Children are so intrigued by various board games. Chess, being one of the most popular board games of all time is available both in local markets and fairs, it will strength the mind, that’s why important to know why chess should be compulsory at school. Before video games came into the limelight, both children and adults used to gather on special occasions and enjoy playing chess together. That was among the best moments spent with loved ones.
Benefits of Chess
As time flew, mobile phones came in, and these board games started losing their popularity. However, even today, chess is one of the popular sports, because it has innumerable benefits and students can make huge progress in the long run. Here are they:
Chess ignites the creative spark in students
There was research conducted in one of the schools in India. One group of school students actively played chess whereas the other group did not. The students were asked to come up with alternate ideas for using common items. Naturally, the group that was engaged in playing chess did better in this activity. If students engage in chess, they can come up with creative ideas and innovation.
Chess makes students a better planner
In chess, players have to calculate each and every move at each and every step. They consider whatever step their opponent is taking and strike accordingly. This helps students to develop strategic planning and decision-making skills. No matter wherever they go in life, be it a corporate employee, a lawyer, or any similar profession, a student will definitely acquire the skills needed in any white-collar job.
Chess is one of the most underrated forms of therapy
Many counselors often play chess with their clients to increase self-awareness. By playing chess one going through depression can analyze the root cause of his/her problem and come up with solutions to deal with those problems. Playing chess is an effective mode of relaxation and definitely helps one to get rid of stress.
Chess can help students deal with digital dementia
In today’s day and age, mobile phones and other similar electronic gadgets have shackled the cognitive abilities of individuals. Digital dementia has proved to be extremely detrimental for students in particular. This has been impacting a student’s cognitive skills to a great extent. Chess helps them get a digital detox and improves their focus in many aspects as well as sharpens his/her cognitive ability.
Chess improves a student’s ability to memorize things
If one goes by data, one will certainly find out that the best chess players in the world definitely have the sharpest memory skills. As this game involves remembering a number of moves to reach to the desirable outcome, it is definitely one of the best ways to sharpen your memorizing skills. In chess, within a short period of time, you need to come up with a move that will be effective in defeating your opponent. Hence, a student also learns to take quick and effective decisions within a short period of time.
Chess improves your focus and helps you concentrate
In today’s generation, students get distracted by anything and everything. As their focus gets diverted, they cannot concentrate on their work, and keep on procrastinating until the deadline. This leads them to a lot of trouble in the near future. As students play chess, they are deeply involved in the game and in strategic thinking on how to effectively defeat the opponent. This improves their ability to focus on their current task and bring in the best results. They can also leave their bad habit of procrastinating on everything till the last moment.
Electronic Chess can help students cope with panic attacks
After the pandemic, mental health issues are on a rise. This has resulted in many students becoming the victims of panic attacks. There might be several other ways to deal with it but studies have shown that the symptoms of panic attack have reduced when a student started playing chess on his mobile. As chess completely engages a person in the game, there is very less chance that a student fails to get distracted, and thereby fails to deal with the panic attack.
Conclusion
Chess definitely has numerous benefits and can impact a student’s life in the best possible way. However, sometimes, this game can become stressful for students as chess is no child’s play and is definitely a very tough game. If a student aspires to build a career in chess or make a mark by playing this gain, he or she has to strain every nerve and go through every nerve and go through several challenges before he or she attains that level of expertise in his or her field. Like any other field, chess to has its own set of challenges. However, if chess is just seen as a fun activity, it can mold students in inexplicable ways. It can help students memorize important concepts faster, develop their problem-solving ability, and help them take the correct decisions in a very short period of time. Students can even learn a lot from their opponents and their fellow mates.
By: Somdatta Ghosh
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