One of the most popular board games worldwide is chess. The current version of the classic strategy game evolved in Europe during the second half of the 15th century and was based on an original game in India called “Shatranj”. Since then the game has become a beloved contest for scientists, mathematicians, game aficionados and anyone who enjoys a challenging game that pits their wits against the strategies of an opponent. Chess has also had a very loyal following among great military commanders who often cite the game when explaining how they managed to outmaneuver opponents.
Simple in its layout and basic in its rules chess can be played by young children and older adults and after a quick few games the concept is easy to grasp. Essentially what chess teaches the players is how to use strategy in planning moves in advance to outwit your opponent. Chess strategy consists of setting and achieving long-term goals during the game and tactics to employ immediate maneuvers. Chess strategy relies heavily on evaluation and during the game takes into account factors such as the value of the pieces on the board, control of the center and centralization, the pawn structure, the safety of the king and the control of key squares on the board.
When boiled down to its essence chess is about strategy and strategy involves thinking and planning ahead. The really good chess players can make moves at lightning speed because they have trained their brains to rapid fire through scenarios with each one taking into account the possible moves of an opponent. Even super-computers have been created to try to master the game with the most famous being Deep Blue, a computer that toppled reigning chess champion Gary Kasparov in 1997. If you are good at playing chess then chances are your brain is sharp, creative and capable of unique problem solving. If you’re not very good at the game practice can only be a benefit.
As with anything mastering the game of chess takes hours of practice and in addition to playing games against opponents another way to improve your strategic thinking is to engage in simple brain training strategy games and exercises. Games that improve memory, cognitive thinking and spatial relationships all combine to improve a person’s strategic thinking. To use pop culture as a reference high quality strategic thinking is a lot like Neo seeing the Matrix for the first time and understanding how all the code comes together to form a version of reality. Chess masters can see a board and know in their mind exactly how a game will play out simply based on the first move. The better you train your mind to think strategically the better you will be at playing chess and consequently the more improved your decision making will be in every day life. Classic strategy games such as chess aren’t mindless fun but rather a brain training exercise that involves stretching the brain’s capabilities to process new information and make judgments based on the filtered data. Playing chess and other strategy games sharpens your brain and its ability to think clearly and concentrate.
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