Powerful Educational Tools

Is chess an art? A science?  Some claim it’s both. Yet let’s be honest, it’s really just a game.  Fun, challenging, creative: but still a game, not much different from tennis, cricket, football, or golf. But there is one striking difference to these other popular games.  While learning to play almost any game can help build self-esteem and confidence, chess is one of the few that fully exercises our minds. Many of us could probably use this exercise, although it may be a bit late for some. It’s not, however, too late for our children. Chess is one of the most powerful educational tools available to strengthen a child’s mind.  It’s fairly easy to learn how to play.  Most six or seven year olds can follow the basic rules.  Some kids as young as four or five can play.  Like learning a language or music an early start can help a child become more proficient.  Whatever a child’s age, however, chess can enhance concentration, patience, and perseverance, as well as develop creativity, intuition, memory, and most importantly, the ability to analyse and deduce from a set of general principles, learning to make tough decisions and solve problems flexibly. This is undeniably a grand claim.