Chess, the game as we define it, is an amalgamation of moves, moves that define your winning or losing. The same way your life’s outcome depends on your moves (your habits, your consistency and planning). In chess, our goal is to checkmate the king. In life there are many goals, may it be quitting a bad habit, clearing a competitive exam or acquiring a new skill. All of them need focus, consistency and planning. But the million-dollar question is that how can you develop these skills?
Most of the chess champions are from Russia, now why is that?
The answer is practice.
Because in Russia, chess is practiced from a very young age. It’s added in their academic curriculum in mostly all education institutions. Practice or play chess as it will help to improve your skills, these skills are essential to help you to achieve anything in life.
At chessbazaar, we believe in providing chess for everyone. We provide all types of chess-related products such as chess set, chess pieces, chess boards and other chess accessories at reasonable prices without compromising on the quality.
The following are some skills you can master through chess, if you practice it regularly, you will surely see its positive effects in your life.
- Observation
“To acquire knowledge, one must study;
but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
― Marilyn vos Savant
In this context, we just need to keep our mind focused and your glance on the chessboard. Don’t let yourself get distracted by anything. Observation doesn’t mean you have to observe everything in surroundings, but you should rather be focused on your next move.
- Memory Enhancement
Memory is an important feature of the human mind. Memory gets sharp when one tries hard to remember chess moves of the opponent as well as his own. We should use this aspect of the human mind to our fullest potential and we can do it by mind exercises and what better exercise than chess!
- Logic Enhancement
Logic is free of emotions and it deals very specifically with a set of information in its truest form. Logic plays an important role when one is clouded by enormous thoughts and strategies. Asking yourself the right questions to find a logical pattern (which is the key) and once the pattern is found, then the logic fastens and your logical ability to solve a puzzle craves for more problems.
- Analysis
When we play a game of chess, after finishing we must analyze the moves and try to figure out what we could have done, what we should have focused on, this technique will help the player in future games. Through this process, we teach ourselves to get more advanced in the game by analyzing our and competitor’s good and bad moves.
An analysis is very important for progress in any field. At chessbazaar, we have exactly the chess set which is used by players to analyze the chess games in their training called analysis chess sets.
- Academic Performance
It is said that the ruler of India asked his wise men to devise a way to teach the children of the royal family to become better thinkers and better generals on the battlefield. Chess was the result.
Most schools in the world have chess as an extra-curricular activity. Countries like Albania, Netherlands and many other European counties lay emphasis on chess activities. Chess helps in Focusing, Visualizing & Planning which helps the students in other subjects significantly.
- Calmness under Pressure
In order to reap the rewards that a state of calmness can bring into your life, you will need to become more mindful. Being more mindful means being more focused on the moment.
It means letting go of past regrets. It means redirecting your mind away from current stresses, and it also means refocusing yourself away from future worries. You can try this by focusing your mind on a puzzle or a chess game.
Chess forces you to think critically and slowly, it forces you to be patient enough to create a trap for the opponent and cherish him being caught.
To stay calm under pressure is very difficult, but as you practice and practice you enjoy the competition and feel home. And, when you feel home, you are the king.
- Creative Thinking
As discussed above, creating traps for your competitor you need creativity and improvisation. Each move catalyzes your creative thinking. In chess, you are forced to find out each & every possible move, you can take to evade capture or kill of your pieces.
“Mystery is at the heart of creativity.”
― Julia Cameron
- Increases concentration.
Chess offers immediate penalties and rewards for problem-solving which forces the player to bring his/her full attention to the problem at hand. One tries hard to counter the opponent’s move in a manner that saves our piece under attack. Focus and discipline can be other outcomes of chess.
Chess creates such an observing system in mind, when used faithfully, can bring out success.
Related: How a game of chess can make your child a genius and smarter
