Throughout history, board games and sports have helped the population to entertain themselves and escape from day-to-day problems. In addition to fun, these playful activities have a series of benefits, both physical and mental, for the people who practice them.
Among these activities, chess is a strategy game that pits two players against each other on the board. About 70% of the adult population has played chess at some point in their lives and about 605 million adults around the world play it regularly today, according to data from the United Nations (UN).
Chess is a game in which two people face each other on a 64-square grid board. There are two groups of figures, white and black. The pieces with which each player participates are a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks, and eight pawns. The ultimate goal of the game is to “overthrow the king” of the opponent.
Although it is not known for certain, the origin of chess is believed to be in a very ancient game called chaturanga, which originated in India around the 3rd century. The techniques and strategy of the game were not defined until centuries later, around the year 900. At the beginning of the Middle Ages, chess had already become popular throughout Europe.
Why a World Day?
Chess promotes values such as fairness, inclusion, and mutual respect. In this sense, it can contribute to creating an environment of tolerance and understanding among the players, who often come from different parts of the world.
As the UN itself points out, one of the main values of chess is that anyone, anywhere, can play. It is a game that transcends barriers of language, age, gender, physical ability, or social situation. Thus, it becomes an important resource for promoting dialogue, solidarity, and a culture of peace.
These contributions led the United Nations 2019 to proclaim July 20 as World Chess Day. Specifically, this date commemorates the founding of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1924 in Paris.
Chess as a sport
Due to its competitive nature, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) considers this as a sport. This decision has been highly criticized by some sectors of society, considering that this game does not involve physical effort like the one required by most sports.
However, chess has a series of characteristics that led the IOC to consider it an official sport. On the one hand, it is a competitive game, whose ultimate goal is to beat the opponent. In addition, during the time that the game lasts, the competition is lived with great intensity.
Playing a game requires a high level of concentration since the slightest mistake can lead the player to lose the game. This implies a permanent state of alert and great physical and psychological exhaustion for the players who face each other in a duel.
On the other hand, this game has a structure and tactics, in the same way as other sports such as football or rugby. There are some rules that must be met to play correctly and there are different categories (schools, universities, juniors, seniors…).
Like many other sports, this game has a series of benefits for the person who practices it: it improves the level of attention, enhances the ability to solve problems, and helps to develop creative thinking. In addition, it stimulates mental activity and memory and favors coordination between thought and movement.
The best chess player in the world
This sport has its own world championship, organized by the International Chess Federation since 1886. Since 2014, the World Championship has been held every two years and players face each other to decide who is the best player in the world.
The last player to win this competition is the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who became world champion for the first time on November 28, 2013, at the age of 22. At the end of November 2021, Carlsen won again against the Russian player Yan Nepómniashchi, for which he continues to hold the title of world champion for another year.
Benefits of Chess
Here are some benefits of playing chess
- Chess improves critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning skills.
- Regular chess play enhances concentration and focus abilities.
- Engaging in chess boosts memory function and enhances memory retention.
- Chess develops strategic planning and decision-making abilities.
- Playing chess promotes emotional intelligence, resilience, and sportsmanship.
- Chess provides stress relief, mental stimulation, and opportunities for lifelong learning.