Chess is one of the most popular recreational board games played across the world. Being taught as a part of curricula in more than 30 countries including USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Russia, Venezuela, Ireland, Japan and China it has become a universal language.

Chess is a highly competitive game which touches almost all dimensions of human life. It won’t be wrong to call it the game of life. Chess offers a multitude of benefits pertaining to social, psychological, moral and cognitive aspects of our life that prove it to be a powerful learning tool:

1. Cognitive Abilities: Studies prove that chess improves one’s thinking and analyzing, logical reasoning skills to a great extent. It urges the players to think of the consequences of their moves before taking any action. One is believed to think more rationally if one is a regular player of chess.

2. Memorizing Skills: Human brain is discovered to utilize only a small percentage of it for all the significant tasks it performs on daily basis. However, the more we use it, the better it performs. Chess is believed to have a complicated theory that demands memorizing the variations, rules, specials tactics and moves which increases brain’s ability to memorize things.

3. Concentration Powers: Chess is a time demanding game that requires the players to focus thoughts and capabilities to one point thus, increasing concentration power. It is believed to increases attention span and the importance to focus our energies on a single goal i.e. how to win!

4. Decision Making Powers: Chess focuses the need to think independently and take actions on one’s own for one’s better increasing one’s judgmental powers.

5. Self Esteem: Chess makes one a better and confident individual by instilling a sense of self-worth. It makes one believe in one’s abilities creating a sense of self esteem.

6. Imaginative and Creative Skills: Chess brings out the artist within one. It is more of an art than a game that compels one to think of infinite number of possibilities yet to be achieved that define one’s personality and style. It is a way to self recognition.

7. Out of Box Thinking: Chess changes one’s perspective to view things. It makes one think of all the possible solutions of a problem and entirely alters the way one takes life. While playing chess one learns that during the course of life one have to face difficulties but if one is optimist and learns from one’s mistakes one’s pawns may transformed into queens.

8. Self-Control: Chess is a game that requires lots of patience. It makes us bear the fatal moves of the opponent and sometimes not to react at all depending upon the strategy that will ultimately pave the way to success.

9. Strategic Thinking Skills: Board of chess is in fact the arena of life where one learns to think strategically focusing long term goals and devising short term tactics to achieve those goals.

10. Mathematical and Statistical Skills: Chess is found to enhance one’s computing skills. It involves lots of calculation and number of opponent’s moves before making any move that for sure nourishes one’s abilities in the field of mathematics and statistics.

11. Scientific Approach: Chess urges one to think and act scientifically. It is a game that is empirical, deterministic, cumulative, rational and statistical in nature that depicts its very scientific nature. It makes one a keen observer who is ready to experiment to achieve one’s goals while learning from mistakes.

12. Continuous Improvement: Chess is a quality game that focuses on continuous improvement by learning from one’s mistakes. It is a manifestation that life is not all about luck, it’s about the hard work one is ready to do to achieve something. One must learn from one’s faults to improve oneself.

13. Accountability: It is all about the old dictum, as you sow so shall you reap! One is responsible for one’s moves and should be ready for consequences and after effects – that’s what chess makes one learn. One may get good opportunities in life but if one is not careful enough to think of consequences of one’s moves, he will surely end up losing the game and can’t blame one’s luck for that!

14. Self-Motivation: Chess inspires one to the path of victory. It motivates one to keep moving forward in spite of hurdles and think of the ways to overcome these. It is a intriguing game that challenges one’s intellect to take the best move.

15. Social Interaction: Chess may prove an ice breaking game that brings people closer. It makes them communicate and share the ideas. It enhances one’s communication and interpersonal skills and provides a healthy forum for social interaction and discussions. Chess develops a sense of team spirit in us.

16. Proactive Approach: Chess inspires one to foresee next moves of the opponent and act accordingly. It changes one’s approach to proactive from reactive.

Chess is a great learning tool and is one of the most popular recreational board games played across the world. Learn tips and Play chess online for free