4 Beneficial Reasons to Play Chess Even If You Don’t Want to Be Competitive

A chess master I am not.

And I don’t plan to be, since I haven’t committed to the daily practice and study necessary to achieve such lofty goals. I play primarily for reasons not necessarily related to winning, but to improving.

Let me explain.

In this digital age, free apps are abundant, and my app of choice is chess.com.

Yes, I guess this counts as an endorsement (earned that.)

It provides instruction from ‘those who have no idea how to play’ levels to advanced ‘beat the pants off anyone’ rankings. There are fun drills, daily lessons, puzzles, computer bots, and much more that is the total opposite of boring.

I haven’t played actual people in an age (except if you count my teenage son who wipes the floor with me every time.)

I do hit the drills, puzzles, lessons bots, and much more pretty hard on a regular though. Here are my personal reasons as to why:

1. Gain Expert Pause Practice

Current societal living has evolved to demand immediate answers for just about everything. The knock-on effect can be felt in neural synapses firing, prompting us to instantaneous action or response in work, home, and social life. But as sentient beings, we need that pause.

I need that pause.

To assess and contemplate the best course of action or communication with consideration of a myriad of options and variables that are worth all the extra seconds of not making a hasty unsound decision that may be regretted later. If you repeatedly (or even sometimes) fail miserably at this, chess gives you unlimited practice opportunities.

When faced with potential threat (e.g. capture, check, or checkmate) there remains a constant: the knowledge that options from best to least are available and await you to find them. A transferable skill to life? I think so.

2. Aid Elimination of Reactionary Patterns

Tit-for-tat is never the best chess strategy.

A player that captures your piece, whether major or minor, can elicit a typical (often silent) human emotional response:

*I’m gonna get you back*

There are many business and personal roles where when emotion clouds judgment, there are dire consequences.

No one (least of all this Cancerian) is suggesting that you become an emotionless autopilot, just to have control when and where you need it.

Would you want a ‘madder-than-hell’ neurosurgeon performing your emergency craniotomy?

Thought not.

Emotional responses feel great when a friend does something unexpectedly hilarious and you bust a gut in giggle territory, but not when your bladder is full, you’re nowhere near a bathroom, and laughter is the last thing you need.

Ticked because a player took your rook in a move you couldn’t see? Control over that visceral response may allow you to view a prospective attack opening since board positions have shifted. This provides opportunities to isolate and neutralize your opponent now that there’s space. A shift in perspective works wonders.

Go ahead. Tell me all the ways that skill won’t help you in life.

3. Memory Improvement

”It feels fantastic to repeatedly forget things,” said no one ever.

Lifestyle choices may see us working out frequently for fitness gains but how often does the brain get regular resistance training?

You may be able to bench press over 200 lbs, but how long can you hold a successive number of multiple-option chess moves in your head without dropping one?

Booyah!

This flexes neurons I didn’t know I could flex. And dagnabbit it feels good (when I get it and don’t drop every thought on the crystalline floor of the eternal consciousness continuum with loudest ever crashes.)

4. Alternative Meditation Technique

One of my favourite benefits!

Thoughts bombard our every waking moment and truth be told, sometimes it’s overwhelming.

Distracting. Annoying.

The constant internal chitter-chatter of thoughts sometimes makes it hard to concentrate. That is brain wave frequency blipping the electroencephalogram, (EEG) and it remains an important life indicator. Brain death is the ‘real deal death’ for a reason. Interventions can restart your heart but not your brain. It’s way more complicated.

It hit me once, when engrossed in a game, how all my thoughts were still flittering about, but more distinct, and not overpowering my mind on a wild-out brain cell bash. I watched them stream by until I caught whiff of one that I wanted (the killer chess move one.) Then came the awareness that this experience felt every bit like meditation in a non-meditative approach way. Routine practice brought me to a state of either ‘these thoughts aren’t as loud,’ or ‘they realized they weren’t gonna get any action by chattering away and toned it down.’

Phenomenal profound moment.

*Gasp* A chess moment.

So, why not take this step today and learn (or improve) with an ancient game of strategy?

Fall into neurotransmitter bliss about how your mind works and what it does. Whether on the 'down-low' or all outright bold and bodacious, get that miracle between your ears up and busting a sweat. Chess, (as nerdy as it may sound) has the potential to positively impact your brain health and make your mind…feel marvelously magnificent.

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