So why Chess?
Why would one wish to get into chess in the first place?
A global phenomenon:
Chess has become a global community of its own right, popular with people of all ages and backgrounds, and always eager to welcome in new members. Indeed, to what may have been to the prior surprise of many, Chess has even risen to the center stage of popular media: The Queen’s Gambit, a television series focusing on the rise of Beth Harmon through chess, has become, according to The Guardian, “Netflix’s most-watched scripted limited series to date” (Horton).
So what's the big deal?:
The result is that what many may find as but just “another board game” has transcended far beyond, becoming intertwined with one’s daily life. The question is, then, why the appeal? What does chess have to offer you, and why should you bother to play it?
The benefits:
Well, in particular, I believe there are four main points of growth that chess stands to offer anyone:
- Leadership
- Empathy
- Visualization
- Foresight
Allow me to illustrate.
1. Leadership:
As a chess player, you have 16 pieces under control; simple enough. So, let’s take the first turn: 400 possible board setups exist. Now let’s try another to: and we’re now at 121 million, according to Popsci (Wolchover).
Thus, it becomes clear that what starts as seemingly straightforward quickly becomes a matter of responsibility: with all the options that you have as a chess player, you must continue to manage your team members as effectively as possible so as to garner the better positions.
2. Empathy:
Further, as you play chess, you soon come to find yourself having to consider the other player as well, of thinking also of what they are thinking. This puts you into their head, and gets you to consider their thoughts and hopes as well. Indeed, studies have even formally named this the “theory of the mind” (or “ToM”) (Paul). For instance, in a particular Neuroscience study from Powell, they determined that “ToM and empathy tasks were associated with significant activation” (154) while people played chess.
The result is therefore that chess actively sculpts your brain to have both enhanced mental powers of reasoning in addition to greater empathy for the people around you.
3. Visualization:
In case you are new to the game of chess, you may be somewhat surprised to hear that numerous players play “blindfolded” games, whereby they must visualize the board in their head while often playing across multiple different boards. For instance, below is an image of Magnus Carlsen, the current world champion, playing three opponents simultaneously while blindfolded (with him eventually garnering a victory in each):
4. Foresight:
This then leads to abilities to see further ahead, to visualize both your current situation and how matters may change to yield a new one down the road. By seeing how the pieces move, understanding the board, and being able to have enhanced understanding of those around you, you thereby gain additional skill at seeing how the culmination of circumstances and decisions may proceed in the future.
What this all means for you:
The result are a host of possibilities open to every chess play, and beneficially impactful throughout one’s experience. It’s therefore of no surprise that chess has risen to stardom, for it is not but another game; rather, it is a means of finding yourself in a way that positively impacts you along with those and the world around you.
