Friday 20 May 2011

Chess as a Pastime

Many people, who aren’t much into playing chess, feel it is a rather boring game with two people sitting over a chess board, staring intently at the pieces, taking time to make a single move and being deeply engrossed in thoughts for hours. But to the players who are actually participating in the game, nothing gives more pleasure than to anticipate what move the opponent will make and think of counter attacks and strategies so that he/she is defeated. There is a rush of thrill and intense pleasure known only to those people who’ll trade almost anything for a good satisfying game of chess which will require them to use their grey cells lot more than usual against strong opponents.

The origin of chess is still disputed. But the story goes that it has its origins in ancient India in the 7th century. There is a popular legend that goes to say that an Indian king named Balhait had asked a wise scholar to devise a game that will keep his people from getting addicted to and playing more and more gambling games. He insisted that the game should help one to think logically before making a move. Thus came the game of chess which has people hooked to it even today.

The game also became popular in Persia and the Arabian countries but found a strong foothold in Europe in the Middle Ages where it became a favorite pastime among the ruling classes. The Renaissance period of the 15th century brought about changes in the rules of the game reflecting the contemporary social hierarchies and till date, those rules are followed with some modifications.

The rules are very easy to learn and remember and of course practice makes it even perfect. You can play with a chess enthusiast or online where you have other players or softwares generating games for you to play. You can consult online chess experts and tutorials for suggestions and tips. Also books by famous grandmasters help, apart from acting as great sources of inspirations.

Chess is more than a mere pastime. It is a way of living for some people, of taking a break from everyday monotony, forget all your worries and cares and get deeply engrossed in this thrilling game. After all, nothing can give you greater pleasure than knocking off your opponents’ queen after a brilliant game!

Sunday 30 January 2011

How Chess Can Help Your Child

You don’t need to be told that chess is a great strategy game. Anyone who can play chess knows there is a very complex ‘thinking’ process behind it, a player must think every move through, consider the consequences, and also plan the long-term strategy in order to win the game. That is why chess is a great exercise for the mind, and it can help your child in many ways. It's also why it's great to own fine chess sets for the family.

If you teach your child to play chess at a young age, you would be giving him great experience and wisdom which would no doubt benefit him in various situations that he comes across during his life. Chess is known to raise a child’s IQ scores – as it raises his level of thinking and encourages him to think better. The thinking process is purified and made more patient, thus the child can make correct decisions patiently.

Chess also shows children how to make complicated decisions without taking the help of others. They become independent of outside opinion, and thereby chess helps your child to become a potential great decision-maker later on in his life. If you would like to engage his creativity and his original thinking, then chess does that too – as a child needs to imagine moves in his head before actually making the move. Thus his power of imagination is increased, and he can think more originally.

In chess, a child has to look at a problem from all the angles and has to consider all the possible solutions. Thus it helps him to establish his problem-solving skills. Lastly, chess also helps to improve a child’s reading, language power, math and power of memorization – skills that one needs in chess as well as in life. So teach your child chess to see these various benefits on his personality.

Monday 17 January 2011

Learn chess the right way

When it comes to playing chess, you need to learn how to go about the game in the right way. There are several different ways in which the process can be worked out. First of all, you need to ensure that when you are playing a game of chess you are focused on the kind of moves you are making. That is extremely necessary and provides you with all the best types of options when you are looking for a way to learn chess. Take a look at all the different strategic moves that you can make. Once you are ensured the best kind of chess games it is likely to get easier for you to play the game properly.

There are some moves in the game of chess which you need to look into carefully. It is always a very good idea to ensure that you are making these moves the right way. Once this is taken care of, it becomes a lot easier for you to play the game of chess properly. Make it a point to find out all the best deals and options when you are playing an online game of chess.

Take a look at all the options which are likely to make the process of learning chess a whole lot easier. You are likely to get the best kind of options when it comes to playing chess. There are plenty of different options. Find out the different moves which you can make because that is essential in understanding what is needed. With more and more options it gets a lot easier for you to get all the best kind of deals. Find out how you can be assured of what is necessary. This will allow you the opportunity to play your game even better and with all the relevant moves.