by Therese Daniels

Created on: March 19, 2008

Creative thinking like any skill that produces positive results is an enlightened discipline. There are many sciences and systems of logic that teach the discipline of thinking. When it comes to creatively stimulating the mind and simultaneously demanding mental discipline, chess has got to be the king. Chess is to the mind what exercise is to the body. The more it is practiced, the better the mind becomes. It is never a waste of time to practice skills that increase mental discipline and intelligence. Intelligence is necessary to survive in all phases of life.

Chess is more than a mental challenge. It is history. Chess is a game of strategic war being fought for space. History is repeated all over again whenever there is a chess game going on. It is universal. A chess player can go to any country in the world and though he may not speak one word of the other's language, he can play a game of chess with a person from that country.

It is art. Some of the most beautiful carvings in wood, alabaster, ivory, and glass are chess pieces. Even the most simply designed chess pieces are miniature works of art. They look great and feel good to touch. Chess is a gift from the ancients to the modern world. In ancient times it was the game of scholars, generals, kings, and rulers. Chess is an elegant way to productively spend an hour to two in pure mental gymnastics. It transcends all time, class, and history.

The benefits of time spent playing a good game of chess are profound. To most good chess players the satisfaction isn't in only the win. It is how well, the game was played. The more skilled the opponent, the better the game. Time locked into a tough game is pure ecstasy for both players. The invisible intensity between the two silent opponents can be so great, it can be felt five feet away from them. That is exciting.

Chess should be a skill that is a part of every person's repertoire of survival. It's sort like playing cards, knowing how to drive, basic first aid, reading, and civil amenities. The best time to learn chess is when children are young. The intellectual boost a child can gain from learning and playing chess is incredible.

I know of two children who learned to play chess around the age of seven. Both of them were exceptionally bright. They often played chess together. When they got into their teens, they both got into the many and usual problems teens get themselves into. They dropped out of school for a awhile. Got into trouble with the police. They couldn't get along with their families. In those days had I been asked what I felt the future held for either of those two, I would have said they were hopeless. Time, the best teacher of all, passed and they both turned around. They returned to school, won scholarships went on to graduate with honors. One is a very successful stock broker and business man and the other is a history professor with a PHD in architectural history. I truly believe their years playing chess developed their mental skills to advance their thinking to eventually make the right choices and follow them through. Chess is well invested time!

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