Part 2
10 GOOD REASONS FOR PLAYING CHESS
1. Chess is fun! I can honestly say that, irrespective of the result, I enjoy every game. I began came to play chess relatively late in life because I had never realized that it could be so much fun. You don’t know what’s going to happen next in a game so you are actually living out a military battle story. Like all good stories, it has an introduction and setting (opening), development of plot (middle game) and a conclusion (end game), often with twists and surprises on the way!
2. Chess is good for your brain. We all know that chess is good brain exercise. Countless studies have shown that chess improves the working of the mind. Chess rewards both good logical analysis and imaginative play. Chess helps students to learn how to think –the most important skill we ever exercise. And in older people, chess keeps the brain active. Our club has some inspirational senior players who are still able to play at a very high standard. Chess really is the best all round brain workout.
3. Chess is a challenge. Chess has wide appeal because it is both easy to play and difficult to master. Irrespective of whether you are an absolute beginner or a seasoned expert, the ratings system makes it easy to ascertain whether your game is improving and, if so, how rapidly. You can set your own personal goals, which are SMARTING – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. While you play other players, you are really competing against yourself to see how skilled at the game you can be. Improvement in chess, as with every endeavor of any value, is inevitably accompanied by setbacks and disappointments. Yet chess is a forgiving game in which we can learn from our mistakes and emerge stronger when we start again on a new day.
4. Chess teaches you to have respect. In chess there is often a very fine line between victory and defeat. Even the best players can make blunders. Even where there is a high rating difference, upsets sometimes occur so is both dangerous and disrespectful for higher rated players to play moves quickly and casually without giving each move proper consideration. Any experienced player will confirm, usually though personal experience, that there is no room for complacency when facing young or lower rated opponents. In addition, club chess teaches you how much hard work is necessary to become a strong player so you naturally develop respect for players who are much stronger than yourself. Having respect for your opponent, whoever they may be, is good for you and for your game.
5. Chess is a great forum to get to know people. You can meet and get to know all sorts of people in a chess club. There is no need for mindless small talk and chitchat as you already have something in common – a love of playing chess. You get to share quality time with your opponent free of distractions and your game is a shared story which is unique to the two of you. A player’s style (e.g. attacking, defensive etc) can also reveal much about that player. I count it a privilege to be able to spend game time with each of my fellow club members and to get to know them better.
6. Chess forces you to be honest with yourself. In chess, you are forced to accept responsibility for the standard of your play. There is no one else to blame but you if things are not going well. Yet a loss can often teach you much more about yourself than a win. If you wish to improve, you must consider not only your mistakes but also the reasons why you made those mistakes. For example: Were you being reckless with that sacrifice? Were you being overly cautious by not making the most of an attacking opportunity? Were you overly complacent? Did you allow your emotions to get the best of you at the crisis point of the game? Have you been getting enough sleep lately? A loss can often reveal to you the existence of a weakness that requires attention if you are to improve. Only if you are honest with yourself can you identify and rectify your weaknesses.
7. Chess teaches planning. In chess it is important always to have a plan. Plans can and do change but without a plan you are doomed to fail. By learning to plan in chess we can learn to plan and adjust our plans in our study, work and home life. As a result we can become better organized and be more positive about the future.
8. Chess teaches self-discipline. I have seen and heard many suggestions for improving one’s chess. I am convinced however, that lasting improvement only comes with lots of hard work and practice, practice, practice. Of course, it takes self-discipline to put in the necessary hard work when there are so many other immediately self-gratifying things to do. By making that regular and consistent effort, however, we improve and get closer to achieving our own potential. Improvement is measurable through our ratings system. The link between the hard work and practice and the result improvement is easily seen.
9. Chess is an international game. Chess is arguably the most widely played and universally accepted game in the world. It is particularly popular in some parts of the world, such as the Eastern European countries, and is growing in many Asian countries including China. You can travel almost anywhere in the world and chances are that you will always find a warm welcome at a chess club.
10. Chess educational resources are plentiful. Today there are more books, software, DVDs and resources on the Internet devoted to chess improvement than ever before. There are also chess coaches available to assist anyone who wishes to improve more rapidly. If you are keen to improve the standard of your play there are resources available to suit your particular needs.
So there has never been a better time to join a chess club. Want a game?
© Laurie Dalton. This article may be reproduced in any medium, without applying for permission (provided it is unedited and retains the original author/copyright information).
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FReedom though Fischer-Random chess to enjoy the whole game.
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