: Recent scientific studies have shown that Emotional Intelligence is as or more important than rational intelligence, as Daniel Goleman has pointed out with remarkable success in his best-selling book “Emotional Intelligence.” And chess improves this emotional performance, since in all competition – and even outside of it, in the so-called pleasure game, it is necessary to know how to channel the emotions so that they do not imprison and dominate us. One of the greatest World Champions, Alexander Alekhine, expressed that he molded his character with Chess, since this sport teaches individual self-improvement through effort and self-sacrifice, above all to be objective with oneself.
3. Prevents neurological diseases: Those who play chess can prevent these mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s from occurring, since the person is better prepared to face these issues mentally, by using their neuronal performance to the maximum.
4. Imagination empowers creativity: When a chess player solves a great chess problem, his imagination flies into the creative fantasy of the beautiful art that is Chess, and this creative inspiration can be used in other matters, since chess is a training of human reasoning. In Europe, the GM Miguel Illescas School, called EDAMI, has investigated the theoretical applications of Chess in the business sphere, for which the “Business Chess” aspect has been created -which will be explored in a future article- , which are the strategic and tactical techniques applied to business.
5. Improve memory: Chess practice requires a process of memorization of moves, variants, typical maneuvers, strategies and tactics, which enhances the memorization processes, even improving in general Improves memory: Chess practice requires a process of memorization of moves, variants, typical maneuvers, strategies and tactics, which enhances memorization processes, even improving memory in general, not only in relation to chess.
6. The chess player is trained to solve problems: At a playful and theoretical level, the chess player solves problems of all kinds in each position: how to plan the game strategy, how to start the opening, what move to make to achieve that goal, etc. Obviously the resolution capacity in life is of the utmost importance, being able to make an analogy with what has been developed in chess.
7. Power of Decision: The Chess Player makes all kinds of decisions in a game, which determines the final result of the game, and that decision-making power, to which every chess player is trained, has analogical repercussions in all areas of life.
8. Increase in the level of instruction and education: A well-trained Chess Player -from the intellectual, educational, moral, human, etc. point of view- notably increases his cultural level, since in general it encourages him to study what can bring other benefits in other areas of life.
One of the greatest exponents of international coaches, the Russian Mark Dvoretsky, has expressed that to play chess well it is necessary to learn Philosophy, since this science raises the level of human abstractions at the intellectual level.
Likewise, in general, chess players are great readers, since the practice of Chess requires reading and analysis of extensive books and manuals to understand the game, and this develops a habit that is later emulated in other tasks.
9. Develop attention and concentration: One of the fundamental points is the development of attention and concentration, since a chess player to be able to analyze extensive combinations of plays, must be totally focused on the position whose resolution he intends to make. Garry Kasparov said that the greatest importance of competitive chess is the power of “concentration”, since in a tournament game, the player can lose his original concentration, and he has to seek personal resources to recover it.
10. Develop an overview: Being able to carry out long-range game plans and strategies makes the chess player have a “panoramic view of things”, as when someone is on an elevated plain and can see the entire terrain, the same can be used in any act of life, and not just thinking about the immediate. I like to call this global aspect “Strategic Thinking”, which will be the subject of another specific article on the subject.
In my point of view, these are the virtues and benefits that the practice of the game of Chess provides, so this article can help those who wish to experience such benefits firsthand, are invited and encouraged to do so.
Dr. Alfredo Segado
Online Chess classes individually or in groups. Courses and trainings in this sport – science.
They can consult or register by calling 03482 – 649162 – 427220. E-mail: [email protected]. Practice Chess and stimulate the development of the mind.
