What Have You Learned From Playing Games?

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Student Opinion

What Have You Learned From Playing Games?

The New York Times recently featured young stars in the world of chess. Are you a fan of the centuries-old board game?

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Ayden Spellman, 11, is one of the top young chess players in New York City.

By

Jeremy Engle

April 24, 2026,

5:02 a.m. ET

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Do you like playing games online or in real life? Do you tend to play digital games like Candy Crush, Madden NFL 26 and Fortnite? Or, do you prefer classics like Monopoly, dominoes or even tag?

There’s also the centuries-old game of chess — played with interesting pieces like the bishop, rook and knight on a board of 64 light and dark squares. Have you ever played chess? If so, are you any good?

When you think of your favorite games, what have you learned from playing them? Have they taught you anything about strategy, determination or the value of hard work? Do you think childhood games can prepare you for the future?

In “

A Day in the Life of New York City’s Young Chess Stars

,” Emily Belz writes about how children from New York schools are consistently winning national championships and why programs dedicated to teaching young people the game are booming:

Leah Cai, a 10-year-old from Ridgewood, Queens, picked up chess during the Covid pandemic as an alternative to her normal activity: “All I did was yell at my brother,” she said.

She doesn’t like homework. But chess? “It’s pretty peaceful,” she said.

Leah, along with 53 other students, attended an intensive chess camp over spring break this month. It wasn’t open to just anyone. Players needed a rating of at least 1200 from the U.S. Chess Federation to participate, about average for a

top first-grade player in the United States

, which was not an issue for Leah. With a 1625 rating, she is one of the top 20 players in the country for girls in her age group.

She arrived at camp, which was hosted by Impact Coaching Network, a group that teaches chess in many New York City schools, wearing lilac glasses and a T-shirt featuring the name of her school’s chess team, “the Dragons of P.S. 130.” She was preparing for a girls’ national competition in Chicago, which was just a few days away.

Leah’s day began with a formal tournament-style game using score books and timers, which counted toward her official chess rating. She won after about 30 minutes of play.

“It was pretty easy,” she said.

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Credit...

Sara Naomi Lewkowicz for The New York Times

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