Modern-day science is in a quest to understand the inner workings of the brain, so much so, that some tend to push for the reintroduction of chess in public education. There are science-based and common knowledge facts about chess benefits, especially for the brain.
Chess can increase your IQ
Chess has been seen by many as an activity suited only for high intelligence quotient, also known as, nerdy people.
This turns the argument about chess benefits in a chicken or the egg situation. Do smart people gravitate toward chess, or playing chess simply makes them smarter? Research suggests that moving the chess pieces around can raise a person’s intelligence quotient. A research study suggests that 4,000 students from Venezuela significantly increased their IQ scores during their 4 months chess instruction.
Chess prevents Alzheimer
Since the human brain needs exercise like a muscle, you need to exercise it the same as your biceps to be and remain healthy and avoid injury. A published study in The New England Journal of Medicine discovered that people that are over 75 years of age, who perform brain training activities such as chess are likely to be in the safe area, away from developing dementia compared to their peers who do not play games. The research states that in the same way a muscle that is not exercised loses strength, the same happens to be brain tissue.
Chess stimulates both hemispheres of the brain
Geometric forms and chess plays were shown to chess experts and novices, in a study in Germany, and their responses were measured while identifying them. Researchers were confident that the left hemisphere of the chess experts was to be active, but did not expect that the same would happen to the right side of the brain.
The time to react to simple forms was the same, in both the experts and the novices, but the chess masters were using both hemispheres to respond quickly to questions related to chess plays.
Chess increases your creativity
Creation emanates, so to speak, from the right side of the brain, therefore is no surprise that the activation of the right side hemisphere will help develop your creative side.
Chess improves memory
Memory training and improvement could be regarded as one of the most important aspects of chess benefits. Remembering past moves, plays and reactions from your opponent is the mark of a good chess player.
There is also evidence, from studies from the 1980s where students or young people who had access to chess instruction improved their scores in their curricular activities. Teachers noticed students with better organizational skills and memory.
Playing chess could be regarded as a puzzle to be solved quickly due to the fact that your opponent is constantly modifying his position and parameters.
Chess improves concentrations
Chess masters may resemble scattered crazy teachers, but truth be told, that their rants while playing are the result of the high level of concentration in the game. Looking the other side, taking their mind to wander off the board, even for a split second, can lead to defeat, since your opponent will not tell you when, how or where he moved his piece.
Chess teaches planning
Training teenagers to play chess could be life saving. The prefrontal cortex is one of the last parts of the brain to develop. This part of the brain is devoted to planning, security, self-control and judgment.
Since teens are still physiologically and psychologically immature until there is the proper development of that part of the brain, chess practice can improve their decision making in all aspects of life.
So I think there are plenty of reasons to dedicate some of our time to learning such a stimulating and beneficial board game. The benefits of chess for the mind are many, let’s take advantage of them.
Summing up, Chess like any other sport, is good for that important muscle, the brain.
