@Marie Claire Editorial
Following the premiere of "The Queen's Gambit" on Netflix, chess sales doubled. We decided to explore the skills that can be developed through the game (with vivid examples from the series) and why it is essential to introduce children to chess.
We asked a teacher from the online school "Foxford" and a Candidate Master of Chess, Alexey Erofeev, to tell us about it.
Logic and Mathematics
Chess teaches children not to make the first move that comes to mind. During the game, it's essential to see the pros and cons of different moves, so students practice logical conclusions, identify patterns, and develop a positive attitude towards chess problems. This subsequently affects school education: the habit of looking for different approaches to familiar tasks diversifies and speeds up the learning process.
Observations from different countries show that chess classes increase average school grades. For example, a study in New York involved around 100 schools and 3,000 students: it turned out that children who play chess show higher results in mathematics and English.
A similar Canadian study found that chess affects problem-solving skills in early school age.
As in the Series:
Elizabeth Harmon's developed spatial thinking helps her visualize games, play them out in her mind, find her own mistakes, and alternative moves.
Perseverance and Concentration
Different children play chess: some are naturally patient, others are impulsive. It's impossible to determine in advance who will achieve more significant success, as the ability to concentrate in critical moments comes with experience. Therefore, it's important to train work capacity and perseverance, as even children's games can last for several hours.
To perform successfully in competitions and win, daily practice is necessary. You can attend a chess club, listen to lectures, solve problems, read thematic books, and watch broadcasts on streaming services.
Independent work plays a significant role — without it, it's impossible to achieve victories. In chess, as in other sports, it's difficult to constantly grow and win. Successes and failures alternate, so it's crucial to analyze the reasons for your defeats, diligently work on mistakes, and not give up.
As in the Series:
The main character's first teacher is a janitor at a children's home, who spends his free time at the chessboard. He plays with himself so concentratedly that he almost doesn't pay attention to what's happening around him until Elizabeth decides to approach him.
Memory and Attention
In chess, memory is closely related to attention. In critical moments, these abilities work especially actively: chess players try to remember similar motifs and take into account different nuances of the position.
Intense and prolonged attention helps players throughout the entire game. You can lead excellently and achieve a winning position, but lose concentration for a few minutes and destroy the results of all previous work.
Chess players spin possible variants in the arrangement of pieces in their heads. This exercise develops the imagination, and the game itself trains the ability to act in mind.
As in the Series:
From the very beginning, Elizabeth Harmon demonstrates attentiveness and a strong memory: she remembered how the pawns and pieces move, watching from afar at the still unfamiliar game, and then tried to rearrange them in her imagination.
Strategic Thinking
In chess, children learn to set long-term goals and change plans depending on the situation. They first consider the details and then the whole picture, study typical techniques, and apply them in non-standard situations. Many decisions have to be made in conditions of uncertainty, so they require a creative approach. Problematic moments arise more frequently in a chess game. This disciplines the mind and, most importantly, trains the will.
Chess develops an objective attitude towards oneself and partners. Each of the opponents strives to find and use mistakes in the actions of the other. Loss is usually the result of one's own mistake. Therefore, failures objectively motivate a chess player to critical self-analysis and, consequently, become a means of self-education.
It is unlikely that specific chess strategies can be applied in other areas of life, but the qualities formed in the process of learning and competitions will be useful in other spheres of life.
As in the Series:
Elizabeth Harmon belongs to intuitive players: she feels good moves, while the opposite type of chess players - analysts - try to carefully weigh and think through each decision at the chessboard.
Conclusions
Chess is not just a game that gives children pleasure but also an effective means of comprehensive development. During training, you can pump critical thinking, objective assessment, work ethic, imagination, and even willpower, as spending several hours at the chess table, staying focused and attentive, is no simple task.
Photo: KinoPoisk, frames from "The Queen's Gambit" series
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