Q: What does chess help you improve?
A: It helps you improve at playing more chess. And perhaps it's time better spent than, say, watching episodes of Star Trek Voyager on TV.
Aside from that? Probably not all that much. Chess is very esoteric in the sense that it doesn't typically have much applicability to the outside world, much like a lot of higher level mathematics. Although math actually takes some brains to do whereas it's much easier to play chess reasonably well without being particularly bright.
I do recall that those who play chess during their school years tend to make for better students (on average) than those who don't (all other things being equal), but of course correlation isn't necessarily causation, so it's quite possible that the better students are just more attracted to chess playing for whatever reason.
Also, I haven't read up a lot on this particular topic (especially lately), but I've done a little.
(Coached Chess going on 10 years (also taught at the same school for 8 years... see above post)
Nope.... their grades DO improve, because of chess. I am not quoting some study... I "see" it every year. Some kids who already have good grades play chess for me.... but it's the ones that were D and F students for years and then turn it around after playing competitive scholastic chess for a year or more....that really stand out... looking back through the years, I can still "see" their faces... and... remember some names. :)
Sorry, but your anectodal "evidence" (as well as Ziryab's) for your apparent belief that playing chess causes students to improve in their school studies is circumstantial at best. During your time watching D and F students turn into something better, did you factor in things like the observer/confirmation bias that perhaps led you not to notice the kids who showed absolutely zero improvement in their grades or perhaps whose grades went down? Were you even aware of what grades all your students got before and after they started taking lessons from you? Hm?
There's a reason why people do science, and it's to substantiate whether or not theories like yours that are based on nothing other than anecdotal "evidence" (which is to say, just about no evidence at all) are based on fact or otherwise.
Look, maybe you're right that chess playing does cause students to perform better in school. But to my knowledge at least, this has yet to proven unequivocally in the scientific community, and like it or not, that's what matters. I respect your experience teaching chess insofar as it has perhaps given you better intuition on the matter, but don't pass off your intuition as "evidence" either. It's not.
Oh, and chess may help with "...with problem solving, visualizing, strategizing, anticipation, focus, concentrateing, thinking skills, have fun, and much more", but here's the problem: no one (again, to my knowledge) has been able to demonstrably show that these aspects of problem solving, etc. extend much beyond the chess world. There's zero evidence, for example, that learning Anastasia's mate helps you solve differential equations (or something) better.
The problem with assuming things about people that you have never met and consequently know nothing about (and having an all knowing condescending attitude) is... if your assumptions are wrong... they fly right back in your face. :D
I taught reading for 8 years at the 6th 7th and at the 8th grade level (My first two years I only taught 6th). Most of my chess students were also my reading students who I received as 6th graders, but then would also have them as 7th and 8th graders. So, after having the same students for a number of years, I yesssss... knew their grades (They were my students!). But, there is sooo much more. As teachers we had to have a file of data... for each student... student grades, FCAT (State Reading Math and Science test scores), and Discovery (Reading) test scores going back three years in order to follow trends (e.g. In my case as a reading teacher student's increase or decrease reading skills in main idea, compare and contrast, drawing conclusions, etc etc etc within those 3 years). At strategic times during the year including two weeks into the school year, teachers would share their DATA with other teachers (e.g. I share my reading scores with math, math teachers share theirs with me) during a "teacher work day" (students are off) lovingly called... Data Day.
The reason for all this... is to have detailed reading math and science scores profile for each student going back 3 years... at your finger tips.
Why?
So you could adjust lesson plans to meet each student's individual needs (e.g. Some students are great at understanding the main idea but not so much the order of events).
So, with all this information history for each kid... IT WAS EASY TO SEE if one group of easily identifiable kids (my chess kids) made significant gains (grades and very specific reading math or science academic skill improvements) over another group of kids (non chess playing).
Why do I share ALL this (the point)?
To illustrate that my "observations" were not just based on a few glances at a couple of report cards per quarter, but based on real streaming data that was easily followed up and referred to so as to compare and contrast to a student's previous month, quarter or year.
The chess training I put them through isn't your once a week meet after school for an hour and pair up and play with a few lessons thrown in. It is DAILY regiment with very specific things they have to do that requires a large amount of self discipline and a large amount of my time. What are these things?...ahh thats my secret, but I can tell you that it has been good enough to win four county chess championships vs. up to 25 other middle schools including rich academy schools.
So does that mean that every kid that plays chess for me has improved grades... from one year over another... no. But do most kids grades FCAT scores improve compared to non playing students... YES!
Do i think that chess makes them smarter? Not completely sure either way but I do agree with your last paragraph. More so is that they have way more self discipline, more focus, more confidance, greatly improved decision making skills all of which translate to a better student.
Now that I got that at out of the way, can I ask you a few questions?
Have you ever taught at any level for any significant time?
Have you ever known students and their family so well that you could ask how their mom, sister brother is doing..... BY NAME.
Have you ever sat at a student's kitchen table with their parent(s) and discussed said grades and FCAT scores (and chess) and bragged about the great things their son or daughter is doing? (Yup, I was one of THOSE teachers).
Have you ever experienced a kids self confidence soar after consistantly beating adademy kids month after month and the subsequent "chess fever" excitment and pride generated at home ("My kid is playing chess? Chess?! and winning?!").
Have you ever paid $300-$500 every year of your own money to register kids so they can play in tournaments (because their parent(s) does not have the money) because you are convinced that playing in your chess program will change their life for the better?
You can go ahead and make your lofty pronouncments that mean absolutelly NOTHING to a kid and I will continue to do what I do... help kids. :D
Ian Rogers has an interesting take on today's game: http://m.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/a-morethanuseful-achievement/article5333287.ece/
Mostly hyperbole it seems to me.