The study analyzed the effect of 2-year systematic chess training on the IQ of schoolchildren. A pretest–posttest with control group design was used with randomly selected children studying in four city schools (grades 3–9), of both genders. The experimental group (N = 80) underwent weekly chess training for 2 years, while the control group (N = 77) was involved in extracurricular activities offered in school such as cricket, football, and hockey. Both the groups were involved in these activities after school hours. Intelligence was measured by Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV INDIA). Assessment was carried out prior to the chess training, after 1 and 2 years of training. ANCOVA revealed significant increase in both first- and second-year scores by about 12 points across both the years. When systematic in-school chess training program is offered, one could expect a significant increase in IQ.

Does playing Chess improve reading, writing, speaking, and listening skill, the components of Linguistic Intelligence? The ability to manipulate syntax, phonetics, pragmatics, and semantics of the language is defined as Linguistic Intelligence. The experimental group underwent Chess training once a week, through the year (around 25 to 30 sessions), as part of co-curricular school activity. ANCOVA showed significant gains in Verbal Reasoning (an integral part of Linguistic Intelligence) for the experimental group than the control group who were involved in other extra-curricular activities. The study used pretest–posttest with control group design with WISC IV India and Binet Kamat Test of Intelligence for the assessment. 70 children in the experimental group and 81 children in the control group were randomly selected from four schools of both genders in the age group of 5 -16. Results indicate enhanced Linguistic Intelligence, which could also lead to improved communication, critical and analytical skills.

Research using short-term chess training programs has indicated an enhancement of cognitive functioning among children.The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of 1-year systematic chess training on the creativity and intelligence ofchildren. A pretestposttest with control group design was used. Children who were studying in two government schoolsand two private schools (grades 39) were selected randomly. They were then randomly assigned to experimental andcontrol groups, with 88 (50 boys, 38 girls) children in the experimental group and 90 (57 boys, 33 girls) children inthe control group. The experimental group underwent weekly 1-hour chess training for 1 year, while the control groupwas actively involved in extracurricular activities offered by the school during the same period. Creativity was measuredby WallachKogan Creativity Test (Indian adaptation) and intelligence was measured by subtests of Wechsler IntelligenceScale for Children: Fourth edition (WISC-IV), India. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed significant improvementin total creativity and Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) for experimental group compared to the control group. Chesstraining as part of school activities appears to have a wide spectrum of outcomes.

Working memory is the ability to actively maintain information in conscious awareness, carry out cognitive operations on it, and produce an outcome. Working memory holds a small amount of information in the mind and is used in the execution of cognitive tasks, in contrast to long-term memory, which is extensive. Many important cognitive behaviors, such as reading, reasoning, and problem-solving, require working memory because for each of these activities, some information must be maintained in an accessible state while new information is processed and potentially distracting information is ignored. While the effect of chess training on intelligence and academic performance has been examined, its impact on working memory needs to be studied. This study, funded by the Cognitive Science Research Initiative, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, analyzed the effect of 2-year chess training on the working memory of children. A pretest–posttest with control group design was used. The randomly selected sample consisted of 88 children in the experimental group and 90 children in the control group for the baseline and first-year assessments. Children of both genders studying in school (grades 3 to 9) comprised the sample. At the second-year assessment, there were 80 children in the experimental group and 77 in the control group. The experimental group underwent weekly chess training for 2 years, while the control group was actively involved in sports and extracurricular activities offered by the school. Working memory was measured by two subtests of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) INDIA. The children were trained using Winning Moves curriculum, audiovisual learning method, hands-on chess training and recording the games using score sheets, and analyzing their mistakes. They were also trained in Opening theory, Checkmating techniques, End-game theory, and Tactical principles. Analysis of covariance revealed that the experimental group had significant gains in working memory compared to the control group. The present study supports a link between chess training and working memory. The transfer of skills acquired in chess training to the improvement of working memory could be attributed to the fact that while playing chess, children evaluate positions, visualize new positions in their mind, evaluate the pros and cons of each move, and choose moves based on the information stored in their mind. If working memory’s capacity could be expanded or made to function more efficiently, it could result in the improvement of executive functions as well as the scholastic performance of the child.

Perceptual reasoning is the ability that incorporates fluid reasoning, spatial processing, and visual motor integration.Several theories of cognitive functioning emphasize the importance of fluid reasoning. Tasks that require fluid reasoning involvethe process of manipulating abstractions, rules, generalizations, and logical relationships. A pretest–posttest with control groupdesign was used, with 43 (28 boys, 15 girls) children in the experimental group and 42 (26 boys, 16 girls) children in thecontrol group. The sample was selected from children studying in two private schools from South India, which includedboth the genders. The experimental group underwent weekly one-hour chess training for one year. Perceptual reasoning wasmeasured by three subtests of WISC-IV INDIA. Pre-equivalence of means was established. Statistical analyses revealed thatthe experimental group shows statistically significant improvement in perceptual reasoning compared to the control group. Thepresent study establishes a correlation between chess learning and perceptual reasoning.

Creativity is the ability to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, andto generate solutions. The present study, funded by Indian Government, analysed the effect of one year chess training programon the creativity of school-going children of both genders. A pre-test post-test with control group design was used. Thesample comprised 64 children: 32 children each in experimental (Mean age=11.86, SD=1.44) and control (Mean age=12.03,SD=1.14) groups. Children in the experimental group underwent weekly chess training with Winning Moves Chess Curriculum.Creativity was assessed by Indian adaption of Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test. Pre–intervention equivalence of the two groupswas established. Independent t test analysis revealed that the experimental group had statistically significant gains in totalcreativity and Instances and Alternate Uses subtests compared to the control group. The authors conclude that systematic chessintervention increases creativity in children. The educational implications are significant.

Creativity is the ability to produce work that is both novel and appropriate. The study, funded by Indian government, analyzed the effect of one-year chess training on the creativity of children. A pretest and posttest with control group design was used, with 31 children in experimental and 32 in control group. The experimental group underwent weekly chess training. Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test (Indian Adaptation) was used. Analysis revealed that only the experimental group had statistically significant gains in total creativity and two nonverbal subtests. The authors conclude that systematic chess training inculcates in the child the ability to think divergently and creatively.