Build Resilience Through Chess: Evidence From Research

Chess has helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect.

In the three years since I became a competitive chess player, I’ve played 200+ classical games. In this process, I’ve learned to focus, plan, create initiative, take calculated risks, control my impulses, stay calm under pressure, and fight on fiercely in a losing position. I’ve learned to work hard to win. But I’ve also learned to deal with setbacks. Most importantly, I’ve learned to keep showing up. Chess has toughened me. This toughness carries me not just in the playing hall, but also at school and in everyday life. Whether I’m tackling a challenging subject, handling stress before a test or competition, or bouncing back from a bad day, I can cope better.

As I continue to play, I’ve come to realize something: chess is like life condensed onto a 64-square board. To do well in chess, just like in life, I need to plan carefully, stay focused on my goals, and make thoughtful decisions. Reckless moves get punished quickly. Patience, hard work, and strategic thinking are rewarded. Every game is a cycle of trial, result, reflection, and growth. Chess has become more than a game to me – it’s a training ground for life.

My passion for chess is not just based on my personal experience though. It’s backed up by science. Research has proven that playing chess makes us smarter, more focused, and more resilient.

Chess boosts brain power

One of the constant findings from different research is that chess helps improve our cognitive skills, like memory, focus, and problem solving. For example, a 2014 Romanian study compared changes in attention, memory, creativity, and school performance between two groups of primary students: one group received chess lessons and the other group received math enrichment. Overall, while both groups showed improvements, the chess group improved much more. A 2025 study in Vietnam found that for students who played chess once a week for eight weeks, their attention scores increased from 45 to around 70 out of 100, and their school performance test scores improved from 6.2 to 8.0. This is significant!

Chess builds mental resilience

Chess, especially competitive chess, is a powerful tool for building resilience. For example, a 2022 study in Hungary surveyed 396 people across three groups – competitive tournament players, casual hobby players, and non-players. The survey found that compared to non-players, chess players, especially the competitive ones, got higher scores for 7 out of 10 resilience indicators defined by the American Psychological Association. These resilience indicators are: working toward goals, accepting unchangeable situations, making decisions in difficult situations, problem solving, keeping things in perspective, learning from their mistakes, and taking care of oneself. Isn't it amazing?!

More promising findings have come in 2025: a study in Sweden made participants of different ages receive digital chess training, and within 14 days, they reported being more focused and more motivated to exercise and complete daily tasks. The participants also reported that they became more active in social life. The study would be stronger if it lasted longer, of course. But the results are still promising in proving how chess can help make us more disciplined, productive, and motivated.

Chess helps vulnerable youth

Researchers have also found emotional and behavioral benefits of chess for vulnerable young people. In a 2023 clinical trial, researchers invited young people aged 12-22 with ADHD to play chess as a treatment. Guess what? After a while, the participants showed improvements in regulating emotions and concentrating at school. In a 2025 Romanian study with youth at risk of dropping out of school, researchers combined chess lessons with well-being workshops. The vulnerable students became more confident and felt safer expressing themselves. Also, their teachers noticed they could focus better and were more willing to tackle challenging tasks in class.

So...

If you don't yet play chess, consider learning it. If you already are a chess player, congratulations! Play on!

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References

Andersson, J. (2025). Chess training for cognitive and social enhancement [Bachelor’s thesis, Blekinge Institute of Technology]. https://www.diva portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1971308/FULLTEXT01.pdf

Dao, C. T., & Pham, T. H. (2025). The effects of an 8-week chess intervention on cognitive and academic outcomes. Annals of Applied Sport Science, 13(2), e1540. https://doi.org/10.61186/aassjournal.1540

Gliga, F., & Flesner, P. I. (2014). Cognitive benefits of chess training in novice children. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 962–967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.328

Medvegy, Z., Mihalovits, M., Medvegy, M., Zabos, I., & Sterbenz, T. (2022). Does playing chess strengthen resilience? Studia UBB Educatio Artis Gymnasticae, 67(3), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.24193/subbeag.67(3).19

Nanu, C. C., Coman, C., Bularca, M. C., Mesesan-Schmitz, L., Gotea, M., Atudorei, I., Turcu, I., & Negrila, I. (2023). The role of chess in the development of children - Parents’ perspectives. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1210917. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1210917

Rattanavong, S. (n.d.). What chess can teach us about resilience. Medicinal Media. https://www.medicinalmedia.com/explore/what-chess-can-teach-us-about-resilience

Rodrigo-Yanguas, M., Martín-Moratinos, M., González-Tardón, C., Sánchez-Sánchez, F., Royuela, A., Bella-Fernández, M., & Blasco-Fontecilla, H. (2023).

Effectiveness of a personalized, chess-based training serious video game in the treatment of adolescents and young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR Serious Games, 11, e39874. https://doi.org/10.2196/39874

Sala, G., Foley, J. P., & Gobet, F. (2017). The effects of chess instruction on pupils’ cognitive and academic skills: State of the art and theoretical challenges. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 238. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00238

Vlaicu, L. (2025). The effect of chess training and well-being workshops on vulnerable children: A dual assessment of cognitive and emotional growth. BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, 16(1), 337–351. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388680499_The_Effect_of_Chess_Training_and_Well-Being_Workshops_on_Vulnerable_Children_A_Dual_Assessment_of_Cognitive_and_Emotional_Growth