Have you ever played or heard of chess? Yes, that is why you are here. But do you know why chess is actually good for you? Every day many people around the world play chess and it brings together people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Personally, I play online chess a lot but this question never came to mind. But suddenly this question came to my mind while walking. Even though this is not an important question, but still I found the answer on google. I even read much trending news around chess.
Do you know why I found it? This is because I like to play chess matches. I am so fond of chess that I know even small things about chess. I play chess mostly online because you can meet and compete with different people with different skills. Whatsapp games and other games are just for fun but chess can do more than that
Playing chess can really improve brain function, I guess that's why I started playing chess. Also, I want you to learn how chess promotes brain development. So let's take a look at the top ten benefits of learning and playing chess.
Increases problem-solving skills
When playing chess you need problem-solving skills and sharp thinking because your opponent is constantly changing the parameters or positions. So you need a mind that can work immediately. A 1992 study was conducted on 400+ 5th grade students in New Brunswick. The study showed that people who learned or knew how to play chess scored significantly higher on standardized tests than those who did not know how to play chess.
Chess or Games like chess actually challenge the brain. It stimulates the growth of dendrites. What are dendrites? The bodies that help in sending out signals from the brain's neurons cells. Neural communication within the brain is improved and accelerated with more dendrites.
To understand it in simple language, you can imagine your brain as a computer processor, and the branches of dendrites fire signals which helps in communication with other nerve cells. It makes the computer processor (brain) operate rapidly in an optimum state
Interacting with people in challenging activities (chess is also a challenging activity) also encourages dendritic development and chess is a perfect example. Both the left and right sides of the brain engage in one activity and it can act as a brain exercise. One German study showed that both the hemispheres of the brain of chess players became highly activated. They found this out after chess players were asked to identify chess positions and geometric shapes
Sparks your creativity
Playing chess really helps you uncover your creativity as it activates the right side of the brain. The right side of the brain is responsible for creativity, so it can awaken your creativity. A 4-year study was conducted in which students in grades 7th-9th spent approximately 32 weeks playing chess, using a computer, or doing other activities at least once a week. They wanted to see which activity fueled the greatest increase in creative thinking.
The group who played chess scored comparatively more on several aspects of creativity. Not only creativity but study also showed originality was also higher among people who played chess.
Raises your Intelligence
Do smart people play chess? Or does chess make people smart? At least one scientific study has shown that playing a game like chess can actually increase a person's intelligence. A study of 4,000 Venezuelan students showed that playing chess for 4 months with chess instruction can significantly increase the IQ scores of both boys and girls. Do you want to increase your intelligence? Then you can do this by playing chess. Even if you don't see a significant change, something is better than nothing.
Helps prevent Alzheimer's
With age, it becomes really important to give exercise to the brain. Just as you work to strengthen every other major muscle group to keep it healthy and fit, exercising the brain is also important. New England Journal of Medicine published a report that showed that people whose age is over 75 and do not play board games like chess are more likely to develop dementia/Alzheimer's than their peers who engage in brain games such as chess
I think these are the best reasons to play chess before the age of 75. I am not saying that playing chess will reduce the chances of Dementia/Alzheimer's by 100% but still, it can reduce some percentage.
There are so many mental health benefits of chess that I don't think I can add to the list (since the article will get long). Playing chess can also encourage deep concentration and calmness which can help in many ways. After reading about all these different mental benefits you can say that it is more than just a game. While playing a game of chess on a regular basis may seem boring, it can help you in many ways.
Playing Chess is really an amazing and challenging experience. This can be a fun game for people of all ages and cultures to play with each other. In addition to fun, new scientific research is emerging all the time that shows that chess is not just a game, it is much more than that. As I mentioned, it can make you and me smarter, improve our memories, problem-solving skills, keep our mind healthy, creativity and concentration.
