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Math is, first and foremost, a language. More specifically, it's a universal language, spoken by billions of people. Of course, some speak it better than others. Some are fluent; others, meanwhile, struggle. In the US, millions of people fall into the latter category. Why? There appears to be a fundamental problem with the way math is taught in schools, as well as the ways in which it is conceptualized. Too much focus is placed on rote memorization, rather than learning concepts in a sequential manner. Because of this, children are being raised with an inability to speak the language fluently, largely because they lack the fundamentals, like appropriate "vocabulary," "grammar," and "syntax."

Which brings us to chess, a board game that is a metaphor for life. Every action has a reaction. Decisions have consequences. The game of chess teaches people basic life skills, like the importance of patience, perspective, and proper planning. It is, in many ways, a highly effective, highly instructive educational tool. Right now, the US is very much lacking such tools.

The game of chess has the power to create a generation of smarter students.

Playing chess from an early age is strongly associated with greater cognitive flexibility, enhanced coping and problem-solving skills, and even socio-emotional enrichment. Anyone who has played the game knows that rigorous thinking and high levels of mental agility are required. Researchers have found that the schema used by chess players is eerily similar to the scientific method, with great emphasis placed on calculations and assessments. Other researchers have documented the ways in which chess improves attention, memory, concentration, and reasoning among players.

Chess can help create a new generation of smart, confident students, people capable of making the United States a competitive player on the STEM stage.

Additionally, there appears to be a strong association between chess and mathematical prowess. This should come as no surprise, as chess introduces players to geometric concepts. It helps to develop spatial reasoning skills. Interestingly, the countries where children excel at math--China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Estonia--all possess cultures that emphasize the importance of chess or games similar to chess (like Go, for example).

In the US, meanwhile, math phobia reigns supreme, with 93 percent of Americans suffering from some form of math anxiety; one in six suffer from high levels of math anxiety. Not surprisingly, with such a fear of math, very few US high school graduates are actually prepared for the rigors of STEM majors.

This is why the introduction of chess in classrooms and on campuses across the country is necessary. Chess is a STEM activity. It is based on mathematical fundamentals. Like math, chess is a  science of pattern and order.  In the words of Dr. Milan Vukcevich, a Yugoslav-American chemist and a grandmaster of chess problem composition, "chess forces one to develop one's own methodology for solving problems that can be applied throughout life." The game, according to the academic, "makes better thinkers and should be played, not with the idea of becoming a professional player, but that chess players become doctors of sciences, engineering, and economy." In other words, chess can help create a new generation of smart, confident students, people capable of making the United States a competitive player on the STEM stage.

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