Learning to think on a chessboard

Although not yet a reality extended by all schools, Spain is already one of the countries committed to promoting the teaching of chess in the classroom. Numerous investigations have shown that learn to think on a chessboard develops intelligences that will later be applicable in many other areas, both learning and socialization. Another example of the power of multiple intelligences.

The implementation of teaching Chess within the school curriculum in Infant and Primary, has led to the use of colored pencils and cardboards to share space with chess boards and chips. And is that, from the first year of life, children begin to receive chess classes that aim to develop some of the skills that later will have to apply in other areas.


"The different contributions of researchers in this area, throughout the history of education (Alfret Binet already studied the benefits of this sport, game, art and science, in 1892) made us value chess as an essential activity in the classrooms and Infantile and Primary, "says Emma Pérez Madorrán, director of the European School of Madrid, which has taught the subject since 1993.

Chess develops the mathematical area and reading comprehension

The process is evolutionary, as Daniel Fernández, a chess teacher at the school, explains: "Since we started in Early Childhood Education, we started to show them the chess figures on cards, progressively and through different human and material resources, such as: board human in which the children represent the figures, with giant figures in a floor mural, with the two-dimensional board with magnetic figures, with the interactive Digital Whiteboard ... until the last year of Early Childhood Education in which they are able to solve chess problems posed by their professors We continue from 1st to 6th grade of Primary, working this subject in English and increasing the complexity of the problems to be solved, as well as the outputs of the pieces that capture ".


For Leontxo García, expert in chess, the chess learning in an educational environment -not the simple game- has shown through numerous studies that allows an improvement of the general intelligence of children, including emotional, and that related to the mathematical area and reading comprehension, precisely the two aspects in those that Spain is more delayed according to the data of the report PISA.

Although chess is already used in many therapeutic areas, there is still no full awareness of the need to include it in school hours. It takes time and a teacher adequately prepared for that purpose. In his opinion, "the key to chess is that it teaches us to think, the Internet does not".

Objectives and benefits of chess

1. Increase communicative and expressive capacity. They develop the language better.
2. Increase the students' calculation capacity. They improve in mathematics.
3. Develop logical reasoning. They argue better
4. Develop creativity. They are able to look for new strategies.
5. Increase attention capacity. Improve your academic performance.
6. Increase the ability to concentrate. Improve your learning ability
7. Encourage the investigative spirit.
8. Develop empathy. Avoid problems of egocentrism.
9. Develop critical thinking. Generates more tolerance towards error.
10. Favor the processes of analysis and synthesis.
11. Develop your self-esteem. Strengthen your ability to pursue your goals.
12. Control the emotions. Improve self-control in your daily life
13. Facilitate integration and interaction in the peer group. It helps to discover social norms.


Sara Lladó. Teacher and Primary Coordinator at Colegio Orvalle
Advice:Emma Pérez Madorrán, director of the European School of Madrid

More information in the book: Develop intelligence through chess, by José María Olía Porras.

Video: How To Improve Your Chess Visualization


Interesting Articles

Breastfeeding improves your bacterial flora

Breastfeeding improves your bacterial flora

The breast of the mother is the first food that the baby should take when it comes to this world. The breastmilk It has many benefits, both psychological (improvement of the bond with the child) and...

Trends to decorate your baby's room

Trends to decorate your baby's room

Drawings on the walls, cushions with shapes, poems on the ceiling ... turn the room of the little ones into a magical place that stimulates your imagination! It's the place where they sleep, they do...

Children's games for a family Christmas

Children's games for a family Christmas

Christmas parties are the ideal moment to propose childish games to live these holidays as a family. It is time to share good times, to surround ourselves with all our loved ones. We must take...