Chess and the Future in Nigeria Chess as we all know is a game of logic and strategy. And it is generally believed that those who participate in the game are very intelligent or brilliant. Interestingly, it has been discovered that there is a great correlation between academic excellence and mastery of the game by children. Some Facts about Chess in other Nations Chess is part of the curriculum in nearly 30 countries, in Venezuela, Iceland, Russia and some other countries; chess is a subject in all public schools. A Venezuelan study of 4,000 second grade students found a significant increase in most students’ IQ scores after 41/2 months of systematically studying chess. This occurred across all socio-economic groups and for both males and females. The Venezuelan government was so impressed that all Venezuelan schools introduced chess lessons. The mathematics curriculum in New Brunswick, Canada is a text series called challenging mathematics, which uses chess to teach logic and problem solving from grades 2 to 7. Using this curriculum, the average problem-solving scores of pupils in the province increased from 62% to 81%. The South African president, Jacob Zuma launched a chess program in all South African schools in October 2010 tagged ‘Move for Life’. One of the biggest successes of the chess in schools programme is by the Turkish Chess Federation. Since the beginning in September 2005, the TCF has achieved its goal to make chess an elective course in all kinds of schools in the country. Primary schools and high schools started chess courses in September 2005, by the end of 2005 128,000 players were members of the TCF and 400,000 students were enrolled in chess courses in the country. The government of almost 70 countries has adopted chess in various ways and believes that exposure to chess training of the children who make the nation’s future is beneficial. Coming home, last three years has seen a great proliferation of the chess in schools programme and most schools especially in Lagos state are no longer alien to the game with some schools even running a curriculum based programme. As a result of this programme a lot of children now exhibit immense confidence and self belief; their self esteem is now at a rocket high. In class you see them analyzing concretely and giving logical reasons for their different choice of moves. It is usually a class full of intelligent debates. At age 5 and 6, the children already understand the basics of the game. Written by Jibola Olanrewaju

Chess teaches independence. You are forced to make important decisions influenced only by your own judgment. Chess develops the capability to predict and foresee consequences of actions. It teaches you to look both ways before crossing the street. Chess inspires self-motivation. It encourages the search of the best move, the best plan, and the most beautiful continuation out of the endless possibilities. It encourages the everlasting aim towards progress, always steering to ignite the flame of victory. Chess shows that success rewards hard work. The more you practice, the better you'll become. You should be ready to lose and learn from your mistakes. One of the greatest players ever, Capablanca said, "You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win. You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player." Chess and Science. Chess develops the scientific way of thinking. While playing, you generate numerous variations in your mind. You explore new ideas, try to predict their outcomes and interpret surprising revelations. You decide on a hypothesis, and then you make your move and test it. Chess and Technology. What do chess players do during the game? Just like computers they engage in a search for the better move in a limited amount of time. What are you doing right now? You are using a computer as a tool for learning. Chess and Mathematics. You don't have to be a genius to figure this one out. Chess involves an infinite number of calculations, anything from counting the number of attackers and defenders in the event of a simple exchange to calculating lengthy continuations. And you use your head to calculate, not some little machine. Chess and Research. There are millions of chess resources out there for every aspect of the game. You can even collect your own chess library. In life, is it important to know how to find, organize and use boundless amounts of information. Chess gives you a perfect example and opportunity to do just that. Chess and Art. In the Great Soviet Encyclopedia chess is defined as "an art appearing in the form of a game." If you thought you could never be an artist, chess proves you wrong. Chess enables the artist hiding within you to come out. Your imagination will run wild with endless possibilities on the 64 squares. You will paint pictures in your mind of ideal positions and perfect outposts for your soldiers. As a chess artist you will have an original style and personality. Chess and Psychology. Chess is a test of patience, nerves, will power and concentration. It enhances your ability to interact with other people. It tests your sportsmanship in a competitive environment.

SOCIAL BENEFITS In the schools, chess often serves as a bridge, bringing together children of different ages, races and genders in an activity they can all enjoy. Chess helps build individual friendships and also school spirit when children compete together as teams against other schools. Chess also teaches children about sportsmanship – how to win graciously and not give up when encountering defeat. For children with adjustment issues, there are many examples where chess has led to increased motivation, improved attendance. Chess provides a positive social outlet, a wholesome recreational activity that can be easily learned and enjoyed at any age. The beauty of chess as a teaching tool is that it stimulates children’s minds and helps them to build these skills while enjoying themselves. As a result, children become more critical thinkers, better problem solvers, and more independent decision makers.

With Chess there is Life

CHESS LIFE
The allusion of chess to life cannot be overemphasized as it has so much to do with the complexities that are part of life itself. Life comes with riddles, puzzles and challenges which trail the existence of our inevitable walk to achieve success. We as reasonable beings have to come up with favorable solutions to conquer these extant attributes of life. This is only possible when we begin to nurture and apply our thinking abilities and invent methods to tackle life’s puzzling situations.
The chess board itself is rife with riddles and puzzles; how to get your pieces out of entanglements and probably inflict same on the opposing pieces. Attacking puzzling and opposing situations with your pieces and defraying any form of attack which is bound to come. The different variations of each of the chess pieces depict the vagaries of life; it is pretty difficult to predict how things would turn out. Except one is able to cogitate intensely and exhibit precision in knocking out every obstacle on the way to checkmating life’s most daring achievement, success; things would definitely not turn out the way you want.
As humans have different propensities towards achieving success, so also does life have varieties of obstacles that faze humans. From the moment of entry into this world, we are evidently endowed with the responsibility of conquering life’s obstacles towards achieving success; life being the opposing side. This is where man’s brain power is a determining factor as man must think based on how his environment has imparted into his mental capabilities.
It has been discovered that by default man normally uses less than five percent of his brain power in thinking out solutions to tackling a problem. Even with this apparent disability man has still managed to make phenomenally scientific and technological breakthroughs since the evolution of civilization, thanks to our already established academic system. Chess coupled with academics without a doubt is an avenue to increase brain power and ultimately eradicate thinking disabilities to the barest minimum. This is based on the fact that the game tasks the brain and the more the brain is exercised the more it is stretched and tuned to carry out bigger mental tasks. Chess for kids indicates improved and advanced relationship with the challenges of life in the future. These precocious ones can always anticipate life’s challenges and use their highly cognitive persona to explore and overcome these challenges at basically every stage of their life.