{"id":2476,"date":"2020-07-31T13:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-31T20:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/course-teaches-students-how-to-master-chess-so-they-can-master-their-minds\/"},"modified":"2025-02-04T15:59:36","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T23:59:36","slug":"chess-class-teaches-students-how-to-master-the-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/chess-class-teaches-students-how-to-master-the-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"Course teaches students how to master chess so they can master their minds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/Chess_Peters_Top-768x432.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/Chess_Peters_Top-1920x1080.png 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/Chess_Peters_Top-1280x720.png 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/Chess_Peters_Top-768x432.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"An older man wearing glasses and a mask leans over a chessboard, studying the game, while a woman takes notes. Other players in front of their own chess boards wait in the background in a classroom setting.\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  USC Dornsife lecturer Jack Peters uses chess to teach undergraduates critical thinking skills. (Photo: Gabriel Sakoda.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=faculty\">Faculty<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Course teaches students how to master chess so they can master their minds<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  A seasoned chess pro teaches USC Dornsife students critical thinking, decision-making strategy and history lessons through a 1,500-year-old board game. <strong>[5\u00be min read]<\/strong>\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Margaret Crable<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">July 31, 2020<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 4.0350275 0 1.5167124.60096154 2.9475732 1.68841575 4.0350274 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Stroll around the USC campus on a clear day and you might run into <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/cf\/faculty-and-staff\/faculty.cfm?pid=1003602\">Jack Peters<\/a>, lecturer in <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/sll\/\">Slavic languages and literature<\/a>, playing a dozen chess matches simultaneously beneath the Tommy Trojan statue.<\/p>\n<p>Once a term, Peters sets up an array of checkered boards and invites passing students to a game. Moving swiftly between opponents, taking only seconds for each move, he often completes 50 games in a couple of hours.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d imagine Peters\u2019 brain to be on the verge of shorting out by the end of it all, but he admits the challenge is mostly physical. \u201cI move really quickly, and it\u2019s usually hot, so I get pretty tired walking around for hours,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s because chess <i>allegro<\/i> is all in a day\u2019s work for Peters. He\u2019s been an International Master since 1979, a lifetime title of distinction awarded to world-class players, and has squared up against greats like Mikhail Tal, the eighth person to hold the title of World Chess Champion.<\/p>\n<p>Peters was chess columnist for the<i> Los Angeles Times<\/i> and has published multiple books on the game. He\u2019s taught the class \u201cChess and Critical Thinking\u201d at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences since 2002, guiding hundreds of students into the game that he has played since he was 8 years old.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23036\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23036\" style=\"width: 980px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23036\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/InStoryA.png\" alt=\"A man in a plaid shirt plays multiple chess games simultaneously at outdoor tables, while a crowd watches and participates in a university courtyard.\" width=\"980\" height=\"561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/InStoryA.png 980w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/InStoryA-500x286.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/07\/InStoryA-768x440.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23036\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chess master Jack Peters (brown plaid shirt) challenges students to a game beneath the Tommy Trojan statue, playing a dozen matches simultaneously. (Photos: Courtesy of Jack Peters.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>A mind game<\/h2>\n<p>To Peters, there\u2019s much to learn from chess besides how to best your opponent. Mastering chess is a means to master critical, tactical thinking, which can be applied almost universally to life\u2019s big challenges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStudents have to first recognize the situation they are in and then set priorities: What are the important features here?\u201d says Peters. Constant adaptation is also key. \u201cOne of the hardest parts about chess is that you might have a great idea, but your opponent might also have their own idea, and then the plans change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Such skills are also attractive to employers \u2014 the ability to plan, solve problems and analyze information are frequently cited as some of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/susanadams\/2013\/10\/11\/the-10-skills-employers-most-want-in-20-something-employees\/#2bd60e036330\">the top desirable traits in recruits<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For the final exam, Peters sets up about 20 boards in his classroom and plays every student at the same time.\u00a0He doesn\u2019t often get bested. \u201cMaybe once a year or so I have someone that beats me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/migration-uploads\/ChessandCritThinking_JackPeters_InStory-3277.jpg\" alt=\"Jack Peters sits behind a chessboard. A bookcase is pictured behind him.\" width=\"250\" height=\"700\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jack Peters has been an international master of chess since 1979 and has written several books on the game. (Photo: Courtesy of Jack Peters.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Losing to the professor isn\u2019t a problem in Peters class, however. \u201cTheir final isn\u2019t about winning. They write about the game we played, describe their strategy and any mistakes they made. They\u2019re graded on how well they understand what happened and the principles of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To Peters, the lesson he wants students to learn isn\u2019t one of victory but how critical thinking, careful strategy and learning from one\u2019s mistakes can better you for the next challenge.<\/p>\n<h2>Chess plays a historical role<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s not just for sharpening the mind, however. Peters\u2019 class touches on a little of everything, from art to science to business. A particular focus is the way chess became intertwined with both Russian cultural identity and Soviet strategy abroad.<\/p>\n<p>After the game\u2019s invention in India around 530 A.D., traders spread chess into Russia where it became a popular pastime for noble and commoner alike. Ivan the Terrible, ruler of Moscow from 1533 to 1547, was an avid player and earned his name in part for killing an opponent with a chessboard during a game.<\/p>\n<p>After the Russian Revolution in the early 20th century, Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin hoped to empower a demoralized populace by producing a great generation of chess players. The USSR established the Soviet Chess Federation to train children starting at the age of 5 to become formidable players.<\/p>\n<p>Lenin\u2019s successor, Joseph Stalin, continued Lenin\u2019s efforts, placing Nikolai Krylenko, public face of the ruthless Soviet justice system, at the head of the organization. \u201cKrylenko saw chess as a propaganda opportunity,\u201d explains Peters. Skilled players could demonstrate Russian intellectual might on the world stage.<\/p>\n<p>Chess became so synonymous with USSR prowess that a 1972 match between world champion Boris Spassky and upstart American Bobby Fischer turned into a heated, symbolic showdown between world powers poised at the knife\u2019s edge of battle.<\/p>\n<p>When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, chess reverted to something of a Russian export. \u201cOver the next 10 years, many of the grandmasters raised in the\u00a0Soviet\u00a0Union actually became citizens in other countries and started playing for those national teams.One of the jokes at the chess Olympics was \u2018our Russians can beat your Russians,\u2019 as every team would have one or two Russians who emigrated,\u201d recalls Peters.<\/p>\n<p>Despite this history, chess is actually an immensely diplomatic game, Peters reminds us. \u201cAs long as both players know the rules, no common language is needed to play chess.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Keep calm and play on<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the mental rigor chess demands, Peters\u2019 class is a popular one. Vespera Luo, who is majoring in <a href=\"http:\/\/chem.usc.edu\/\">chemistry<\/a> at USC Dornsife and journalism at <a href=\"https:\/\/annenberg.usc.edu\/\">USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism<\/a>, enrolled after seeing recommendations for the class on the USC Reddit forum, and members of USC\u2019s chess team sometimes pop by for a game or to recruit new players.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s enduring popularity likely has to do with Peters calm, expert approach. \u201cMr. Peters is so patient with a beginner, he doesn\u2019t\u00a0feed you answers but leads you to the right path of thinking,\u201d says Luo.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also a rare opportunity for chess enthusiasts to try their hand against an expert. \u201cI really enjoyed playing against Jack and seeing in person how good someone can be at chess,\u201d says Tristan Tausch, a business administration major at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marshall.usc.edu\/\">USC Marshall School of Business<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For Luo, lessons from the class extend to the meditative as well, referencing a memorable anecdote from Peters. While working for the <i>L.A. Times<\/i>, Peters found himself hastily writing an article on the infamous match between Russian chess master Gerry Kasparov and IBM\u2019s computer Deep Blue. (Kasparov was defeated, marking a shift in humankind\u2019s perceived mental power over machine.)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMr. Peters said it was the first time his editor rushed him to write something because \u2018there are no emergencies in the chess world.\u2019 I remember him saying this sentence, and it just struck me somehow,\u201d says Luo. \u201cWe\u2019re living in such a fast-paced world today, and at that moment I realized I prefer some quietness and slowness in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>7\/18\/24: This story was updated to remove outdated references to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"video-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chess and Critical Thinking: USC Dornsife Class Spotlight\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GbYwkv-yo5A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" 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read]<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":23034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[73,163],"class_list":["post-2476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty","tag-campus-life","tag-slavic-languages-and-literatures"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Course teaches students how to master chess so they can master their minds<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A seasoned chess pro teaches USC students critical thinking, decision-making strategy and history through this 1,500-year-old board game.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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