En Passant Chess Academy

The vision of the En Passant Chess Academy is to develop and nurture critical thinking in young minds while teaching students how to communicate and execute complex ideas. While doing so, the Academy will foster a healthy sense of sportsmanship that will prepare students to succeed in life.

1. Improves concentration and memory. According to studies done at the University of Memphis, playing chess significantly improves children’s visual memory, attention span, and spatial-reasoning ability. As you constantly visualize the board, its pieces, your moves, and your opponent’s every possible countermove, your power of concentration grows. As your concentration grows, it becomes easier to memorize past games and classic strategies. In the process, both concentration and memory grow stronger in a kind of mutually reinforcing “dance.”

2. Fosters logic, critical thinking, and creativity. Chess favors the “if–then” thinker. “If I move here, then my opponent may move here, here, or even here.” That’s logic and critical thinking in action! Chess also forces you to take action based on position on the board. This helps kids in coming up in on the spot solutions.

3. Encourages and rewards hard work. Chess offers immediate feedback. Lose your focus, lose a piece. Practice and study the strategies, win more games.