The following are not predictions, but observations based on the experiences of the last several years. Like a game of chess, not every move can be calculated but patterns do emerge. I believe that Chess in Education (CIE) is rapidly growing because educators are realizing the impact that chess-related activities can have on building academic and 21st-century skills. And chess federations are realizing that educational chess can serve as a solid foundation for building a stronger chess culture within their country. 2025 may see a tipping point in the expansion of CIE at its greatest rate ever as individuals and organizations join in collaborative efforts.
A Tipping Point is defined as “the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change.” (Oxford Languages online) The success of the following trends and activities will contribute to the rapid expansion of CIE globally. Challenges remain, of course, but optimism for growth is warranted.
Defining CIE in Practical Terms
Defining Chess in Education and differentiating it from competitive chess will continue to be a priority in the new year. Those in the chess community who wish to reach educators must be familiar with the vocabulary of education and the priorities for learning set by the state or national curriculum.
For chess to be accepted in an educational setting, it must be seen to advance more than just chess skills. A teacher, school counselor, or someone else on the school staff has a wonderful opportunity to use chess to deliver academic skills as well as 21st century skills such as decision making and social-emotional skills. This can be done without ever playing a full game of chess. Using minigames makes chess ideal to use within the context of a school day. Here are a few examples:
The Model: Begin with a chess activity followed by a discussion of specific skills that you would like to address. Differentiation can be based on chess skill level, maturity level, curriculum standards, and grade level.
- Bishop vs. 3 pawns – strategy, how do pawns work together, choices and consequences, learning from watching your game partner, curriculum connections such as math or literacy
- Tactics problems solved in small groups – collaborative discussions, problem solving, pattern recognition, follow-up writing assignments
The website Chess in Education – Connecting Chess to 21st Century Skills is a resource for building an education vocabulary and to discover chess-related activities that promote academic and 21st Century Skills.
University Chess Programs
Introducing teachers to the game of chess and its educational benefits remains both a priority and a primary strategy for developing chess in education. But what about those who are preparing to become teachers? What if they could graduate from the pedagogical university with a specialty certificate in CIE? Those graduating teachers would already have the requisite knowledge to start implementing chess in their classrooms.
Developing a path for certification recognized by the university and the national or state government will emerge as a priority in 2025. Some universities have program offerings for chess as a minor – as at Webster University. Argentina’s Universidad Nacional De Tres De Febrero (UNTREF) already has a University Diploma in Chess Teaching. In 2024, the European Chess Union partnered with Aegean University for an online “Chess in Primary Education” academic course. Expanding these opportunities will greatly increase the credibility of chess as an educational tool.
New Collaborative Opportunities
Many grassroots organizations have arisen around the world to serve the needs of students using chess-related activities. They continue to do great work but often have limited visibility because of their size. This also inhibits their expansion. A new organization may change that dynamic.
The International School Chess Federation was approved as an affiliated organization by FIDE at the Congress in Budapest in 2024. Their primary goal is to support the expansion of chess in education globally. This could prove to have a significant positive impact on existing organizations as well as those organizations that are currently only in the “dream” stage.
The International School Chess Federation (ISCF) creation has been initiated by Timur Turlov, the President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and a CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. – a long time FIDE’s supporter. Mr. Turlov presented his ideas to the FIDE General Assembly in September 2024, and his initiatives have been approved by the FIDE’s superior body.
As the ICSF is a FIDE’s affiliated entity, Mr. Turlov sees its mission as to unite national school chess associations and support the global integration of chess into school curricula, so a broader range of children could have access to chess as an academic tool.
In 2025 the ICSF, in a cooperation with the FIDE, plans to organize a World School Team Championship, which will bring together the best school chess teams from all over the world. They aim to take on this unique opportunity and hold a conference on school chess development along with the Championship, so the best practices could be shared in a live interaction.
ISCF is working with FIDE’s Chess in Education Commission Chairman, Jerry Nash, on details of this new relationship. Expect to hear more in 2025.
These new collaborative opportunities could prove to be the tipping point that Chess in Education needs.