Chess in Pakistan: A Growing Opportunity for Children and How to Get Started

Origins of Chess 

It started out as a military simulator strategy and the pieces represented military branches of India; infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants. Unlike modern chess, it was a game of four players, played with a dice. 

Trade routes and military conquests expanded across Asia; the game of Chaturanga eventually found its way into Persia, where it evolved into Shatranj. The Persians incorporated a number of significant changes, the most important of which was a two-player format that ultimately became the base for modern chess. While Shatranj kept much of the strategy associated with Chaturanga, the way the pieces moved was made more defined and exciting, plus the inclusion of the use of dice was abolished.

By the 10th century, Shatranj became popular across Europe and European scholars refined the game even further, changing the movements of Queen, bishop and pawns. The game continued to spread across Europe and new strategies and theories emerged during the Renaissance period. This period gave birth to Grandmasters who were recognized for their exceptional skills and expertise in the game. The development of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) saw chess tournaments slowly moving into the limelight of the international scene, which had exemplary players like Anatoly Karpov, Bobby Fischer, and Garry Kasparov.

Chess today is more popular than ever. It has changed from time compared to the original way; however, it still contains some of those ancient traditions blended with some of the technological advancements. Undoubtedly, the most incredible of these was the advent of super-computers that could evaluate millions of positions and moves in seconds. With the number of games these machines learn to play, they continue developing their strategies at a fantastic speed, making them stronger adversaries even against the world's greatest.

How is Chess Beneficial to Children?

Chess is very beneficial for children, especially in developing core cognitive abilities. These benefits include;

• Patience 

Chess teaches children that every action has a consequence so they should think before they act. Reacting instantly without processing the situation could land them in trouble. This develops patience and self control in them. 

• Abstract Thinking

 Chess is a great tool for teaching children abstract thinking as it encourages them to look beyond the immediate move and think 2-3 moves ahead by imagining potential scenarios. This skill is fostered in them in multiple ways. It enables them to plan strategically, recognize patterns, think conceptually, weigh intangible factors and focus on the long-term impact. 

• Focus 

In this world of technology where short-form content is consumed at an overwhelming pace, our ability to focus is gradually decreasing, affecting everyone, especially children. Chess is a game that requires attention and prolonged mental effort to think strategically so it can help children reclaim their attention span and focus. 

• Social Skills 

 Chess teaches children a range of essential skills including social and emotional skills that benefit them both on and off board. Chess clubs are a great place to develop social skills as it allows children to interact with different kinds of people, discuss strategies and build friendships. It teaches them the spirit of the competition and instills mutual respect where they value their opponent’s skills regardless of the outcome of the game. 

Initiative by Shehzad Roy 

Pakistan’s famous singer, Shehzad Roy, took the initiative to introduce a free of cost chess curriculum through his non-profit organization, Zindagi Trust, aiming to decrease the screentime of children and fostering cognitive , emotional and social skills. 

Due to his initiative. Young girls went on to win Pakistan’s top chess championships. His main aim was to steer children away from gadgets as they were harming their ability to think critically in addition to declining their attention span. On the program’s success, he said,  “Because this is a competitive mind sport, we observed kids sitting alone for hours, thinking and strategizing. They were spending time with themselves.” 

More initiatives such as this needs to be taken in Pakistan to teach children resilience,  empathy and self-control along with other skills. 

The Scope of Chess in Pakistan 

Pakistan entered the realm of chess back in the 1950s alongside India but couldn’t make its mark and gain recognition as much as India did due to poor management, lack of funding, lack of infrastructure to train players and internal conflicts. Where India has now produced over 85 grandmasters and 2 world champions, Pakistan failed to produce a single Grandmaster in the history of chess. Bangladesh entered the arena of chess much later than Pakistan and yet they were able to produce 5 grandmasters in a short span of time. 

Chess is treated as a marginalized sport in Pakistan and it hasn’t created an impact like other sports such as Cricket. In some communities, it is considered “haram” to play this sport which has hindered its growth greatly. 

With time, the scope of chess in Pakistan is gradually evolving in Islamabad and Karachi. Initiatives of the Islamabad Chess Association (ICA) have gone deeper into making this city a chess-playing city in its educational and cultural fabric. Their activities have included the organization of regular tournaments for different levels that have nurtured and supported budding local chess players. Over the last couple of years, Islamabad has witnessed a significant increase in the number of rated players. A good number of these have already gone on to play in the national championships representing the country.

Chess Tournaments in Pakistan 

Chess tournaments are crucial for fostering talent and providing young players with opportunities to compete and grow. Some of the key tournaments in Pakistan include:

• Pakistan National Chess Championship

It is organized by the Pakistan Chess Federation (PCF) annually. It is considered as the most prestigious tournament in the country, gathering professional players from all over Pakistan to compete for the title. 

• All Pakistan Open Chess Championship 

This tournament is also held annually and players of all levels can participate in it. It is held in major cities like Islamabad, Karachi or Lahore. 

• Youth Chess Championship 

The aim of this tournament is to encourage younger players to participate and improve their skill as they are the future of Pakistan in chess. 

• Online Chess Tournaments 

Pakistan Chess Federation and other chess regional associations organize these online tournaments mainly on chess.com, lichess and FIDE arena. This is to attract a wide variety of participants from beginners to professionals. Various formats such as blitz, rapid and bullet games are played among players.

How can parents help their children learn Chess in Pakistan?

Parents have to understand that it takes a lot of time and mental effort to build genuine passion for chess in children. They can do so in the following ways;

• Introducing the pieces 

Parents can take it slow and start by introducing the names of the chess pieces and how they are placed on the board. They can then continue to teach how each piece moves on the board and what it can do. Make chess learning interesting by using colorful or themed chess sets. Teach them the power of each piece through storytelling. 

•  Visual Tools 

Use visual tools to make chess interesting to learn. Teach them through interesting videos where chess is taught as a strategic and competitive game rather than showing them videos that feel more like a formal study. 

•  Practicing Everyday 

Encourage your child to play it regularly to get good at it. The more often they play, the faster they will be able to recognize patterns and learn different strategies and tactics. 

•  Chess Academies 

Enroll your children in chess academies to learn chess in the best way possible. Allow them to participate in different tournaments to help build confidence and to learn from better players. 

• Chess books 

Introduce them to chess books friendly for beginners. Books are a great way to learn chess especially for beginners as they use simple language and colourful illustrations. 

Conclusion

Chess is an incredibly beneficial game for children as it develops critical thinking skills, problem solving skills and increases their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time. It also improves their social and emotional skills that ultimately teaches them resilience and perseverance. Although in Pakistan, chess is a marginalized sport with low social recognition, parents should understand the benefits of this game for their child’s brain development and encourage them to learn and play chess.