Limerick Chess Club

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Bobby Fischer, 1943–2008

The chess genius Bobby Fischer (born 9 March 1943) died on Thursday 17 January 2008 in a hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland, from kidney failure. He had moved to Iceland from Japan in March 2005 and was made an honorary citizen of Iceland, where he won his world championship title in 1972 and thus put Reykjavik and chess in the world headlines. He also devised a new form of chess called Fischer Random, in which all the back rank pieces are reshuffled in each game so as to prevent opening preparation, which he believed was stifling individual creativity in the game. Thanks Bobby for all the great games.

The club noted the game Fischer considered his best, played in 1956 against Donald Byrne, which shows that even at the age of 13 he had a maturity and brilliant grasp of chess tactics.

The Benefits of Playing Chess

Adapted from research by Dr Robert C. Ferguson.

Chess develops logical thinking

Chess requires some understanding of logical strategy. For example, you will know that it is important to bring your pieces out into the game at the beginning, to protect your king at all times, not to allow weaknesses in your position and not to blunder your pieces away for free. While mistakes do occur in chess, as in life, it is a never-ending learning curve.

Chess improves concentration

During the game a player will concentrate on their goal: to checkmate and become the winner, or avoid defeat.

Chess develops memory

Chess theory is complicated and many players are able to memorise difficult opening variations. A player will also learn to recognise patterns to use in future games and remember middle-game or endgame variations.

Chess builds the capability to foresee consequences

It teaches you to be wary before committing yourself to play a move or combination.

Chess builds imagination and creativity

It pushes you to be inventive in finding logical moves. There are an infinite amount of brilliant combinations yet to be discovered.

Chess motivates

Through striving for the best move, the best strategy and tactics, and the most beautiful continuations, chess motivates a player towards achievement and progress, always with a positive frame of thought.

Chess improves schoolwork and performance

As a result of playing chess, numerous studies have shown that kids improve in reading and mathematics and have a greater learning capacity overall. Chess-playing kids perform better at school and therefore have a greater chance of success in life.

Chess develops independent thought

In a game, you are able to make important decisions influenced only by your own mental judgment. This develops one’s initiative and independent thinking.

Chess shows that success rewards hard work

With a lot of practice and study, you’ll become a better player. Capablanca once 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.” You should be ready to learn from your mistakes.

Chess as a science

Your mind conjures up numerous variations during a game. You try innovations, plan ahead their consequences and discover surprising and exciting moves. You develop a theory, and then you play your move to test it. Thus chess develops a scientific way of thinking.

Chess helps in mathematics

Chess involves a lot of calculation, from counting the number of attackers and defenders before a simple exchange to calculating many moves ahead.

Chess as an art

Chess can be defined as “an art appearing in the form of a game”. It brings out the artist hiding within a player. Your mind will be thrilled with limitless possibilities on the board.

Chess psychology

Chess tests a player’s concentration, patience, will power and ability to withstand pressure. It helps you to interact with other people. It develops a player’s competitiveness and sportsmanship.

Chess as an aid to preventing Alzheimer’s disease

It was reported in 2003 that a 21-year study by researchers led by Joe Verghese, MD, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York found that elderly individuals aged 75 or older were less prone to getting Alzheimer’s disease when they engaged in brain-stimulating activities such as playing chess, board games, playing a musical instrument, or puzzles, on more than 4 days a week.

Chess allows you to meet other interesting people

Chess can help you develop lasting friendships with people you meet over the board.

Chess reveals a new world to you

Players on different skill levels can participate in open competitions or in different categories according to playing strength. Chess notation is a universal language and you can communicate with anyone over the 64 squares even if you speak different languages.

Chess can be played at any age

You can learn to play as young as you want and become a Grandmaster at 12 like Sergei Karjakin, or start playing later in life. Unlike in many other sports, you don’t ever have to retire, like Viktor Korchnoi, still active at the age of 76. Also unlike in other sports, age is not a consideration when you play an opponent: young can play old and vice versa.

Chess is affordable

You don’t need expensive gear to play it. All you need is a chess set or your computer. It is also cheap enough to have a chess set at home to play with your family, to take to a friend’s place or to your local chess club to get a game.

Chess is enjoyable

This isn’t just another board game. No chess game ever replicates itself. Chess never gets boring. There is always something new. Every game you are the commandant of an army of pieces and pawns and you alone decide the fate of your army.

To summarise it all in three simple words: chess imitates life.

The Ten Commandments of Chess

Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.