This quarter’s FICS MeetUPs featured playing chess as a way to unwind from stress and improve cognitive health. Mr. Jerome Suplemento II, an FICS Project Staff based in UP Diliman and a chess enthusiast, talked about the benefits of chess and how it is played during this activity that was conducted on 23 November 2023. FICS staff were able to attend and learn the game during the virtual event. Basic technical information about the game such as the rules of movement for each chess character, scoring, basic principles, and playing tactics, were shared by the speaker.
At the beginning of his presentation, Mr. Suplemento enumerated the benefits of chess, which include improvement in memory, concentration, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. It also helps lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease among aging people, and increases the IQ level of children. Furthermore, according to the speaker, chess helps some people who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to gain concentration and focus.
After the talk, the speaker gave some chess puzzles, which the participants tried to answer. They also enjoyed a sample game of chess, which was analyzed afterward. Mr. Suplemento shared that the game is also an effective way to socialize and gain new friends.
Written by Joy Abigail C. Rebulanan ♦ Edited by Emely M. Amoloza ♦ Contributed by UPOU FICS
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