Susan Polgar on the Importance of Chess: “Make it Part of the Curriculum”

Susan Polgar with Vanita Young, a Philly chess player,

at Polgar's All-Girls Chess Invitational earlier this summer.

Susan Polgar has long been an advocate for chess, particularly for girls, whose numbers drop severely after 4th and 5th grade. In an article in Saturday’s New York Times, Polgar spoke with reporter James Warren about her efforts and the importance of chess during the Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls and Boys in Chicago.

“Socially, I think, they are not supported enough,” Polgar explained. Programs like Polgar’s, as well as ASAP’s Philly Girls Play Chess gives girls both the social support and chess skills to keep them interested and improving. The benefits are so great that Polgar even argues that chess should be taught in schools. As Warren states:

[C]hess teaches discipline, analytical thinking, time management, focus and patience — skills that can be useful throughout life.

Chess is important not only for girls but for high-risk and low-income students, for whom participating in chess can bring increased focus and critical thinking not only in competitions but at school. Explains Polgar, chess can bring“a boost in self-confidence can change lives.” In response to Saturday's article, the Times also published a letter to the editor from an educator who shared his own story about the benefits of chess.

Several chess players at the tournament included students from Walter D. Palmer Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, a club supported by ASAP. The Palmer students performed well at the competiton. Vanita Young, who previously won a 40K scholarship at Polgar’s all-girls invitational, placed third for 6-12 girls. The three Palmer boys who competed also held their own in their highly competitive bracket of 9-12 grade boys.