Friday, December 25, 2020

Benjamin Franklin loved chess and he wrote about it 241 years ago.

ON THE MORALS OF CHESS(1779) Benjamin Franklin

"The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it, so as to become habits, ready on all occasions."

Chess is so interesting in itself, as not to need the view of gain to induce engaging in it; and thence it is never played for money.

By playing at Chess then, we may learn: First: Foresight... Second: Circumspection... Third: Caution... And lastly, we learn by Chess the habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances in the state of our affairs, the habit of hoping for a favorable chance, and that of persevering in the secrets of resources.

The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions, for life is a kind of chess.

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