Game is brainy mix of theory, practice
Saturday December 17, 2011 9:32 AM
Shelby Lyman
The frequent emphasis on rote learning is decried by critics of formal education.
Learning is often reduced to reproducible sound bites amenable to multiple-choice testing.
The result can be a learned incapacity in making complex decisions demanding fluid thinking and purposeful action.
We often hear from those who use chess as an educational tool that “Chess makes kids smarter.”
But why?
Chess, like other games, is a testing ground that combines theory and action. It is no accident that the best performers in sports are often effective men and women who achieve new successes when their athletic careers are over.
Playing chess involves a continuous mental process of applying and modifying concepts to understand the complex battle that takes place on the chessboard. It can be an exhilarating experience.
As in life, you win some and lose some. And, if the fates allow, you do better the next time around.
I remember the glow that resulted from making complex and creative discoveries on the chessboard as a schoolboy. It was an experience of empowerment.
And it was also a place where knowledge and understanding counted for a lot.
More here.
Chess is important.
Interesting.