Chess For Life

The Benefits Of Playing Chess

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I've always wanted to learn to play chess, but just haven't been able to find much time for it. However, I've heard that playing chess can actually make you smarter. Do you think there are benefits to playing chess?

Sincerely,

Potential Chess Champ

A:

Dear Potential Chess Champ,

If you have the time for it, it would be a smart idea for you to learn to play chess. It might even make you smarter!

Benefits of learning to play chess:

* Big picture strategizing. The skills that kids, teens, and adults learn and use when they play chess are skills that are used in myriad other interactions from homework to life organization to government war games. Chess is a fabulous way to exercise your brain because it teaches you to be aware of many situations at once. Unlike checkers, which is valuable, but not as sophisticated, chess pieces have different rules. The rules for moving a pawn are different from the rules for moving a king, a queen, a bishop, a knight, etc. This creates a great way for the brain to really work!

* International game. Unlike word games, chess is a game that is played internationally. If a child, teen or adult learns to play chess, they can play with anyone from any country or they can watch a chess match and understand what's going on without speaking the same language as the players.

* Patience. Chess is more complicated than Candyland and Checkers, and it takes patience and focus to learn the rules. These are the same types of skills that are needed for learning complicated academic subjects like geometry, grammar, and sciences. Learning to play chess will help learning in other areas.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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