Last month’s visit to Wyoming by former world chess champion Garry Kasparov wasn’t just about global politics (listen to his interview here)—it was also about chess.
Stefan Heinz and his 13-year-old son Jakob had a chance to chat with Kasparov during his visit. “It was really extraordinary to meet him,” says Jakob. “He’s probably the smartest person I’ve ever met. Actually, definitely [the smartest].” (Did Kasparov show him how to win a game in three moves? Unfortunately, “no.”)
Stefan Heinz started playing chess as a child in his native Germany and introduced his son to the game. This past September, father and son each won their respective age groups at the 2014 Wyoming Closed Championship in Cheyenne.
But chess isn’t as widely played in Wyoming as Stefan Heinz wishes it were. He teaches math at the University of Wyoming, and he says a background in chess would be a great help to his students.
Playing chess, Heinz explains, trains the mind to consider multiple options and possibilities. Because, he points out, if you follow only one line of thinking during a game, “the probability you will lose is 75%. In chess you have to change your viewpoints.” Additionally, players have to consider short-term and long-term strategy at the same time.
The result, he says, is that players are trained not to make mistakes, which carries over beyond the chessboard into the classroom—and to life, in general.
For Jakob, this rings true. “I think my critical thinking skills are better than they would be without chess. It develops the mind.”
That’s why Stefan Heinz hopes more schools will start chess clubs. “It would take a teacher and a room to meet in” and some chess boards. In return for this small investment, Heinz says students could reap significant benefits. “My guess is there would be good student interest in playing chess, but there are no opportunities.”