Play chess online to exercise your brain
One of the most important parts in our body, which requires adequate care and attention, is the brain. The brain regulates the normal working of the body and aids in our activities.
According to scientists, the only part in the body that comes fully grown at the time of birth is the brain. The brain contains as much as 100 billion neurons or brain cells, and by the age of six, these neurons or brain cells creates as much as 1000 trillion interconnections between themselves. After the age of 15, these neurons start shedding if left unused.
You might have heard about a phrase – “if you do not use it, you lose it”. This phrase is apt for the brain. The more we put to use the brain, the more the benefits we can reap out of it.
Just as we do exercises such as walking, jogging, and running to keep our body healthy for a longer time, the brain also needs regular exercise. If we do not exercise the brain as frequently as we can, then we are bound to suffer at a later stage, when the condition of the brain starts deteriorating. The common diseases such as Alzheimer and Multiple Sclerosis affect the brain the most.
How do we exercise the mind? Psychologists have come up with various recommendations to keep the brain active at all time and engage it in some sort of activities. Some common activities recommended to exercise the mind include reading, writing, doing some number crunching or arithmetic, solving puzzles, Sudoku or crosswords. It is true that all these simple exercises do help the brain exercise but these cannot be done in a single activity. Each one is a separate activity in itself and needs to be done individually. One cannot read and write at the same time with 100% concentration or attention all the time. While these activities do exercise the brain, it is difficult to engage oneself in any of these activities for a fair amount of time, atleast in the initial stages, and might lead to boredom.
Is there any one exercise that can include all the above-mentioned activities or atleast most of them in a single action so that the brain is exercised well? Will that exercise provide excitement and fun to the person doing that? The one thing that can do all these things is the board game called Chess.
Said to have been played since the 6th Century AD, chess is the ideal solution to exercise the brain. It is this unique quality of the game and its association with the life is that makes Chess the King of Games or the Game of the Kings.
Basically, chess is a board game played between two players across a 8x8 square board having 64 squares of alternate colors. Both the players were provided with 16 pieces each and should comply with some basic rules of the game. The objective of the game is to corner the opponent's Chief piece – the King – and saying checkmate. It is the most easiest game to learn but, by far, the most challenging game to play and gain expertise. But there are immense benefits of playing and gaining expertise in this game as this game teaches invaluable lessons to the life.
Chess is a thinking game that challenges your mind the most. There is no room for chance or luck in this game and the onus lies on the player to make the correct moves at the correct time. If you make a mistake, then you are out of the game or lose control over the game. The game requires a person to think, think deeply, concentrate, analyze, visualize, plan, decide and execute a series of tactics and strategies aimed at winning the game. The interesting aspect is that all tactics and strategies will yield the desired results as the opponent also will look at the same position and will take steps to nullify the strategies. This calls for dynamic planning. All these activities – thinking, concentrating, analyzing, visualizing and dynamic planning, will provide the much-needed exercise to the mind, without your knowledge that your brain is at serious work.
Playing the game is fun and entertainment to you and at the same time a rigorous workout for the brain. What else you want to have your brain exercised without you being even aware of the same.
Now, this exercise to the brain can be done whenever you want to do. The means is playing chess online. You can use your desktop PC or laptop to simply visit the online chess site, choose a partner and start playing the game.
Then, what are you waiting for ? Go ahead and put your brain to a rigorous exercise right away.
Understanding Aggressive Chess Openings
Because none can deny that chess openings have a great impact on the game, most players are looking for aggressive chess openings to give justice to the game. Now, one of those openings is the famous Ruy Lopez that has characteristics on the third move to threaten the Black Knight within the c6 which is protecting the pawn situated on the e3. Nevertheless, in case the white will try to take over the pawn then he will arrive in a worse position. The merits of these moves are unusual because it develops each piece, will clear out the passage for castling, and will somehow pink the knight into the Black King. But since there is no room for immediate threat then Black can opt for a wide range of responses.
Due to the fact that there are numerous sound responses when this move is finish and during later moves, the variations of the Ruy Lopez can be many. In order for you to understand them, they are divided into various helpful categories. After the 3 Bb5, the variations will then be divided into defenses that would make use of 3 %u2026 a6 which is better known as the Morphy Defense lines and those which does not involve 3 %u2026 a6.
To better understand the aggressive chess openings known as Ruy Lopez, the Morphy Defense line will be discusses which the most popular line is also when it comes to Ruy Lopez. This will force White to make a decision when it comes to the Bishop. Basically, the Bishop can either retreat to the a4 or take the Knight; other options other than these two are known to be bad moves. During retreats, he should take due care not to trapped the Bishop into b3 after the time when Black advances the queen side pawns.
There will be various responses to the move above hence it is the duty of the player to know how to counteract the moves made by their opponents. Don’t just stick on a single rule because you have to keep in mind that every chess game is different which means that you can never really anticipate the move which will be done by your opponent.
Furthermore, aside from the Ruy Lopez, there are different aggressive moves that can be done so it is important not to limit yourself in here. Versatility is the name of the game. Good thing, the internet will give you these resources so you can decide which move you can do during the opening. An avid chess player will make it a point to memorize all of them although this is not really an easy way to say the less because it takes courage and perseverance to learn all of those.
However, the moment when you are able to understand all those steps, you will see yourself advance from a skilled player to a pro. With all of this, continue learning the sport because in the end, you will be able to harvest lots of benefits. Who knows if you can even be the next chess champion?
Do you lack in confidence? – Play chess online
One of the most essential characteristics that determine the strength and character of a person is self-confidence. The more confident you feel in your mind, the happier you will be – both internally and externally, and this self-confidence in yourself will lead you to do wonderful things in life.
What has this confidence to do with the game of chess? You might be wondering.
A game of chess will help you gain in confidence and now with the advent of technology, you can have a dosage of medicine for boosting confidence whenever you feel like you want it – by playing chess online.
Of course, to qualify for this medication, the one and only requirement is that you should know the game of chess, whatever may be the level of understanding. Online chess teaches you the game in the easiest way and helps you gain expertise and skill in the game. You need not run around searching for partners to play the game or even allocating some time for this game. If you have a computer with Internet connection, that is more than enough. The latest version of Windows Vista comes pre-loaded with a game of chess, and even you can do away with the requirement of internet connection, if you prefer playing the game with the computer.
Now, let us see how the game of chess improves your level of confidence.
The game of chess, as you might have known already, is a fair game and punishes you immediately when you make a mistake. In other words, there is no possibility for outside influences such as luck or chance. The only thing that you can expect is a mistake from the opponent and this is not in your hands, any way.
As such, as a chess player, you are the master of your destiny in the game. If you make the right moves at the right time, you will gain an upper hand over the opponent. You think deeply, analyze the position, visualize the moves, devise tactics, strategies, and all such things that will help you gain advantage over the opponent. Nobody is guiding you to do so and you do all these things. Is it not?
You are taking decisions considering the demands of the situation. If your decisions turn out to correct one and the desired objective is achieved, what will you feel about yourself?
Suppose, if your plans or tactics did not materialize as the opponent nullifies the plan with a smart move, do you feel dejected and kill yourself? No. You get back with better plans and come with more strength and vigor. Is it not?
What do all these things do to your mind and the confidence? Do you not feel satisfied when your plans turn out to bear fruits and you say “checkmate” to the opponent? Will not your mental strength be challenged when your tactics fail and motivate you further to come up with better and effective moves in the game?
All these things end up in boosting your confidence largely. Is it not? As the decisions were taken by you and executed by you, will not your self-belief get a boost?
One of the primary culprits that affect confidence is lack of belief in yourself. Will a game of chess not instill confidence in yourself?
The traits such as confidence, analytical thinking and visualization are developed as you continue to play the game at regular intervals. Not only will your expertise on the game gain a lift, but your life will also be much better as you will be taking the wise decisions when faced with challenges in real life.
Now, with online chess, whenever you want to relax, just start playing chess online and get the required boost to your confidence and self-belief.
Chess cultivates the habit of fearlessness
The one game that has universal acceptance and speaks a universal language is the game of chess. It is for this reason the noble game of chess is referred to as King of Games.
What has the game of chess to do with fearlessness? In what way, the game helps us cultivate the habit of fearlessness?
Read on.
Chess is a board game played between two players. Each player is provided with 16 pieces each. The only difference is the color of the pieces. Other than that, the type of pieces and the capabilities of the pieces are the same. No player is provided with any undue advantage over the other. In other words, there exists equilibrium in the board, not only in terms of the pieces but also in terms of the space available in the board. There are eight rows in the board, also called as ranks and are referred to by numbers 1 to 8. Ranks 1 to 4 refer to the white side while the ranks 5 to 8 refer to the black side. The sixteen pieces of white are stacked in a specific order in ranks 1 and 2, while the black colored pieces are ordered in the 7th and 8th ranks. The ranks 3 and 4 belong to the white side while the ranks 5 and 6 belong to the black side. As such, there is perfect equilibrium at the start of the game.
When two players with equal pieces, equal capability and equal space fight between themselves, the normal outcome should be only a DRAW and not a victory to one over the other in its normal course. As such, one can win over the other only AND ONLY when the other player makes the mistake or a series of mistakes.
The onus lies on the players to make the right move and do not make any mistake. If you make a wrong move or a wrong calculation in tactics, then there is every possibility that the opponent seizes the opportunity and punishes you for the mistake.
When the game starts and a player makes the move, the equilibrium is disturbed slightly. When the other player responds with a move, then the parity is restored. The incremental change in the alteration of the pieces between the squares following a set of moves will be zero.
As long as you make the correct move, assess the positional factors, analyze the importance of the pieces, visualize the possible response from the opponent and plan an appropriate response, it is but natural that your move will be a correct one.
When your move is backed by logical thinking, analysis, visualization and confidence that the move is the best one in the given circumstances, where does the question of fear arises?
Fear is the outcome of lack of knowledge or poor understanding of the situation. When you are armed with the knowledge of the game, supported by your logical thinking capabilities and visualization and driven by sound decision-making techniques, where is the need for fear about the outcome of the move?
Fearlessness comes not out of bravery or show of strength to the opponent but by a clear understanding of the situation, the knowledge about the pros and cons of the situation, the analysis of the possible future consequences and all such other things. Strong conviction about the possible outcome, driven by self-confidence and understanding, thwarts fear out of the roots.
So, naturally a person playing chess and applying the invaluable traits of logical thinking, analysis, visualization and decision-making need not have fear about the consequences. As such, the game of chess teaches the virtue of fearlessness to the player.
Now, with online chess, any person who knows the game of chess and wants to learn the many invaluable traits it imparts can do so with the help of his personal computer and broadband connection.
Will playing chess help you grow the mind?
It is a universal fact that the game of Chess is a thinking game that stimulates the mind and exercises a person’s brain.
This unique characteristic or feature of the game is primarily responsible for its popularity and its acceptance all around the world, and will continue to be there as long as the humankind derives benefit from the game.
Every person is born with a brain that comes fully developed at the time of birth itself. In other words, the only part in the body that does not grow even as the child grows is the brain. According to scientists, the brain has as many as 100 billion cells or neurons in it, and by the age of six, these individual neuron cells make interconnections among themselves and as much as 1000 trillion such connections are created in the brain. How effectively you use these interconnections and apply it is what we refer to as the mind. Though often used synonymously, brain and mind are two different things and both are essential for the effective functioning.
Let us try to understand this by an example. We all know about the computer. When you say computer, you are referring to two aspects - the hardware and the software. Similarly, when you say brain – we refer to the hardware and the word “mind” is similar to the software. Without hardware, there is no work for the software, and software cannot be used without the required hardware.
Chess is a game that requires serious thinking on the part of the players. It is quite easy to learn the game of chess in a very short time. All you need to know about the game is the structure of the board, the pieces involved in the board, how to arrange the pieces, and how the pieces are moved in the board. You need to know the characteristics of the pieces and their capabilities. Then some basic rules related to castling, enpassant and such other things is all that you need to know. Any person can understand these simple things in less than a day and can start playing the game.
However, the challenge lies in playing the game and mastering the game. This is the challenge. The challenge gets more challenging when you have to decide the fate of your own game. In other words, there is no room for luck or gain. If you make a wrong move, then you have to face the consequences.
In other words, you need to think about each move before finally taking a decision to move the piece. You need to identify the strengths of your pieces and the opportunities that the board presents at any point of time, also safeguard your own pieces from threat and such related things.
All these activities of thinking, looking at the different squares, assessing the strengths, visualizing the moves and calculating the possible counter moves of the opponent – activates the connections of the neurons in the mind and put them to work. It is these connections of the neurons in the brain that make you think and act. Putting those interconnections to work every time you think results in exercising the neurons and their interconnections – is it not?
As such, when you put your interconnections in the brain to work and make them exercise, then it is obvious that these neurons or the interconnections get stronger. While the physical part of the brain does not grow any more, the mind – which refers to the interconnections between the neurons in the brain – gets exercised and strengthened. They indeed grow depending upon the amount of exercise you give to these interconnections.
A person’s mind definitely grows when put to work and exercise. Chess does that exactly and your neurons are put to work. But the interesting aspect is that in the game of chess, you do not know that you are actually exercising your mind or the brain. What you know is that you are having fun, excitement and relaxation while playing chess.
One more benefit of playing chess is that this constant and rigorous exercise to the brain and the mind makes you mentally stronger and you can totally avoid diseases such as Alzheimer or dementia.
You find sportsmen looking in great shape even after they have stopped playing their favorite game long ago. That is possible because of the strength of their physical body and the exercises they put in during their prime years. Similarly, a chess player, having put his brain and mind to rigorous exercises, can have a very strong mental capability and sharpness even in his old age.
This concludes that the game of chess definitely grows the mind, nurtures it and exercises it regularly.
Chess Links
Killer Chess Tips
- 12 chess tactics and how to use those to gain advantage – Part 10, 11 and 12
- Endgame Lessons From Game Twelve of the 2010
- 12 chess tactics and how to use those to gain advantage – Part 9
- 12 chess tactics and how to use those to gain advantage – Part 8
- 12 chess tactics and how to use those to gain advantage – Part 7