The master player from Cuba stirred up as much admiration in chess players of successive generations as envy in his competitors. He ruled the world of chess unparalleled with his fantastic technique and inimitable talent. Capablanca stands out with his style that is easy and extremely flexible, something that grandmasters like Bobby Fischer studied in detail with verve.
Amidst the Covid-19 gloom that halted the regular chess championships, Indian chess proved its mettle, coming victorious in the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad on Sunday August 30th. Though a joint victory with the Russian team - owing to server malfunctions - the glory of winning the first ever online Olympiad is sweet incense for the team, for Indian Chess and to the nation’s dampened spirits.
Keen followers of Chess tournaments and championship games must be familiar with the name Baku thanks to the much-talked-about Baku Chess Olympiad of 2016. The capital city of Azerbaijan received its fair share of the spotlight when it hosted the 42nd World Chess Olympiad for the first time.
Those of you chess players who have sat through an entire game, however amateurish it was, would know the sequence of emotions that arise within you at every change in the game. Though the ancient board game could give off a “monk-in-meditation” vibe for the less enlightened mortals, it sure affects your adrenalin as any other sport does.
Chess surely requires wise tactics to win. But what if tactics were loaded with superstitions and craziness?
Today the game holds the throne as one of the most dignified and intellectual games in the world. But the Gentleman’s Game wasn’t exactly so in the early centuries of its evolution. The history of Chess is amusingly dotted with, and at times scarred by, weird antics, foul play and vengeance.
The Chessmasters in the early centuries came up with strange methods laced with superstitions and cheap tricks to ensure their victory. From cigars and cats to sunlight and amulets, many went overboard with berserk attempts to distract and defeat their opponents.
How about an interesting trip to the behind-the-scenes fun facts of Chess, the ancient “game of thrones”?
Of all the games, Chess has that intriguing aura about it that makes the players the proud participants, the audience awe-struck, and the “illiterates”, well, embarrassed (?). The medieval game that is rooted in our “very own” rich soil has the world in its brainy fist today.
The outbreak of a pandemic has given us a generous scoop of home-based e-learning. Thanks to the ever-evolving technologies and access to high-speed internet, online learning is flourishing and could soon be a substitute to traditional classroom teaching. But does e-learning facilitate the overall progress of a child?
With the restricted interaction and physical activity of e-platforms, how far can they modulate cognitive skills in children? Can brain stimulators like mind games that develop cognitive capabilities in children be taught effectively online?
As the pandemic resulted in a pause to classrooms for over 1.2 billion children globally it gave birth to the rise of e-learning and online classes on digital platforms. Within the span of a few months the Covid -19 has changed the education system and acted as a catalyst for educational institutions worldwide to find innovative solutions to keep the learning steady.
When the world is on a break and industries seem to have shut down for aeons, what could probably prosper? Entertainment seems to be the only segment that has crawled out of the casualties with very few scratches. As the world takes refuge on the internet and makes it home, thanks to the lock-out, games that are versatile online seem to shine through the darkness. Chess, for one, has experienced little to no change in spreading a lot more than just enlightenment.
We are dealing with a young generation that is hooked to the internet. Social media defines and determines their lives. Apps and chats keep them breathing! And as the world is in the grip of a virus, they are enjoying their ‘viral’ fevers on whatsapp, facebook and more! You must have spent a significant amount of time convincing your kids to reduce their screen time, and in vain!
The crisis consuming the world is a talk of every household. The worried confused faces peeping through balconies and windows is tragic to see and the theories floating in the air is only adding to the miseries of all. Amongst this, the little spare moments of fun and laughter are life saviours. Recreational activities like chess, robotics etc, are proving to be an oasis in a desert, making people feel fulfilled and engaging them rationally. Though played for leisure, what about those who are learning these games? Is discontinuation the answer to this?
The challenges that a pandemic brings upon the human kind is tragic. Our lives have transformed tremendously over the past few months, locked-in within the four walls of our homes. As we all may feel frustrated, and immobile, the stringent measures may be taking a toll on our young ones. Even the naughtiest, and most wilful little Tom Sawyer is down on his knees, confessing that he misses the school! For parents, especially those work-from-home moms, these times could be strenuous with the restless young minds chewing off your peace and self-restraint!
it is quite natural that kids find these uncertain, locked-in times hard to comprehend. However, this could be the best time for them to learn a few things, do things differently, explore new hobbies, and try their hands at a few life-skills. And as a good parent, you may help the little prisoners “survive” this lock-out phase victoriously. Let’s find out how to deal with them and help them cope up in the healthiest and most productive way during these quarantine days.
Though it may sound difficult, we would explain how a child’s brain works and gradually develops to be capable of maturing into a fully-functional adult brain. The brain architecture is compartmentalized into memories and its learnings are directly proportional to the experiences it registers. A child takes these memories, whether good or bad, along as they grow into adulthood and they tend to shape the child’s behaviour, attitudes, response and learning patterns.
‘Cognitive, emotional, and social capacities are inextricably intertwined throughout the life course.’ Your child’s foundational memories play a vital role in his/her cognitive-linguistic capabilities that later takes over the academic performances, social behaviour and workplace ethics.
The brain connects through Neurons and creates interlinked connections called Synapses.
The brain tries to learn by experience, and strengthens the connections through repeated experiences. It also forgets those connections that are rarely used.
The reason for babies learning rapidly than adults is because Synapses appear more frequently and easily in toddlers and babies than in adults.
The brain reaches 80% of growth by the time your kid is just 3 years old!
Upto the age 6, your kid’s brain is developed. Like motor skills development, emotional responses, cognitive abilities, linguistic abilities are all matured and ready to be put to use.
Because of this lockdown, children are learning differently than usual. They are no longer in a controlled environment, like a school or play school, under the charge of trained professionals who are meant to guide them with their capabilities. They are at home, their most comfortable zone. So, you might be thinking that your kids may be losing their critical time of personal development or cognitive ability development. Not necessarily. Even at home, you can enhance the cognitive abilities of your kid. Here are a few tips.
Engage them in brain-games:
As simple as they sound, diverse activities like crosswords, puzzles, solving a maze, a game of chess, etc benefit your kids by strengthening their cognitive abilities and thinking skills.
Set up smaller goals:
Children, by creation, are masterminds in innovation! Within their minds are volcanoes of creativity that are waiting to explode. All they need is an external trigger; a ‘disciplined’ push to set them on. Finding small easy goals and achieving them would boost their morals. This is essential to keep them going. Remember not to set higher goals all at once. Increase the level of difficulty gradually. It can be learning a new language that involves retention or solving a Rubik’s Cube.
The need for brain-workouts:
If you are encouraging your kids to learn new words everyday, then help them to apply those words in a sentence later in their conversations. This is a classic example of memory and implementation of learning. You kid is learning how to trace their memory and to practically utilize it in situations. They not only learn a new word, but also learn to fit into a sentence that will appropriately bring out its true meaning.
Dedicated time for problem solving:
In developing the cognitive abilities of a child, problem solving is a major aspect that needs some attention. Scratch Coding can be a brilliant idea if you want to shed some light into the problem solving abilities of your kids. This is an amazing activity that your kid can learn through some online classes from the Mind Mentorz at your home.
Better with a companion:
If you are encouraging reading habits in your child, take a book and sit beside her/him. As said, kids learn from experiences. He/she will be regularly seeing you reading and that would inculcate in them an interest in that habit. Their brain would identify a period of time as ‘reading hour’ and your kid will automatically develop a habit in reading. Sharing in their activities also helps in family bonding.
Though kids must be the ones most affected by the current Corona lock-out, as a parent this is your best time to spend with them and engage them in healthy activities. Remember, the dark clouds do not prevail for long! Soon the sun will be out and so will be your kids! And they will spring back into action before you could even say “enough!”. So cherish these times and guide your little ones through some cognitive skills development. There are mentors who are available online to reach out to your kids and engage them in a productive way. You may enrol your kids for some online classes at Mind Mentorz and see them enjoy their indoor days!
When the majority of the population is under lockdown and the world becomes a place battling for life and living, that only beacon of light is hope. The stupendous efforts of our medical practitioners, researchers and cleanliness workers have only provided us strength to look beyond this and nothing else. But, apart from that, while you sit at home it is not such a bad time to take up those hobbies and the passion that we left far behind in this race. The book that was left half-read or that knack for gardening which you inherited from your mother but left unattended, we can all take up those seriously and imbibe your kids with the relevance of love and laughter in daily life. So, why don’t you and your kids participate in an interactive activity and learn together. Since there is no barrier concerning age that differentiates a learner or learned, you might know something new and interesting from your tiny one.
Sounds as interesting as it is. While the Rubik Cube was invented in 1974, people still believe it is a genius thought captured in a box. Though the interesting part is, the inventor Erno Rubik took almost a month to solve it for the first time.
Rewind to the 90’s and the nostalgia rushes back to your mind. The Jetsons and transformers promised us a very different picture, and we thought robots would rule the world. Either as friends or foes. Well, we can’t see that happening anytime soon, though the prominence of robots have increased since the past decade. It is the nature of the idea that entrusted the ideas of robots and humans in our head and we started developing such earthly companions for ourselves.
