FIDE Social Action Chess Commission

How Chess Can Help Transform Communities Across the World

by Beatriz Marinello, Chair of Social Action Chess Commission

Why does learning and playing chess make a positive impact in people’s lives?

In the 1960s Educators and Researchers began studying the benefits of learning and practicing chess. At that time, Jean Piaget, a Swiss clinical psychologist, who created the theory of cognitive development was the biggest influence in education and learning. His theory explains how a child constructs a mental model of the world. Jean Piaget disagreed with the idea that intelligence was a fixed trait, and regarded cognitive development as a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment.

Piaget proposed four stages of cognitive development which reflect the increasing sophistication of children's thought:

1. Sensorimotor stage (birth to age 2)
2. Pre-operational stage (from age 2 to age 7)
3. Concrete operational stage (from age 7 to age 11)
4. Formal operational stage (age 11+ - adolescence and adulthood).

With the game of chess, naturally, the question is: At what age can children learn chess? When I was 15 years old, I read an article written by Rafael Tudela (Venezuela) that addressed this question. This question was always in the back of my mind and the search for an answer intrigued me because on a personal level, chess had been instrumental in my life and accomplishments and the answer to this question, I felt, could aide in the instruction of chess and how it can be applied to enhance a child academic accomplishments and their social development. As I went from a chess player to a chess educator, these were vital points to explore, both in education and humanitarian efforts.

As we educate ourselves, formally and informally in life, we can learn much from the work and research carried out before us, much like studying the games of the great chess players in history.

According to Jean Piaget’ strategies of cognitive development, children could begin learning chess at 11. However, in chess, we have a list of early child prodigies, such as Paul Murphy, Jose Raul Capablanca whom matched against strong adult opponents at an early age. Samuel Reshevsky was giving simultaneous exhibitions at age 6. Therefore, the question of when a child can learn chess became unclear and from this question sprung another - when is the “right” age to introduce children to chess?

In 1983 American developmental psychologist Howard Gardner presented the theory of Multiple Intelligences. According to Gardner Intelligence is broken down into nine different types, also called the nine domains of intelligence. This categorization of intelligence was first theorized by developmental psychologist Howard Gardner in his 1983 book, Frames of Mind. Since then, the Multiple Intelligences theory has been used as one of the primary models for research about human cognition. Gardner argues that there is no one true way to measure intelligence and that the human brain is wired with a wide range of cognitive abilities. This is by no means a cognitive ability limited to privileged communities. Evidence has proven that, with access to knowledge, access to the same activities, such as chess, which was once reserved only for top private schools due to lack of funding, children flourish regardless of their social or economic position in this world - and the results are amazing!

 

The movies “Knights of the South Bronx” and “Queen of Katwe" highlight this in a marvelous way; in both cases, patrons, organizations and people with good hearts supported the programs that would go on to inspire these movies. Much in the same way that art and literature depend on sponsors and philanthropists - chess also needs the support of patrons, sponsors, organizations and people with good hearts.

Framing intelligence in the way Gardner does, disrupts the old mold of thinking in which intelligence was ultimately a measure of (what Gardner would call) logicalmathematical intelligence. The premise of Gardner’s theory is that someone can be extremely bad at math yet be the best of the best in another field, such as music.

All that is needed is exposure and motivation. Give a child a chessboard and watch what happens.

This theory opened the door for the inclusion of chess in education and therefore, the beginning of our understanding of the developmental and social benefits of learning chess.

Chess is being used as an educational tool in connection with Spatial Intelligence, which is defined as the human capacity to consider things in three dimensions. This type of intelligence involves the following core capacities: a dynamic imagination, image manipulation, mental imagery, artistic and graphic skills, and spatial reasoning. People with spatial intelligence are highly creative. At a young age, people with high spatial intelligence are deeply entrenched in solving problems, puzzles or mazes.

Once Chess began it’s inclusion in the school curriculum and as an enrichment activity in the after schools and extra curriculum programs; educators and schools administrators began observing interesting social patterns.

Here is what Educators said:

“Our studies have shown the incidents of suspension and outside altercations have decreased by at least 60 percent since these children became interested in chess.”

“Chess develops intellectual, esthetic, sporting, decision making, concentration, and perseverance skills. We have seen the effects of this wonderful game in our classroom and as an extracurricular activity. Not only is it mentally challenging but it attracts not only gifted pupils but also students at all levels of learning. Many students who have been experiencing problems, particularly in mathematics and reading, sometimes demonstrate remarkable progress after learning chess.”

“Chess helps raise the self-esteem and higher order thinking skills for young students, particularly those at risk.”

The progression began from the need to understand how learning a game like chess can have educational value to using chess as a tool for social improvement and enhance people’s lives.

How can the social aspects of chess transform lives across the world?

This is not a question easily answered with a presentation of statistics that may fail to highlight the true value of the social impact in the lives of children and others at risk. A true measure of this impact requires documentation, consistency, support and commitment, much the same way as improvement in the game of chess requires and demands the same - if you want to get better as a player. It takes hard work and commitment.

We are striving to make a difference using a model that can help us achieve goals, one step at a time, one country at at time. We need support now more than ever if we are to continue the work that is enabling children to benefit from chess beyond participation in a few national or international tournaments. By establishing programs within communities and helping sustain them through the education of local teachers and instructors, we empower the community in more ways than one.

You may ask - Is it even possible to use chess as a tool in at-risk communities to bring about positive change? Our answer is - YES and it requires ACTION and COMMITMENT.

Our Work: The FIDE Social Action Commission (SAC)

The FIDE Social Action Commission (SAC) was created at the 83rd FIDE Congress General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey.

Our Mission is to promote the use of chess as an equalizer, especially in the areas of women's equality and making chess accessible to children in at risk communities throughout the world; bridging the gap between the social and economic differences that impact people across the world.

This photo courtesy of Beatriz Marinello

The Social Action Commission also promotes the use of chess as an aid for persons at risk from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other mental illnesses particularly among seniors.

We understand that strength is in numbers, this is why the Social Action Commission aims to liaise with other organizations that have similar objectives.

Mission

The main focus of the Social Action Commission programs and projects is to understand the different ways in which to implement chess projects for social enhancement and positive impact in the communities. Our approach has been proven successful. Our Commission has been facilitating FIDE Trainers and Organizers Seminars. We understand that our goal requires the support of the local communities and empower people to work towards the mission of developing and growing chess.

The Social Action Commission is involving families and communities; not only children, this provides holistic development and involvement.

The SAC also provided “seed money” to implement the Smart Girl Chess Program; pilot programs created by SAC Chair, Beatriz Marinello, in an effort to provide support to existing and non existing chess programs across the world, with a focus on chess programs for girls. We are planning to expand to other nations and make a broader impact in these communities.

The Chilean government embraced this concept and made a partnership with FIDE to implement a program with the Ministry of Social Development. The idea is to provide chess instruction and opportunities for seniors and children to play chess and then merge the two groups for an intergeneration cultural exchange. The assessment of these programs is still in the making.

There is much work to be done. Chess, in these communities has proven to make a difference in the lives of many. We must remain committed to the cause regardless of our place in this world. There are many lessons to be learned - together we can truly make a difference.

We are not just offering chess sets and chess programs, we are offering opportunities to at risk communities through chess and providing guidance on how to apply these chess skills to life in a way that can empower.

Yours for chess,
Beatriz Marinello
Chair
Social Action Chess Commission
sac.fide.com

All Photos Copyright Dora Leticia Martinez; except where indicated.