Life Lessons from Chess

Chess is one of those ancient games that has passed the test of time. Even today players worldwide appreciate the brilliance that one needs to be able to play chess enticingly. It is not a simple walk in the park. It requires extensive training, critical thinking, and a strong future sight. One has to make a move after thorough consideration of the opponent's possible moves. And this creates an exciting battlefield to watch. Having 32 pieces gives rise to countless possibilities of moves. Today, many people want to learn this championship-worthy game, and thus many are eager to teach. In the new pandemic era, many have resorted to online chess training. Although, before the massive change from physical to digital, chess players and masters have always kept records of great strategies on the internet. Simulations, computer software, and online forums have allowed enthusiasts to hone their chess skills online.

With the calculative gameplay, what else does chess offer to its players? Is this skill only useful on the 64-piece chessboard, or can we see some use of this knowledge in our practical life? Let us see how chess helps us gain important life skills.

• Strategy Making: Chess involves a lot of planning and consideration. Every move has its repercussions. We have to consider the reasons behind making a move. Moreover, the consequences of that move, the opponent’s counter-move, and the possible threats to that move have to be weighed in too. Each move has to be well planned. We can implement this when making strategic decisions. Our decisions have a strong impact on the people and objects that the decision involves. Hence, we need to be aware of this impact as well as the motives of the choices.
• Sportsmanship: Chess after all is just a game. No one person is superior to the other in any other aspect of life. You get to learn about the strengths of players while playing against them, and you get to understand your weaknesses. It is a perfect game of give and takes. This is one important life skill. You should be able to give to people and take from people without deceiving or cheating them. You should find something good in every relationship in life because everybody has something to teach.
• Critical Thinking: There is no right move to open your chess game. But each move you make in response to your opponent’s ends up being conclusive of the end game. Here, knowing which move is the next best one, whether the sacrifice is worth it, and where to make a sacrifice helps in making the play more interesting and challenging. This skill allows you to think critically about situations that are happening around you. Just like there is no one right move, nor is there one ideal game of chess, no situation around us is right or wrong. You have to understand the complexity of the situation before passing any judgment.

Learning chess is fun. And after reading this, you might want to consider learning to play chess. It is not that hard to know how each piece moves, and the objective of chess is simple. Alongside physical classes, there is also much online chess coaching in India. It is always better to have something that activates and polishes your brain. It keeps your critical thinking in check. And, you get to play a game!