Untitled

Chess is not just a leisurely pastime. It can also help keep your brain sharp, active and healthy.

Beyond the board, the game offers a range of mental health benefits, proven by science.

Let’s look at 3 of the important ones.

Improving memory

It’s no secret that chess players are known for having extremely sharp memory.

Ask a chess player about their favorite opening. And watch how they show you all the moves on the board, without pausing for once.

So, what’s the secret behind memory?

Some have talent. While for others, it’s often repetition and practice. Over time, they just happened to develop a good memory. And research even proves that chess is useful for improving memory.

A shield against Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a decline in cognitive skills and memory loss. It’s a major health concern for people who’re aging.

Chess could help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Why? Because it forces the brain to engage in mentally stimulating activities.

There’s a lot of scientific research too that proves chess helps prevent Alzheimer’s.

Boosting creativity by holding 2 contrasting ideas

In chess, you have to learn to attack and also defend.

You have to play fast, but also slow down on critical moments.

You play tactical. Sometimes you play positional.

As you can see, a chess player is willing to embrace 2 polar opposite ideas depending on the situation. They’re prepared to think outside the box. They have to be creative.

This often forces them to use both sides of the brain, fostering creativity. And as always, there’s research to back this too.

Final thoughts

These are just a few benefits of how chess is good for mental health. There are many more benefits, like it improves reading skills, and problem-solving skills, teaches how to fight while at the same time being respectful of the opponent.

In around 1960, Mikhail Botvinnik, a former World Champion from the Soviet Union, also known as the patriarch of chess, invited a young boy to train with him.

After training, Botvinnik said, “This boy has no clue about chess. There’s no future for him in this profession.”

Such words coming from a legend and former World Champion like Botvinnik would be soul-crushing even for adults, let alone a young boy.

The legend

Many dreams would die. But not the dream of this child.

15 years later, this young kid became a World Champion. And today, he’s celebrated as one of the greatest chess players.

His name? Anatoly Karpov.

Imagine how much he had motivated himself after the crushing words he heard from a former World Champion.

How does motivation affect chess?

Most people think to succeed at chess, you need to be intelligent or be god-gifted.

However, a very big role is played by motivation. It’s a champion quality. It’s the fire in your belly that makes magic possible.

Motivation fuels long hours of practice.

Motivation encourages individuals to work on their game.

Motivation helps a player endure painful defeats and strive for continuous improvement.

So how do you go about finding it?

Finding motivation

There’s one easy question you can ask yourself to get started –

“What makes you play chess?”

Is it because you want to be the best player one day?

Is it because you love the champion’s trophies?

Is it because you want to win against your dad?

The reason can be anything that sparks a fire in you.

Once you have that reason, it will give you the strength to push on when you need it the most.

Take action

It could’ve been easy for Karpov to give up. But he didn’t.