17 Year Old Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Defeats World Number 1 Carlsen Essential Thinking Skills That Children Can Learn From Chess

For the 3rd time in 6 months, 17-year-old Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen, the news of his victory came on Monday at the FTX Crypto Cup, which happens to be the American finale of Champions Chess Tour in Miami. This young grandmaster has done an incredible job and he is also an inspiration to the children out there who are planning to carve an identity for themselves. In this blog, we will focus on the essential thinking-skills that children can learn if they are exposed to the game of chess at an early age. 

Essential Thinking Skills That Children Can Learn With Chess

1. Problem Solving- When talking about the essential thinking skills that a child can learn from chess is problem-solving. Chess is quite similar to a puzzle. The key to win a chess match is to ensure that the player is able to save his king till the end. And to master that winning strategy, problem-solving skills will play a significant role. Using the problem solving strategy, children will make their chess pieces move so that they are able to score a winning number. Apart from the game of chess, problem solving will also help your children in dealing with their day-to-day problems with ease and confidence. 
2. Abstract Reasoning- With problem-solving another important skill that comes in handy is abstract thinking or reasoning. In fact, this particular skill is considered to be important for children because it will help them both in academics as well as in life ahead. The game of chess will enable children to recognise patterns on the gameboard and develop strategies based on those patterns. 
3. Patience- Patience is the key to success. Well, an average game of chess can go for up to 40 moves before one player can emerge as a winner. As a player it is important to ensure that each move is carefully calculated, planned, and even executed. Lack of concentration and focus could lead to a checkmate for the opponent. The art of careful calculation and execution, will teach your children about patience and its importance. When talking about patience in particular, it is imperative that the child should not only stay focused while waiting for the opponent to finish their move, but they should also not rush into the total number of moves that it will take for them to complete the game. Aggression and irritation is a common feeling to be experienced when playing any type of sport or a game, but it is equally important to make your child learn about the importance of patience and playing. 
4. Creative Thinking- Another vital skill that the game of chess will teach your child is creative thinking. To defeat the opponent, a chess player will become a creative thinker. When we say creative thinking, we mean that during each game the players are supposed to imagine what will happen with each possible move on the board and they are supposed to come up with effective strategies quickly. The ability to use creative thinking skills in real-life situations will make your children better problem solvers. 
5. Sportsmanship- Children will learn about chess based on the fact that which moves will work best for them. However, it is equally true that not every time the same move will work for them. Therefore, with the game of chess your child will learn that it is okay to lose and not every time you can win. To add to this, this skill can also be applied to real life situations where it will teach your child about how to tackle failures in life and how they can learn from it. 
6. Strategic Thinking- Lastly, another vital skill that children will learn with chess is strategic thinking. In fact, strategic thinking is the perfect combination of all the skills mentioned above. As children will collectively combine all the skills together, they will develop better and efficient strategies. They will learn to combine problem-solving, sportsmanship, and creative thinking to make their moves. And most importantly children will also learn to plan, implement, and execute strategies which will also help them in later life. 

Wrapping Up 

Mentioned above are the 6 essential thinking skills your child will learn when they are exposed to the game of chess from a very young age. After all it is not about winning or losing, it is about how to face defeat with confidence, and how one can be a better and an efficient sports player. The game of chess will make your children more aware about the different ways using which they will learn to face the competition.