In The News: Chess Can Make You Smarter

Why is chess so often linked to higher cognitive performance? Recent independent studies have researched the benefits of playing chess, and have found that in addition to developing stronger critical thinking skills, chess also builds neural efficiency and stronger pattern recognition.

While only a select few top players are able to compete for the World Championship each cycle, many chess players around the world are able to directly apply their over-the-board experiences to their own professional careers outside of chess.

In response to advanced research, countries like Spain, Hungary, Armenia, and Romania are already making chess education compulsory for children because of its correlation with improved math skills and academic ability. Here are three ways chess can help you become smarter today:

1. Chess forces you to use both sides of your brain. Psychologists often refer to the left side of one's brain as "analytical", and the right side as "creative". To win a game, an experienced chess player balances their pattern recognition and their calculation to make practical decisions every turn. A 2010 study shows that stronger chess players develop "expert visual cognition" over time through regular object and pattern recognition.

2. Chess will make you a better problem solver. Using gamma rays, German researchers found that strong chess players actually use a different part of their brain than novice players. When presented with a new position, stronger chess players will use their frontal cortex, the part of the brain that's optimized for problem-solving. Novice players, when presented with the same position, are more likely to use their medial temporal lobe, which is best used for memory formulation.

3. Chess boosts neural efficiency. According to a 2014 study, chess actually makes your brain smaller! Brain scans showed that this was attributed to less "diffusivity" in the brain's communication tract between the executive and visual areas. The study shows that as a player becomes more experienced at chess, neural efficiency increases as diffusivity decreases.

The data on chess being a catalyst for higher cognitive performance is promising, but the proof is allegorical too - Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray have both been open about how chess has helped them excel in their respective careers.

Want to learn more about the social benefits of chess? Read our full breakdown here, on ten reasons why chess can help your personal growth. If you are itching to learn more about in-game strategy, check out Chess.com's strategy study plan, as well as our full collection of study plans, geared towards players of all levels.

How has chess helped your personal or professional development? Let us know in the comments about what chess has done for you!