GREENSBORO, N.C. – Chess is popular again, and experts say the game benefits players of all ages. 

What You Need To Know

  • The website Chess.com, which allows users to play virtually, reported 100 million members as of December 2022

  • The National Scholastic Chess Foundation said playing chess develops a variety of skills that can help students academically

  • The U.S. Chess Federation has a list of clubs around North Carolina and the country for interested players

The website Chess.com, which allows users to play virtually, reported 100 million members as of December 2022. In late January 2023, the website broke records with a reported 10 million active players in one day.

Chess grandmaster Gabriel Flom said many people turned to what he called a “brain sport” during the pandemic. 

“It was a boom, like everyone started to play chess and of course with 'The Queen’s Gambit,' it was even more,” Flom said, referring to the popular Netflix series. 

Flom visited Greensboro for several days to educate and play chess at several locations, including with students at B’nai Shalom Day School.

He said that even if players aren’t seeking to earn the highest title in chess, playing the game equips them with valuable tools for life. 

The National Scholastic Chess Foundation said playing chess can help students academically. It teaches a variety of skills, including visualization, critical thinking and problem solving. Students can then use those skills in their classes, and some studies show students who play in after-school or in-school chess clubs tend to get better grades in math.

Flom said chess also helps develop character. 

“The way you’re going to react to the defeat in chess, that’s the way you’re going to react in life, and it’s very important to manage how to react to this kind of defeat,” Flom said. 

The U.S. Chess Federation has a list of clubs around North Carolina and the country for interested players.