Chess a cheap, portable mind game that builds focus, patience and creative problem solving. This small boardgame can make a big difference to your mind. And the best part, it is a Period 7 club option here at Gordon’s. 

Benefits of Chess

1. No genius is required: the game may seem intimidating, but it is just a set of simple rules crashing into infinite combinations.
2. Pure meritocracy: no teammates to blame; no dice; no hidden cards to win or lose – the truth is on the board.
3. The flow state: deep calculations locks out daily stress and phone pings, acting like active meditation.
4. Global passport: you can sit from across a stranger who shares zero spoken language and play a complete game. 
5. Low Barrier: Costs almost nothing (a basic set or free app) and fits any age.  

Core Benefits  

Mental Resilience: Teaches you to lose a piece, take a breath, and re-evaluate instead of tilting.

Future Sight: Trains working memory and visual planning (seeing 3 moves ahead). 

Brain Health: Regular mental exercise protects cognitive function and builds neural pathways.

• Aden, Y8