Armenia makes chess compulsory in schools

[Bakkels]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Of course I like the idea, and once I linked a news from germany that there is one gymnasium here where you can also take regular classes in chess, and get points for it that contribute to the final exam notes, they wrote. Chess trains your memory and teaches you precise and thorough thinking - and the basis in needed discipline to acchieve that. And since school should be about a bit more than just later jobs, I think that cannot be too bad. Also, as the article already said, it is a sports and game that is EXTREMELY popular in Armenia. Also, there are many analogies possible between chess and the life in the world - and I mean more than just the obvious links to military strategy.

Americans finding it alienating may reflect for a moment that to us Europeans it is even more alienating that you can get access to highschools and universities just because you play good in a ball game, let's say basketball.

Hm, something tells me chess might be one of your hobbies...
(your profile for example )
But whattayaknow SkyBird, I completely agree with you this time.
I see countries spending money on way less useful things all the time. And 1,5 million, even for a country that poor isn't that much, and it's money well spent imo.

One analogy that comes to mind is that while playing chess (mind you I'm not an expert, but I like the game) I always have the feeling that every move I'm planning on making, has already been done before and my options are limited. But the truth is, there are millions and millions of possible outcomes, and each move can take a game in a completely new direction.
Kinda like life; one might feel bound by certain rules or customs, but there are always countless options and choices to make that you might not see at first. Don't know if that makes any sense but there's my $0,02