When most people think of chess, they picture elderly gentlemen hunched over boards in the park, contemplating their next move in peaceful quiet.
While this stereotype persists, it doesn’t paint the complete picture.
Chess clubs across the country, including in Colorado, are thriving with players of all ages, and the benefits they offer span from early childhood through retirement — making chess one of the few activities that deliver lifelong cognitive and social rewards.
Breaking the age barrier
Although chess has a reputation as “an old person’s game,” that perception is changing.
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a chess boom, with reporting a sixfold increase in membership during lockdown, and the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit” turbocharged interest in the game and drew more women and girls to it.
This renaissance revealed what chess educators have known all along: chess isn’t just for retirees–itap a game that benefits players at every life stage.
Young minds, rapid growth
Children are uniquely positioned to excel at chess. Their brains work like sponges, absorbing patterns, strategies, and concepts at remarkable speed.
Kevin McConnell, and president of the Colorado State Chess Association, works with over 1,500 kids per semester across more than 70 schools in the Denver area. In addition to before- and after-school programs, Pals offers two weekly Mastermind chess clubs for children ages 6-15.
Pals accepts children as young as 4, with one key insight: keep lessons fun, funny, and short. “Lessons are about 10 minutes,” McConnell said. “The rest of the time is guided chess play. They learn as much or more from that.”
The results speak for themselves. Children who attend chess clubs see a 5 to 10% improvement in math scores, while those who participate in rated chess tournaments experience a larger math gain of 30 to 50%, along with a 10 to 20% improvement in reading, according to a 2024 study.
These benefits also reach beyond academics. Chess teaches planning, strategic thinking, and understanding the consequences of your actions–skills that translate directly to life decisions.
Perhaps most importantly in our fast-moving digital age, chess requires something increasingly rare: the ability to slow down and think. “Itap fundamentally the opposite of TikTok or video games,” McConnell said. “You can’t do it fast. To do well, you need to sit and think. Kids don’t do that as much as they once did.”
A recent Masterminds meeting attracted a group of young chess players who excel at one-on-one games.
“I like the challenge of scanning the board and remembering the plays,” said Gabriel Harden, 14, who has been playing chess for two years. “I like the strategy and learning how to scan the board and try to see whatap coming.”
Louis Haase, 11, who has been playing for three years, said he started by teaching himself, but improved his skills after his mom bought him a chess book. Now he enjoys reviewing the games with an instructor to identify areas to improve.
And while McConnell hopes the one-on-one matches help slow the kids down, players like Haley Ameter, 9, like the challenge of speed. “I like to win and to go as fast as possible,” she said.
The social element: More than just moving pieces
While chess may seem like a solitary pastime — two players locked in silent combat — chess clubs offer something that online play cannot: genuine social connection, said Earle Wikle, president of the Denver Chess Club.
With 80-120 active members and monthly tournaments drawing up to 80 players, the club thrives on human interaction. While players may not talk during matches, the post-game analysis creates chances for connection.
“You go to another side area and basically go through the game together,” Wikle said. “You get an understanding of where you might have gone wrong. Itap one of the social aspects–analyzing your game. Itap like analyzing a math problem together, figuring out how you could play it differently.”
This face-to-face interaction contrasts with online chess, where players often encounter trolling and unsportsmanlike behavior.
McConnell doesn’t recommend online chess for children without disabling the chat function.
Over the board, players make friends, develop long-term rivalries, and learn the invaluable skill of sportsmanship.
Lifelong cognitive benefits
For older adults, chess clubs offer cognitive benefits that may help preserve mental sharpness.
Wikle, 62, banks on the long-term effects: “Hopefully it will pan out for me medically. Keeping your mind active is important.”
The cognitive workout chess provides includes reasoning, calculation, memory, visualization, and assessment skills. Chess puzzles–where players try to solve potential move sequences — require imagining pieces in different positions, a form of mental gymnastics that keeps the brain engaged and active.
The game also teaches practical life skills at any age: time management (most games are timed), emotional control under pressure, and maintaining composure in competitive situations. These qualities transfer to other activities, helping players become less reactive and more thoughtful in their daily lives.
The chess community is also working to become increasingly inclusive. While the game has historically been predominantly male (the Denver Chess Club reports about 10-15% female membership), initiatives such as Pals Chess’s all-girls chess camp–featuring female instructors and a woman grandmaster — are helping inspire the next generation of female players.
Colorado Chess Clubs
Denver Chess Club
When it meets: Tuesdays, 6:30-10:30 p.m.
Location: Hope Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, 2400 S. Ash St., Denver
Website:
Aurora Chess Club
When it meets: Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Location: All Saints Lutheran Church, 15625 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora
Website:
Boulder Chess Club
When it meets: Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Location: CU Boulder UMC Building, first floor, North Dining area (colder months); Foothills Community Park (warmer months)
Website:
Colorado Springs Chess Club
When it meets: Tuesdays, 6 p.m. (opens), 7 p.m. (play starts)
Location: Acacia Apartment Building Ballroom, 104 E. Platte Ave., Colorado Springs
Website:
Chessmates Fort Collins
When it meets: Thursdays, 5-6:30 p.m. (advanced club); Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (academy club)
Location: Various school locations and year-round clubs
Website:
Colorado State Chess Association
Website:
Provides information about chess clubs and tournaments throughout Colorado
Sara B. Hansen is a Denver-based freelance writer.
