"Playing chess was a symbol of wealth, wisdom and power [...] and therefore strictly for men." Aya Kodmani in LVI examines the history and benefits of chess, and why we're all so obsessed with 'The Queen's Gambit'.
My brother taught me how to play chess when I was 7 and we often played together on weekends and holidays. Our matches never lasted very long because a) he always beat me and b) I would quickly lose interest and concentration. Eventually, I stopped playing as my weekends were replaced with homework, sporting activities and Netflix. Ironically, when I binged “the Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix a couple weeks ago, I was inspired to play a game of chess once again. Perhaps it was how appealing the show made the game look or how effortlessly cool the main character was portrayed (despite the substance abuse issues...), but something about it made me want to get out the chessboard and rekindle the flame which had slowly died out a few years ago.
I still knew exactly how to play; playing chess is quite like riding a bike - once you learn, you don’t really forget how to play. After I persuaded my sister to play a round with me, I quickly got back into the rhythm of it. However, playing it now felt somewhat different to when I was 7. It didn’t feel slow or boring, in fact I quite enjoyed the mental puzzle and found great satisfaction in moving the pieces on the board so methodically and tactically. To be honest, my enthusiasm could be because I won the match - a VERY rare occasion (PSA- my sister is in year 7) Either way, the TV show and my recent encounter with the game definitely changed my perspective on chess and sparked a whole new interest in it, so much so that I decided to write this article and hopefully by then end of reading it, you will feel as inspired to play chess as I did after watching “The Queen’s Gambit” (and if you haven’t watched it yet you DEFINITELY should!).
For a bit of historical context, the first official chess championship was hosted in 1886 but the actual game was invented around 1500 years ago in North India. It was then spread through the rest of Asia, mostly by the Muslim Arabs who perfected the specific techniques of the game. However when it reached Europe in the 15th century, the movements of the pieces changed to what we know as modern chess today.
In the early days of the game, playing chess was a symbol of wealth, wisdom and power. It became very popular among the royals across Europe - it was considered fast-paced, very thrilling and therefore strictly for men. Women were excluded from the activity until 1847 when the first women's chess club was set up in the Netherlands. Eventually, it became more acceptable for women to participate and the Soviet Union in particular helped to increase the boom in women’s chess. They held a number of both womens' and coed tournaments and in the 1950 chess tournament, the first four places were taken entirely by Soviet women. In fact, it was not just the women who were so successful in chess. The Soviets in general invested huge amounts of money into the game and were known to be the leading chess players across the world. During the Cold War this was very significant because the extreme competition and tension between the USA and Soviet Union was strongly reflected in the game. The Soviet Union may have been falling behind in their economic state and development of nuclear weapons but, when it came to the chessboard, they ruled supremely.
A reason why chess has become so popular and attracted so much attention globally, is because of the sheer strategy it requires. It isn’t difficult to learn or play, but it is difficult to be good. Unlike many other games which are mainly based on luck, in chess your brain has to multitask, thinking about what your next move will be whilst also planning your next 5 moves and the various ways in which your opponent could respond. You need to be able to think creatively and recognise specific patterns whilst remaining calm under pressure. For some people, this comes naturally, for others, it takes years of practice to master the game. Hence why all around the world, chess grandmasters have gained huge amounts of respect for their true talent and curious intelligence.
But why should one know how to play chess? What actual benefit does it provide besides being able to participate in a social game every now and then? Although it may seem that chess is simply a casual pastime to be played when boredom has hit a new low, or to entertain an elderly relative, it actually has several long term benefits. For example, research has shown that not only does playing chess greatly improve ones IQ, but it also reduces the risk of getting Alzheimer’s later on in life. Moreover, it exercises both sides of the brain simultaneously, stimulating an increase in memory, creativity, cognitive and problem-solving skills. The list goes on, but my point is that we must not overlook this game which may have a stereotype of being typically dull, difficult and mentally tiring. Because, yes, I used to find it all of the above, but after playing it more and gaining practice, I have found much more enjoyment in chess than I ever thought I would. And no, I definitely do not see myself becoming a grandmaster any time soon (i.e. ever), but playing with friends and beating my 11 year old sister does bring a new found joy in the game which I hope all of you find after playing some chess too.
By Aya Kodmani, LVI 10
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