Does Chess Make You Smarter?

Geeks and nerds like me around the world are curious to know if the hours they've invested into playing chess will elevate them to a supra-genius status.  

Will continuously playing chess make you smarter than Stephen Hawking on crack?

Well, we hate to burst your bubble, but chess isn't going to give you alien-like levels of superintelligence. Sorry! However, playing chess against worthy competitors can help boost your brain power and make you smarter.

 

The benefits of regularly playing chess

 

1. Improves cognitive skills

2. Enhances creativity

3. Boosts problem-solving skills

4. Increases patience and focus

5. Deepens emotional intelligence

6. Sharpens critical thinking skills

7. Builds friendships

8. Promotes strategic thinking

9. Boosts confidence

10. Improves memory

 Let's dive in and take a closer look.

 

Does Playing Chess Make You Smarter?

 

What does a person do if they want to become physically stronger? Most people seeking to refine their physique will develop an exercise regimen at home or a gym or fitness center.

Challenging the muscles by repeatedly putting them under stress will increase their size and improve their overall function. Weightlifting or lifting heavy weights is one method of training to obtain stronger muscles.

Athletes and people in general who seek to maximize their physical well-being employ rigorous physical training programs to achieve their desired results.

We all know that exercise, eating right and lifting weights will improve a person's physical stamina and strength. But what does a person do when they want to improve their mental ability and cognitive function?

You must exercise your mind if you want to become smarter.

Research shows that mental exercise is imperative for optimal cognitive health. Mental exercise includes, but is not limited to, reading, solving puzzles and playing strategy games like chess.

Because chess requires critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills, it can increase the brain's ability to function and make a person smarter with continued training.

How Does Chess Make You Smarter?

 

Before you think that playing a game of chess will instantly make you smarter, there are some things to consider.

A grandmaster chess player will likely see no benefit from playing chess with his 6-year-old kid sister who barely knows how to move the pieces. If anything, he may actually be hurting his overall performance by routinely playing with someone who has little or no established skill.

If you want stronger muscles, you must lift heavy weights that are challenging for you to lift, otherwise you will see little or no results at the gym.

The same is true for the mind.

If you want to stay sharp and increase your critical thinking chess skills, you must play serious games with contenders who are evenly matched or who are better players than you. Only then will playing chess prove to be beneficial to you.

 

How does it work?

 

Executing effective moves in chess requires complex problem-solving skills. A player must use their brain power to strategize plays 2 or 3 or more moves in advance to visualize potentially good outcomes during gameplay.

Employing this type of critical thinking and visualization forces the brain to operate at higher levels, thereby opening new neuropathways and strengthening its ability to function.

Exercising the brain to visualize a puzzle-solving strategy can be frustrating and challenging. It may make you feel physically weak or exhausted. That is a good thing. 

When difficult mental tasks make you feel physically drained, that means the brain is consuming more energy to function at higher levels. This difficult mental process is equivalent to the physical response of lifting weights to increase the size of your muscles.

Learn to acknowledge when the mind is being exercised. You can feel it. It's difficult and frustrating, but the mind will adapt by becoming stronger. Soon, difficult puzzles will become easier. Then, you must introduce more complex puzzles (or, if you're playing chess, better opponents) to keep the brain limber and functioning properly.

If you do not exercise your mind, you will become mentally weaker. 

 

Playing Chess Makes You Smarter in Other Areas of Life

 

Developing winning chess strategies will improve overall brain function. Consistent critical thinking and puzzle-solving exercises force the brain to use more energy and become more efficient.

The mathematic and logical thinking required to develop a chess strategy will increase your overall problem-solving skills. The sharpness and cognitive edge you've earned from playing chess can enhance your performance in school, work and business.  

 

Conclusion

 

Solving puzzles and playing strategy games like chess are proven to increase cognition and brain function. So yes, playing chess will make you smarter.

Routinely enjoying serious chess matches with equal or greater opponents will boost your brain power and make you smarter over time. 

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