I see that Chess encourages logical thought, concentration, self-discipline, abiding by a set of rules both in terms of the actual game and the conduct required and respect for opponents particularly those with more status or ability.
Bob Grover, Teacher
Auckland Grammar School
Canada is the latest in a string of countries to adopt chess as a curriculum subject. This time for year 12 students!
After 20 years of research, proposals, paperwork and jumping through hoops Arnie Nermo (B.Ed.) Robert Bateman Sec. School, Abbotsford, BC and Luke Campbell (Language and Technology Department Head at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary) have finally had their chess course approved by the School Board and the Ministry of Education.
Now any school can use their template and experience to introduce chess as part of their high-school curriculum.
Schools First have selected the Chess Squared Program as a best-practice example to be shown to 80 workshops around Australia.
… you are the one who makes each move. You ultimately control the destiny of the game with the moves you make. There is no luck … in life.
Life is a game of chess.
It is a game of chess within a game of chess. Much like a Russian doll – with an infinite number of chess games built into each other. Each game you play is but a move on the larger chessboard. That game, in turn, is just a single move somewhere even bigger.
My study of chess over the years, my experience in playing games, and ultimately my successes in tournaments, have given me critical lessons I have been able to apply in life; leading to victories far sweeter than anything achieved on a practice board.
To play the game of Life without the lessons from many thousands of chess games would be like trying to play chess without having learned the rules or played a game. Challenging.
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In a May survey of over 200 Australian schools, 98 percent said that chess has many ‘soft’ skill benefits in addition to the commonly discussed ‘hard’ benefits like problem solving, mathematical reasoning and spatial awareness, with 61 percent stating that chess had an equal effect on both soft and hard skills.
Decision making (74% rated impact as significant) and self-confidence (51% rated impact as significant) were identified as the soft skills most heavily influenced by chess, followed by resilience (ability to cope with loss or unexpected change), general behaviour and locus of control (the extent to which a person believes that they can control events that affect them).
Respondents also identified other soft skills positively improved through regular chess play, including social interaction, patience and personal communication.
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