DS12 has been playing chess competitively for about 4 years now. We are starting to see some significant benefits that we didn't think about when he started, that I wanted to share with the community.
1. Develops ability to think/study for many hours without tiring. When my son started, he would get mentally exhausted after two games that were up to an hour long. Now a single game can last up to six hours (in some national tournaments), and he can play two of them per day. He may fade some at the end of the second game, but he can probably go 8-10 hours per day of intense thinking.
2. Tests become easy. DS took the SAT last fall to qualify for Johns Hopkins SET. He found the 3 hour 45 minute exam "very relaxing", because that wasn't very long to concentrate, and he was allowed to take 3 breaks during the test.
3. Mental toughness. Chess has taught DS how to lose and stay composed. I know that competitive sports also provides the same benefits, but chess can be a good supplement/alternative for non-athletic kids.
There are other benefits as well, but #1 and #2 above were particularly unexpected.
