Chess – Why Businessmen Should Pay Attention To This Game

Business is a complex process in which it is difficult to achieve a positive result without analytical skills and strategic thinking. Often, the outcome of the whole deal depends on one or two decisions. In this sense, the similarity of doing business with a game of chess is clearly visible, where it is also necessary to think over every move, and any mistake can lead to defeat.

Content:
1. A Brief History of Chess
2. Chess and business - what do they have in common
3. What qualities does chess stimulate
4. Start playing and developing
5. Useful games for businessmen

Why entrepreneurs should pay attention to chess, what qualities this game will help to train, and whether it is necessary to spend time on such leisure at all - let's figure it out.

There are many versions and legends about the origin of chess. Some scholars believe that the game appeared in the first millennium BC. There are also theories suggesting an even more ancient age for the predecessors of modern chess. However, the earliest documented references to the game date back to the 6th century AD.

Most scientists agree that the Indian game of Chaturanga stands at the origins of modern chess. This intellectual entertainment was to the taste of the Persians, and then spread throughout the continent.

At the end of the 15th century, the rules of chess were significantly updated - the moves of the queen and bishop were changed to the current version. In the next century, the first chess club was created in Italy. And in the 19th century, international competitions began to be held. The first world champion was Wilhelm Steinitz (Austrian and American chess player).

The development of technology has also affected the most popular intellectual board game. Firstly, it has ceased to be exclusively desktop. Chess quickly got used to the virtual space. Now you can play on the computer and in the application on the smartphone.

Information technology has touched not only the form, but also the essence of the game. With the advent of powerful computing capabilities, programs have begun to be created that are able to effectively and “thoughtfully” participate in chess battles. In 1970, the first championship was held with exclusively "computer" contenders for the title. And in 1996, the Deep Blue supercomputer became the first “machine” to win a game against the world champion (Garry Kasparov) in tournament terms. The match then remained for the representative of humanity - the score 4-2 is not in favor of the "iron". However, in 1997, Deep Blue II turned out to be stronger than the best grandmaster of that period (score 3.5-2.5).

A few words about the rules of the game. The chessboard consists of 64 squares (8x8). Each player has at his disposal 16 white or black pieces (8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops, a queen and a king). The game is started by the player with the white pieces. Opponents make alternate moves until a winner is revealed or a draw is declared. The goal of each player is to checkmate when the opponent's king is threatened on any subsequent move.

It may seem that chess is a rather simple game with a clear goal and trivial ways to achieve it. However, in reality, 32 figures and 64 cells hide a huge number of options for the development of events. For the first move alone, players have 400 options, and the number of unique chess games is 10 to the power of 120 (a number determined by the mathematician Claude Shannon in 1950).

What tasks does a chess player solve during the game:

In these points it is difficult not to see an analogy with the actions and tasks in business. A game of chess is a struggle of strategies, minds and characters. As in business, but in a different form.

There is a time limit in classical chess. This adds even more similarity to the business activity of the game. It is difficult to find an entrepreneur who would not be faced with the need to work in a limited time resource. Therefore, chess is an excellent training platform for a businessman.

Chess is a set of moves and decisions that lead to either a positive or a negative result. This game helps to develop:

By playing chess, a person improves decision-making algorithms and increases their intellectual level. In addition, chess can teach you to calmly accept failures and draw conclusions for further improvement. And this is very important for everyday life and for business in particular.

Chess is a great tool for developing intelligence. It is important that the improvement of mental abilities occurs during the game. Gamification of development and learning processes is an important trend of modern life. And the ancient board intellectual game harmoniously fits into it.

Those who only watched the chessboard from afar or saw it exclusively in the picture should not worry. Having a desire to develop in the chess craft is already enough to start. For computers and smartphones, there are games and programs in which you can familiarize yourself with the rules and make your first moves on the virtual board. There are also many applications with chess problems of varying degrees of complexity. For a beginner, it makes sense to practice on simple arrangements of pieces before starting a full-fledged game.

The chessboard will be an excellent attribute of the rest room in the office. To maintain a high level of efficiency, it is necessary to change the focus of attention from time to time. If the rest from the main duties is connected with chess, then it will turn not only into a way of distraction from routine tasks, but also into a tool for learning and development.

Definitely, a game of chess is a great idea for the leisure time of any person who wants to keep their mental abilities in good shape. A chessboard in an office or smartphone is an effective simulator for any businessman, analyst, manager, etc.

If chess does not attract you, then you can find alternative options: backgammon, checkers, dominoes. In addition, there are a huge number of business board games with modern gameplay and diverse plots. Classics of the genre - "Monopoly" and its derivatives.

Games for the development of thinking, memory, mindfulness and logic should be regularly added to your leisure time. This is a great way to train important qualities and abilities in a relaxed and easy format.

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