The Quad: From rookies to masters, chess has students saying checkmate to pandemic boredom

I am no stranger to the black-and-white checkerboard of chess. My dad taught me, and his parents taught him. Even though my dad could start down a queen and both rooks and still beat me, I always enjoyed the game.

Playing chess with him showed me that although chess is challenging and frustrating, it can be a wonderful way to spend time. As we find ourselves in a seemingly perpetual pandemic with more hours in a day than we know what to do with, more and more people are starting to gain a similar appreciation to mine.

One cause of the past year’s heightened obsession with chess can be traced back to October, when Netflix released “The Queen’s Gambit.” The original series follows lead protagonist Beth Harmon, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, as she finds her place in the world of competitive chess.

In the weeks following the show’s premiere, chess set sales increased by 125%, according to an interview in The New York Times with NPD Group analyst Juli Lennett.

Alexander Franklin, a lecturer at the School of Theater, Film and Television who explores the cultural effects of film, said the film industry has long-held ties with consumerist culture.

“Movies and television shows are definitely seen as a form of advertising by certain industries, brands and companies,” Franklin said.

In reference to “The Queen’s Gambit,” Franklin said he didn’t think show runners were expecting to see a spike in chess interest tied to the television drama.

Rohan Bansal, a third-year mathematics of computation student and someone who played chess as a child, said he thought “The Queen’s Gambit” accurately depicted the way chess players visualize a game.

“It’s not just people playing chess,” Bansal said. “It’s also people wanting to be good at chess. I think that’s what ‘Queen’s Gambit’ really did.”

Though most associate chess with intricately shaped pieces and an opponent sitting across the table, Bansal said chess is a relatively accessible pastime, available through various chess engines.

“You can play online with an unlimited amount of people,” he said. “The only thing that you need is a screen and a mouse and a keyboard.”

UCLA’s own chess team has had to rely on these virtual means to keep the club active.

Member Richard Mirzoian, a second-year astrophysics student, said the chess team uses chess.com to set up games among members.

Bruin chess players are not the only ones visiting the website during the pandemic. According to a Boston Globe article, chess.com has seen 11.1 million new members since last March.

The rush to play chess comes from good reason. Mirzoian said he finds the game to be beneficial.

“Definitely strengthens your mind, keeps your mind thinking at least,” Mirzoian said. “It’s a good pastime for sure. The club specifically has helped me become friends with a lot of people and bond with them over chess.”

Mirzoian is not wrong. According to a report published by National Center for Biotechnology Information, chess players have been known to have enhanced auditory memory functions, likely due to the game’s strengthening of cognitive performances.

[Related: The Quad: Forming new healthy habits becomes crucial as COVID-19 upends daily routines]

UCLA’s club chess team still meets regularly, despite the pandemic, on Zoom twice a week. Members also continue to participate in tournaments, now held online – most recently, the team attended the Pan American Intercollegiate Championship.

For those intrigued by competitive chess and who want to learn, you might believe that chess is too hard to learn how to play well enough. After all, if a computer still beats me at 25% difficulty, how could I join a chess club? While these are valid concerns, Mirzoian said there is no need to worry.

“I definitely think anyone can learn to play chess,” Mirzoian said. “If you put some time and effort into it, it’s definitely pretty easy to learn. … It’s easy to learn and hard to master.”

For the players who know how to play but aren’t confident in their skills just yet, there is still a spot on the chess team for you too.

“We can take everyone of all different skill types, because we’re more than happy to help people out, get better at their practice, give them tools that they can use to practice with,” Mirzoian said.

Chess is a game of skill and strategy, but it takes heart. In a time when there are fewer opportunities for adventures and more time at home, chess is a great way to strengthen your mind while still having a good time.

“If you keep your head up and think of the best, take your time, take your best moves, then it’ll be better,” Mirzoian said.