David Koetsier is an international professional chess coach based in Adelaide, Australia. At the World Youth Chess Championships in 2016, he had plenty of practice keeping some of Australia’s most promising young players in the optimal brain state for sports performance.
In this blog edition he gives Chesslife blog readers tips on keeping their minds fresh, active and in the perfect ‘frame of mind’ for creative thinking on, and off, the chess board.
Tune in to Music
Listening to music has been shown to provide drastic benefits to the brain. From alleviating depression and lowering cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, to enhancing long term memory.
Years of research have found that listening to Mozart in particular boosts brain function. Called ‘the Mozart effect’, scientists from Stanford University have found that there is a molecular reason for why listening to Mozart boosts performance on learning and memory tests. That sounds like a good enough reason to turn on Spotify!
Of course playing music is even better to activate multiple regions of the brain!
Play video games!
While video games have been shown to reduce stress and improve decision making skills, it doesn’t develop the brain as well as chess does. So if you like to play video games, make sure you pick some with an educational aspect.
Read! Even if it’s just a comic book.
There is a myriad of benefits when it comes to reading. From the basics: expanding your knowledge base, relaxation, expanding your vocabulary and strengthening your memory. There are also more surprising benefits: reading engages your brain in active function and studies have shown that spending your spare time reading could improve your chances of not developing Alzheimer’s by 2.5 times. Reading before bed regularly is also an important part of sleep health. A good book will tell your body it’s time to rest (but remember to be careful of the blue light from e-readers if you have trouble sleeping).
To receive the benefits of reading, you don’t have to be reading Lord of the Rings but choose something you enjoy: from Young Adult fiction to comic books, there is plenty of variety on a library shelf!
There are lots of little things we can all be doing to keep our brain active.
For David, he loves to sit down with a comic book after a long day of playing chess and teaching young people to get their brains activated – and keep them that way!
Gabriel Cregan was six when he first picked up a chess piece. As a child diagnosed on the autism spectrum, his parents, Joanne and Andrew, had always encouraged him in pursuing activities he loved, like board games.
When they saw a notice at his school for a chess club with Bridgewater-based Company Chesslife, they encouraged him to give it a go. However, because of his anxiety around new situations, Gabriel was hesitant to try it, and only agreed to go when his dad promised to attend the class with him.
While he had a school friend in the class, everything else about it was new. Only his dad’s presence kept his anxiety at bay.
Despite the challenges, Gabriel took to the game very quickly, and was soon thriving. After starting in Term 4, he’d already completed the first book of Chesslife’s Dutch-origin chess curriculum. His father scoured the local library for books on chess, and Gabriel spent the summer holidays with his nose in them.
“He was just spotting things so quickly,” his father Andrew said. “Thriving on the puzzles. You could see he was miles ahead of the kids his own age.”
Gabriel and his dad Andrew
Gabriel lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder, formerly known as Aspergers Syndrome, and has co-morbid anxiety. Because of his autism, Gabriel perceives the world in a more intrusive way than people who are lower on the autism spectrum. His brain reacts intensely to even mundane stimuli, so sounds, lights and touch can be distressing.
He also has trouble dealing with new situations, and has “real anxiety around changes, [and] is very rigid, and easily annoyed and distracted by things,” according to father Andrew.
I talk to Andrew outside the Campbelltown library chess club where Gabriel is now a regular. Gabriel, with his fiery red hair and ‘out-there’ personality, is a particularly recognisable member of the Chesslife class. Andrew describes how even now Gabriel is challenged by his participation in the world’s oldest game.
“Last night we were playing in an individual tournament at the Chess Centre. Gabriel was clearly irritated by the music next door, but it’s good for him to adapt and be challenged,” he said.
Gabriel with chess coach David proudly showing his winnings in the Chess Centre
Gabriel started out playing in the Adelaide Hills school team, then later moved to the Chess Centre in Adelaide. He has now participated in the National Championships twice, finishing in the top 10 in 2014, as well as playing in the Young Masters and the Doeberl Cup at the Australian National University in Canberra.
His results are a testament not only to his natural talent, but to his perseverance in the face of challenging and new situations. At his very first National Championship he defeated the top ranked player in his division.
Gabriel at the National Junior Championships in Canberra in 2015
Gabriel’s confidence has improved as a result of his participation in a sport that is increasingly being recognised for its academic and cognitive benefits.
Andrew describes the first time he noticed the changes taking place in his son, “It was in a chess club in Hahndorf. David asked Gabriel to talk about one of his games in front of the class.” David, Chesslife’s energetic head coach, is also on the autism spectrum and has particular insight into teaching kids with differing abilities a passion for chess.
“Gabriel was excited and engaged. He’d started playing 18 months before that, and going to the Hahndorf club for six months.
“It was something I wasn’t expecting, a pleasure to see,”Andrew said.
Gabriel excitingly participating at the Hahndorf chess club
Andrew has had the chance to see other kids with similar problems to Gabriel benefiting from the hands-on coaching approach taken by Chesslife, including kids who have struggled to make friends, who have been bullied at school and who have struggled academically.
“Suddenly [they’re] interacting with other people.” Andrew says. “Just like Gabriel, and the friendships he’s made. David’s brilliant [at helping kids fit in].”
One of Chesslife’s goals is to provide an inclusive educational service that is not only fun and available to every child, regards of skill or ability, but to cater to the co-morbidities that go along with autism spectrum disorder.
Gabriel’s mother Joanne, who works with families living with disabilities to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme, has said that one of the hardest aspects her son has had to overcome is his anxiety.
“I have heard many parents say that their child’s anxiety, not the Autism Spectrum Disorder is what impacts most on their day-to-day life.”
The Cregans have been delighted at Gabriel’s skill at the game. In an email to me, Gabriel said, “I picked up chess very quickly compared to the other kids at school [and] most of them were older than me.”
For his birthday, his parents arranged an at home chess lesson where Gabriel “focused for an hour and a half, just on chess.”
His mother said, “I loved seeing his eyes light up and just soak up all that he could.”
Gabriel was soon playing in tournaments and while at first he didn’t want to interact with the other children, he now has plenty of connections with other chess players. Gabriel says, “I have made heaps of friends. I like having friends at chess because it means friendship and it feels lovely.”
Game analysis during a tournament
Making friends is only one of the many benefits chess has brought to Gabriel’s life. Only a few years ago, Gabriel was incapable of presenting at show and tell in front of a class of his fellow students, finding the attention “overwhelming”. According to Joanne, he now does so with ease, and it was presenting his chess games at the Campbelltown club that has helped him gain confidence. Gabriel, like many of Chesslife’s students, had little experience with team sports before becoming involved in chess.
According to Gabriel’s counsellor, Mark le Messurier, chess is an “engaging opportunity to build a child’s confidence, relationships [and] develop positive problem solving skills.”
Gabriel now travels over an hour to Campbelltown library to have chess lessons with Chesslife. His mother says, “He gets a lot out of the Campbelltown sessions, it makes for a long evening but it is worth it.”
Gabriel seems to agree; “I find it a great time to learn chess and spend time with my friends.”
What do Pokemon Go, Chess and Autism have in common?
By now, unless you’ve been living under a rock (or a Geodude), you’ve probably heard of the global phenomenon that is Pokemon Go. The creator of Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri, an autistic man himself, developed the game out of his passion for video games.
At Chesslife we support things that benefits young minds, particularly those with special learning styles such as autism.
By all accounts, Pokemon Go is doing exactly that.
The so-called ‘augmented reality’ game is increasingly being recognised by educators as beneficial to those who live with behavioural disabilities such as ASD.
The reason? It gets them out of the house, it gets them socialising, and it gets them doing things they wouldn’t otherwise have a reason to do.
PhD researcher Craig Smith in an interview with ABC described Pokemon Go as an “unheralded” opportunity for children on the autism spectrum to discover new social opportunities.
The visual nature of the game, combined with its ‘active mindset’ makes it the perfect conduit for making friends.
From a very young age those on the autism spectrum often display a proclivity for games, enjoying an immersion in them at times unreachable by those untouched by the learning disability.
People living with autism often excel at visual, systematic tasks, such as chess and Pokemon Go.
In fact, many well known chess players are acknowledged or are rumoured to be on the autism spectrum. It’s even been speculated that the great Bobby Fischer himself was on the autism spectrum!
Our qualified chess coaches are experienced at engaging with special learning styles. We highly recommend chess as a tool for improving the social skills of those with autism, as well as for the academic and cognitive benefits it provides. Chesslife is also part of the Autism Friendly Charter coordinated by Autism SA, you can read more about this HERE.
Click HERE to find out more about how you or your child can get involved in chess!
We are proud to be part of the Autism Friendly Charter coordinated by Autism SA and supported by the NDIS. But what does ‘Autism Friendly’ mean?
‘The Autism Friendly Charter provides a framework for business, organisations and services to become and maintain an autism friendly environment. This will ensure people on the autism spectrum and their families feel welcome and comfortable within the wider community.’
So what does it mean for Chesslife?
It means we are open, accepting and understanding of chess players with Autism.
It means we are not judgmental towards some of your unique features and we are accommodating towards your needs.
Our highly experienced team knows what challenges may arise during a class and are more than happy to listen or to help you find some quiet space when it all becomes a bit too much.
It means we are happy if you want to touch all the chess pieces before you start, or want to straighten them up on the board.
It means we are happy if you want to sit under the table for a bit.
It means we are happy if you want to wear sunglasses or head phones, because sometimes we are unable to control the environment.
Chess classes provide an excellent setting where you can be among people that have the same special interest. You will find many people that would love to talk openings, end games or amazing games you have played. But you can also choose to just play a game of chess, without any talking.
If you want to know more about our coaches and read a bit about them, why not visit our TEAM PAGE. If you would like to know which coach comes to your school, just drop us an EMAIL and we will let you know.
If you would like to know what you will be learning in the first 10 classes, why not download our basic Fact sheet learning chess so you can get ready and prepare.
If you would like to know more about the educational system we use in our classes that will allow you to learn at your own pace, have a look HERE
Teaching students with Autism is one of our most rewarding parts of our roles. You can read about some of our experiences in our BLOG.
We are here to make the learning of chess as enjoyable and fun as we can and are looking forward to seeing you soon!
If you have any other questions, or would like to tell us more about yourself before you come to one of our chess classes, why not drop us an EMAIL or give us a CALL. We love to hear from you!
alleviating depression and lowering cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, to enhancing long term memory.
