5 WINNING MOVES - WHAT CHESS CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT GETTING AHEAD IN LIFE

 "How Chess Concepts Can Help Improve Your Finances, Social Contacts and Interactions at School, Work or With Anyone You Meet!"

Introduction to Chess: Get Started Early
My daughter was introduced to chess in her early years in grade school. Through competitive events, she quickly learned the game and improved her skills to the point where she was beating her teachers and classmates in nearly every match. While in the third grade, she won first place trophies beating players from other schools in our district. 

Later, she advanced to the state chess championship and won the third place trophy for the third grade division. "Not bad," I said to her. But this was not good enough. After the tournament ended, the father of the first place winner came over and congratulated her on finishing third place. 

What happened next was life changing and is the reason I am writing this blog... 

The first place winner's dad said, "I was watching you play and you are an excellent player, but you need to learn some winning moves." He then told her to roll out her chessboard and he showed her one strategy on how to win in the shortest number of moves. The session lasted about 15 minutes and we never saw him again until the next year at the fourth grade state tournament - where both of our daughters were competing again. 

My daughter, beat his daughter in the fourth round of competition and to our amazement, she had to play his son for the final match of the tournament. Yes, he had two children in the tournament! My daughter won the first place trophy by beating both his son and his daughter to become the fourth grade state chess champion.

 Sometimes, one good MOVE is all you need to win! 

5 Winning Moves to Help You Get Ahead in Life...

1. Look Ahead - Raise your head up and look down the road to see what is coming. This gives you time to think, plan and decide what moves to make. Avoid rushed decisions and acting on impulse. Impulsive decisions can be devastating because they offer no clear path for victory and can bring the game to an abrupt end. 

Looking ahead enables you to avoid dangerous situations and obstacles in your path. Be decisive and confident in your abilities to anticipate the moves of others and avoid capture. Stay calm and make your decisions quickly. Keep control of the game and you will win!

2. Speak First - This cleaver first move momentarily makes you the center of attention when you enter a room. If you speak first, you capture the attention of everyone that hears your voice. This means you will be mingling, greeting and introducing yourself to those in the room. It is an aggressive move because it shows your confidence and willingness to "open-up" and meet people. 

Keep your conversations short and "find your spot." Keep moving toward the center of the room where the power and influence resides. Don't overdo it or you will be perceived as a "loudmouth" or "show-off" and people will avoid you.

3. Fix Your Face - Smiles and laughter are natural ways to relax and relieve stress. A friendly smile can electrify a room and make people around you feel comfortable. Avoid starring, cringing or rolling your eyes at others. All of the above makes people feel uneasy and are signs of disrespect. Take a genuine interest in people and it will brighten their countenance and fill their heart with joy.

 Always acknowledge the presence of others with a simple nod, wave of the hand or tip of the hat. Recognize everyone you meet and never forget the children. Bluffing and fake smiles are best left to professional chess players. Besides, the guys and girls at the office who know you may see this as nervous energy and question your ability to perform under pressure. 

4. Don't Follow Others to the Gutter - Do not be baited into criticizing your boss, teammates, church members, friends or even spouse. When others engage in negative talk, cancel them out with something positive and unique. If you can't think of something good to say about them, then "turn-up" the music or bring an appetizer to the table. Better still, take a restroom break and excuse yourself from their presence.

Avoid messy conversations and never sacrifice your livelyhood, marriage or integrity for a moment with "so called friends" who care nothing about your success. Taking risks is an acceptable norm among chess players, however gambling with the lives of your loved ones to achieve success is foolish. This may be the right time to take a stand and accept a loss. 

5. Volunteer and Take the Lead - Volunteer for assignments and take advantage of opportunities to gain experience in leadership roles and managing people. Do not hesitate to step forward and take charge of situations that requires your expertise. Be responsible for your actions and do not complain about your circumstances. Solicit the ideas of others to improve your situation. Keep a humble spirit and ask people to help you, rather than order them around. 

Resist the tendency to take a back seat in life. Never began a speech with an apology - especially if you are selected at the last minute to fill-in for someone. Be confident in your abilities to get the job done and sit down. People are more understanding than you may realize.

Summary / Conclusions about Playing Chess 

Some of the greatest lessons my daughter learned from playing chess are:
1. How to plan ahead
2. How to anticipate the actions of others
3. How to develop a winning strategy to defeat your opponent

Set your heights and make bold moves. Defend your dreams and become a professional in a chosen career field - such as a doctor, lawyer, engineer, scientist, politician, actor, singer, preacher, professor, architect, technician, nurse or whatever skill or profession you want to pursue. 

Remember, one bold move can make you a winner and one frivolous move can shatter your dreams. So stand firm and defend your dreams.The clock is ticking...

That's the game of chess!

 

Update since 4th grade (now 10/16/2024):          

This little girl is now a Havard graduate working in Dallas, Texas as a physician (MD and MPH). In the 3rd grade, she told her mom and I her college plans and that we would not pay $1 toward her college education. Amazingly, her undergraduate and graduate education were covered with scholarships - including stipends after graduation to jump-start her career. Praise the Lord everybody!