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   “I don’t think I can do this,” Rosemary shook her head. 

“Here’s a cheat sheet to help you learn.” I pushed the diagram, denoting each piece and how it moves, forward.

“It’s too complex,” she said.

“Don’t worry-” I started to encourage her.

“It’s time for your physical therapy,” a nurse smiled down at us.

As Rosemary got up to leave, I smiled sadly. 

Although we were able to have people like Robert, an elderly man who was playing chess for the first time in 50 years, enthralled in the game, it was a lot harder to have people learn for the first time.

This experience did cause me to revisit my thinking. While chess is my preferred way of reaping the mental benefits of this mental exercise, checkers could be a good alternative that may be easier to understand for new players since there are fewer rules and piece movements. While this system could be more accessible, we still had people thriving while learning chess for the first time.

I looked over to a nearby table where my sister was teaching another senior how each piece moved.

“Now, can you show me how the bishop moves?” my sister asked.

After her mentee moved the piece diagonally, my sister high-fived her.

   Whether it be chess or checkers, learning and practicing in all forms is key to keeping your brain sharp. All it takes is a mindset shift. So, remember, it’s never too late to keep learning.

Thank you to Vox Magazine for shining a light on Columbia's thriving chess community. Check out the article, featuring Mindful Chess, here:

"Mindful Moves: Expanding Columbia’s chess knowledge"

Mindful Chess is always looking for more places to reach and have workshops! Refer to our website's Products & Services tab or our flyer for more information!

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