Chess Merit Badge Benefits of Chess and Chess Etiquette by Joseph L. Bell © 2011

What Is Chess ? A Game – play it with your friends A Sport – a hard fought competition, and an Olympic competition An Art – with beauty in its complexity A Science – a disciplined field of study 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 2

Benefits of Chess Developing critical thinking skills Practicing concentration skills Improved decision-making skills How would these skills help with other areas of your life ? 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 3

Your Brain On Chess Abstract Reasoning – Thought using symbolic representations, and past info Analysis – Break problem into smaller parts Concentration – Directing your thoughts Critical Thinking – Apply logic & reasoning Evaluation – Determining worth & value Pattern Recognition – Apply experience Problem Solving – ID problems & solve Strategic Planning – Effective use of resources Synthesis – Combine knowledge for unique solutions and applications 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 4

Benefits of Chess Chess instills in players a sense of self-confidence and self-worth Chess builds a sense of team spirit while emphasizing the ability of the individual player Chess teaches the value of hard work, concentration and commitment 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 5

Benefits of Chess (cont’d) Chess demonstrates that each person is responsible their own actions and must accept the consequences Chess teaches players to try their best to win, while accepting defeat with grace 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 6 “I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves.” - Bobby Fischer

Benefits of Chess (cont’d) Chess provides an intellectual, competitive forum through which you can express hostility, i.e. "let off steam", in a socially acceptable way 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 7 “Chess is war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent's mind.” - Bobby Fischer

Benefits of Chess (cont’d) Chess provides many bright youth with their first opportunity to use their intelligence in an exciting, rewarding and continuing way Chess instills a sense of intellectual success which encourages trying other endeavors 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 8

Benefits of Chess (cont’d) Chess allows girls to compete with boys on a non-threatening, social plane Chess can provides an easy, safe forum for gathering and discussion 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 9 “Chess is as much a mystery as women” - Cecil Purdy, International Master

An Excuse to Play More Chess Chess results in higher grades, especially in Math and English studies –Developing plans, considering all implications of choices, improves logic, reasoning and writing composition. –Research found that Chess was more efficient than any other extracurricular activity in improving academic performance. 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 10

Chess Etiquette Not another lecture on manners You live manners when playing Chess, and it makes the game more enjoyable 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 11

Chess Etiquette Shake hands at the start and end of a game Do not distract your opponent, make noises, tap on the table… Be a good loser, and a good winner Cell Phones: You will be banned from most Chess tournaments if your cell phone rings or makes noise. No texting. 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 12

Rules Enforce Etiquette Ask for a draw on your own clock time Annoying actions or noises can result in a forfeit (declared by the tournament director) –Complaining that your opponent annoys you by making good moves will not work. Touch Move Rule: If you touch a piece, and it can legally move, you have to move that piece. 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 13

Rules Enforce Etiquette “20A. Conduct of Players. Players shall participate in the spirit of fair play and good sportsmanship, and must observe the USCF Code of Ethics.” 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 14

Know the Rules to Be Polite Good manners help you get ahead in life Avoid unnecessary problems A Scout is … Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind …, Clean “A true gentleman is one who is never unintentionally rude.” - Oscar Wilde ( ) 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 15

A World Champion’s Perspective “How Life Imitates Chess: Making the Right Moves from the Board to the Boardroom” –by Garry Kasparov Kasparov had the highest chess rating in the world for 255 consecutive months (over 21 years). 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 16

How Life Imitates Chess –Losing can persuade you to change what doesn’t need to be changed –Winning can convince you everything is fine even if you are on the brink of disaster –Only when the environment shifts radically should you consider a change in fundamentals 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 17

How Life Imitates Chess (2) –Rote memorization is far less important than the ability to recognize meaningful patterns –Opposite pairs work in harmony to improve decision-making: Calculation & Evaluation, Patience & Opportunism, Intuition & Analysis, Style & Objectivity Success comes from balancing these forces and harnessing their inherent power The only consistent method for achieving such balance is to avoid your comfort zone 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 18

How Life Imitates Chess (3) –Things we usually think of as advantages (Having more time to think & analyze, Having more information at your disposal) can short-circuit what matters even more: Our Intuition – Attacking requires perfect timing as well as nerve. Pushing the action gives us more options and greater ability to control our fate. 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 19

How Life Imitates Chess (4) –Psychological muscles atrophy from disuse just as physical ones do –Every enterprise has an opening, a middle games, and an endgame. Knowing where you are lets you hone your strategy and enables you to identify and eliminate weaknesses 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 20

Questions ? 7/20/2011Chess Merit BadgePage 21