If kids are building their brains from the ground up, how does chess fit into the design?
Scientists have studied chess instruction and its effect on cognitive development for a long time. While there isn’t an official consensus, many studies show that regular chess instruction of about an hour a week is convincingly linked to modest gains in cognitive measures, especially in math and overall reasoning/logic. This is because the neural pathways chess strengthens (memory, focus, pattern recognition) are the same ones these tasks use.
Without a doubt, The Queen’s Gambit reached an audience that would not normally seek out chess-related entertainment. In addition, it dropped during a period where many people were looking for something to occupy long hours of COVID-related isolation, as social activities were still restricted for many. Since March 2020, membership in online chess sites had been growing in an unprecedented way. It made sense—here was an activity people could do at home, inexpensively, and it was good exercise for the brain!
The search for a venue to play live chess took me down several rabbit holes. Using a search engine brought up an assortment of chess academies, clubs, and other gaming places, including an inexplicable listing for Chuck E. Cheese. The listings were somewhat out of date.
Chess teachers and parents everywhere were searching for the “next” Bobby Fischer, hoping to find a prodigy who would follow in the famous grandmaster’s footsteps. One of these hopefuls was Josh Waitzkin, a young phenom who was active in chess from 1982 to 1999. You may know his name from the book and movie, “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” which chronicled his early years in chess. There are a lot more chapters to Waitzkin’s life, however, and they are no less interesting.
It’s the revival no one saw coming but everyone needed. Chess the musical once confused Broadway; now it’s coming back wiser. A new creative team reworks the book, clarifies the tension, and reminds audiences why this strange pop-opera remains unforgettable.
Want more chess players at your chess club? Here's how to encourage more people to leverage your club for chess development and to participate in chess matches and other events.
