Checkmate is elementary
More county schools teaching chess to boost brainpower
By RYAN BAGWELL, Staff Writer
Davis Cook scanned his oversized chess board at Severna Park Elementary, frantically trying to anticipate his foe’s next move.
But when his opponent slid a pawn forward one square, the second-grader noticed something was awry.
“That’s not right,” he said to Jackson Paul, his second-grade opponent. “Get yourself out of check.”
A number of county schools are bringing chess into their classrooms, taking advantage of a game that some research says develops brainpower and teaches thinking outside the box.
And some school officials say interest in offering the game seems to be on the rise.
“I think it’s becoming more popular,” said Michael Barnett, a Brooklyn Park Middle School math teacher who runs the school’s chess club.
“Most of them think it’s another nerdy game. But once they learn it, they realize it’s just another fun game to play.”
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Chess does boost brain power! It does help kids!