Chess benefits

Chess benefits are immense. This inexpensive mental competition which is played without dice or any element of chance has been a source of benefits for many centuries. Here are a few examples:

Helps defeat substance abuse

Many have commented, and even written scholarly papers about, the ability of chess to help individuals overcome substance abuse (for example, please read: Chess as a therapeutic medium in a substance abuse rehabilitation centre: A Narrative study by Denise Frick (Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MA Counselling Psychology degree in the Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria) and Chess addiction).

Several reasons have been advanced for why:

1. Chess, perhaps more concisely than any other activity, illustrates the stark difference in consequences depending on choices made;
2. Chess engages the mind more than most sports do, and substance abuse directly interferes with mental processes; and
3. Chess can be consuming in a positive way, which drives out harmful proclivities.

Famous athletes have continued to succeed at sports, though not at their highest potential, despite having substance abuse problems. But no one is going to be able to thrive at chess while continue substance abuse.

"Checkmate" is the result of substance abuse, and no chess player wants to put himself in that position.

Decision-making

Chess requires decision-making, as many as 50 or so per player per game. Making decisions and then moving on to the next decisions, without being burdened by prior ones, is a healthy mindset to develop and chess promotes that.

Top players in chess can assess their optimal next move without feeling bound by their prior ones. An early chess strategy is abandoned for a better one by top chess players when the changing circumstances on the board warrant it. This trait is healthy and reinforced by economic principles such as the Coase theorem. Chess reinforces this.