This is what Chess Does To The Brain And Other Facts About Chess

1. Chess is often cited by psychologists as an effective way to improve memory function.  Also allowing the mind to solve complex problems and work through ideas, it is no wonder that chess is recommended in the fight against Alzheimer’s.  Some contend that it can increase one’s intelligence, though that is a more complex topic. The effects of chess on young individuals had led to chess being introduced in school districts and various countries.  It has been shown to improve children’s grades and other positive effects as well.

2. Playing chess at a young age can help develop advanced math and critical thinking skills.

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3. Blindfold chess is an impressive skill that many stronger chess players possess.  It certainly requires a keen ability to see the board clearly, which can get difficult after many moves.  The record was set in 1960 in Budapest by Hungarian Janos Flesch, who played 52 opponents simultaneously while blindfolded – he won 31 of those games.

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4. Albert Einstein was a good friend of World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker. In an interview with the New York Times in 1936 Albert said, "I do not play any games. There is no time for it.  When I get through work I don't want anything which requires the working of the mind." He did take up Chess in his later life.


5. The folding Chess board was originally invented in 1125 by a Chess-playing priest. Since the Church

forbids priests to play Chess, he hid his Chess board by making one that looked simply like two books lying together.6. The first mechanical Chess Clock was invented by Thomas Wilson in 1883. Prior to that,
Sandglasses were used. Sandglasses were first used in London in 1862. The present day push-button Clock was first perfected by Veenhoff in 1900.

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7. The second book ever printed in the English language was about chess!

8. Chess began in India during the Gupta Empire, spreading to the Persian Sassanid Empire, and then to the Middle East after Muslims conquered Persia.  From there, it spread to Europe and Russia.

9. Did you know the number of possible ways of playing the first four moves for both sides in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000?

10. There are 400 different possible positions after one move each. There are 72,084 different possible positions after two moves each. There are over 9 million different possible positions after three moves each. There are over 318 billion different possible positions after four moves each. The number of distinct 40-move games in chess is far greater than the number of electrons in the observable universe. The number of electrons is approximately 1079, while the number of unique chess games is 10120.

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11. Chess teaches logic because you have the constraints of the board and pieces, and efficiency because you’re playing competitively against an opponent with the same goal. This fosters thinking directly about the problem at hand and using the simplest solution to solve a complex problem.
Chess Challenges Gifted Underachievers, Teaches Goal Setting

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