Why learn chess?

What if I told you that one game could help you and your child become better thinkers? That this game could help your child develop well over a dozen life skills and even help them become better at school subjects?

It's not impossible. It's not called a dream. It's called chess.

Yes, the game that's the driving force behind “Searching for Bobby Fischer”, book and movie. The game that an American beat a Soviet Union player for the world championship in 1972. And yes, that American was Bobby Fischer.

How could a game that's a bloodless battle help with scholastics?

First, chess encourages focus. You have to pay attention to what's going on and plan ahead. You start just being able to see one move ahead, and then more and more until you can carry out small plans called tactics. You have to learn to anticipate what your opponent might do, and meet those possibilities. This develops concentration as well, and the ability to visualize what could be.

As each piece has an assigned value, younger players learn how to add the total points captured (or at stake) to have a strong idea whether they're winning or losing. I've seen Pre-Ks playing, and sometimes taking to it like ducks to water. This also helps teach the consequences of making the wrong choice, say involving dropping a piece without gaining anything back.

This helps develop a sense of accountability that encourages their owning up to their actions, and that the consequences of cheating can stick with you for a long time. Students in my chess clubs are taught how to handle certain situations that come up often as players are learning the game, and also how to bounce back when something doesn't go their way. Students learn from their mistakes and how to think, as well as plan, differently the next time a similar situation pops up.

The game and the strategies and tactics are one part of package chess presents for any student. The biggest lessons come from the practical application: tournament games. These teach students how to make decisions under time pressure, how to act in a room full of games that require quiet, and – most of all – how to handle big losses. Some will be frustrating, but students who pick up the ability to fight back after a loss and win their remaining games gain the advantage of grit in competitions and in life.

Why is this important to me? I've been a chess player since I was little. Tournaments, had they been around when I was that young, would've kept me playing much more consistently and helped me become a stronger player. Tournaments can get a player more engaged, wanting to become even better and advance to stronger competitions. Not to mention the joy of victory. There is nothing like the look on a student's face when they win a trophy – especially when it's bigger than they are.

There are many reasons to learn chess. What's yours?