This week (Wednesday February 15 2012) Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov and Silvio Danailov, President of the European Chess Union (ECU) visite the European Parliament in Strasbourg to promote chess in school. The main focus of the day was to highlight the many educational benefits of chess for children.

After the seminar Garry Kasparov played a simultaneous game of chess with children and other members of the European parliament.

Kasparov has set up the “Kasparov Chess Foundation Europe” and when you visit his site you can download a great report that outlines the benefits of chess in education giving examples of research and papers on chess and education

Some of the benefits found for children who play chess includes:

  • Chess makes kids smart
  • Chess improves academic performance
  • Chess is a tool that enhances creativity
  • Chess improves problem solving
  • Chess helps kids with memory and concentration
  • Chess can improve self esteem and many other abilities

You can read the report by clicking the link below

http://kcfe.eu/research

 

If you live in South East London and would like to explore the benefits of your child attending one of our many chess clubs in the area please click here to complete our enquiry form and I will contact you with details.

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About Richard Weekes

I started the Greenwich Chess Group in 2006 and operated for five years until 2011. I've recently changed the name of my organisation to the Richard Weekes Chess Academy and I still teach children how to play chess in both primary and secondary schools. I also promote chess as an educational tool and a socially cohesive activity and I operate junior chess clubs in the community. Starting off mainly in the Royal Borough of Greenwich I now also teach children and young people in Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth and I will soon be teaching chess in Brent schools too. Now running five junior chess clubs in South East London, I love teaching beginners and new players. This is turning out to be so much fun that I'm really enjoying myself. As I have a real passion for teaching children chess, I do believe that I've finally found what I want to do for a long time to come.