Chess for kids? You bet. Just ask Becca Ward who is going for the gold in fencing in the 2008 Olympics. According to an article by Tom Weir in USA Today, Becca became intrigued with chess when she was 8, because she could beat opponents just by out thinking them. Did her chess playing evolve into an interest in fencing, a sport that requires a combination of intellect and physical ability? We don’t really know.

But there are numerous studies that prove, beyond any doubt, that playing chess strengthens problem solving abilities and the ability to make fast decisions under pressure.

Scientific research and anecdotal observation shows that development of these skills as well as others mentioned below are most dramatic when children start learning chess at an early age – even as young as 4 and 5. The evidence is so overwhelming that many countries and some schools in the United States are either requiring chess or offering chess in their schools’ curricula.

Kids who play chess outperform their classmates academically. They show an accelerated increase in IQ scores and they demonstrate improvement in memory, math, science, reading and even socialization skills. What is so significant is that these positive results applied to both sexes and across all socio-economic levels.

Why does chess have this impact? Dr. Robert Ferguson lists several significant factors in “Teacher’s Guide: Research and Benefits of Chess”:

• Children love games and playing chess motivates them to learn.
• Chess creates a pattern or thinking system that breeds success. The chess playing students become accustomed to looking for more and different alternatives.
• Chess offers immediate punishments and rewards for problem-solving.
• Chess competition fosters interest, promotes mental alertness, challenges all students and elicits the highest levels of achievement.

Based on the evidence, it’s easy to conclude that chess can play an essential role in a child’s development. Get your children started today!

For more information, check out the following articles and chess organizations. They’re all available online:

• Why Kids Who Play Chess Outperform Their Classmates by Robert Sasata
• The Case for Chess as a Tool to Develop Our Children’s Minds by Dr. Peter Dauvergne
• Teacher’s Guide: Research and Benefits of Chess by Dr. Robert C. Ferguson
• Benefits of Chess For Children By Dean J. Ippolito
• Chess Games for Kids by Eddie Tobey
• Chess Yoga: The Game of Chess
• US Chess Federation
• American Chess School