Playing chess helps us learn the fine art of balancing
“As you sow, so you reap” is an old adage and it has relevance to all aspects of a person’s life.
A person’s destiny is in his own hands. It wrests with him whether to make his life a garden of roses or a hell. – These are the most common sentences we often hear in a motivational discourse.
The purpose of this article is not about the motivation or about life. But one that struck me is the similarity between the life and the game of chess.
Chess is a simple game that any body can learn in no time, provided he or she understands the basic knowledge of the game, the objective of the game, the various pieces, the capabilities and the moves. The requirements are a chessboard, a partner and time to play the game.
Now, thanks to the Internet, two of the three basic requirements are eliminated and the third one has become flexible. One need not have a chessboard and need not look for a partner to play the game. He need not allocate a specific time or place to play the game. I am talking about playing chess online. All you need is a PC with internet connection. There are innumerable sources to teach the game, its various intricacies and also the option of playing online chess either with the computer or with other players separated by distance.
Chess is an easy game to learn but very difficult to practice and master, to say the least, as it is one game that challenges your mind to the core.
In chess, there is no room for the hand of god, luck or chance whatsoever. The only real chance is the mistake of the opponent. In other words, the result of the game of chess, which you play, lies entirely in your own hands. If you make the correct moves at the correct time, you will stand to win the game. If you commit a mistake, then you have to face the consequences of hearing checkmate from the opponent.
In life, it is but true that we take some decisions out of impulse, passion or haste that turn out to decide the future course of life. Just for the sake of example, if one had thought for a while before spending on his credit cards lavishly, he would not have to forego his savings and bring misery to his life. There are many things that were done without proper analysis and forethought and the result is the course of the life gets altered as a result of such actions.
The game of chess teaches many virtues to us that will help a lot in planning and organizing our life. Chess teaches us to think and plan carefully before making every single move. So the virtue of thinking before acting is learnt, which will help us to eliminate the option of hasty decisions in life.
Having taking a decision to make one move, it is the responsibility of the player to own the consequences of the move. For example, if you decide to move the pawn before the Knight to open up the adjacent bishop, you are also exposing the rook on the other side of the Knight to threat of attack from the opponent’s bishop. Now, it becomes your responsibility to protect the rook. Every move in the game alters the plan of action and opens up new possibilities and threats.
The game teaches the virtue of owning responsibility for the actions one take during the course of life. This is a very important virtue that helps to face the life with courage and determination, having realized the reasons for the present state.
The game of chess teaches the importance of patience. In this fast-paced life, where everything is very fast, the virtue of patience is fast losing its importance and is also a reason for many problems.
The virtues of analysis and thinking, owning responsibility and being patient, learned through the game of chess, help us to master the art of balancing in life and in turn make our life a very successful and prosperous one.
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