In Amdavad (Ahmedabad), I stay at the Dada Bhagwan Foundation ashram. A neighbourhood uncle, loves playing chess. And while I don’t play the game often, I do have a penchant for it. So the uncle looks out for me to play the game whenever I am there.

He plays chess daily. Often more than one game a day. One day, he gave me a longish paper with a list of life lessons one can gain from playing Chess. I was amazed at it.

Here I share that list with you,

#1 Utilize resources

#2 Combine resources

#3 Abide by the rules of the game

#4 Know natures of resources

#5 No luck – Only choices not chance for each move

#6 Can not delay / withdraw action once taken

#7 Value of each piece and value of place

#8 Compulsion of situation – Accept sanjog (situation)

#9 Opportunity once lost is lost

#10 Plan – Do – Check – Act

# 11 Alertness – be aware of traps, threats, weakness, strengths and opportunities

#12 Specific focus on battle, overall focus on war

#13 Patience

#14 Sportsman Spirit

#15 Develop Optimism

#16 Right time & right action

#17 Sequence of actions

#18 Flexibility & mobility

#19 Alter plans when needed

#20 Learn from mistakes

#21 Learn to drop ego. Play for process enjoyment not for ego boosting

#22 Accept defeat gracefully. Congratulate opponent.

#23 Initially learning is boring. But later on becomes joy.

#24 Ignore trivials. Focus on vitals.

#25 Learn to sacrifice to gain higher gain

#26 Interlink of forces, places and situations

#27 Openness to chances / opportunities / scopes

#28 Develop will & zeal to win

#29 Calculation of strategies and risks

#30 Offense is the best form of defense

#31 To learn to pin down / inactivate pieces and moves

#32 Learn about double moves and forking

#33 Learn diversion tactics

#34 सा विद्या या विमुक्त ये – It is really a skill which frees

#35 Learn problem solving

#36 Not to underestimate opponent

#37 Makes one wise

#38 Great help to deal with real world

#39 Swadharm (Our duty)

#40 Adhyatm maate dhyaan (cultivates awareness on spirituality)

Earlier I didn’t take this too seriously. I mean Chess is only a game after all. And I wondered whether the uncle was getting too intellectual, as in, “too much mind”. But later on, I got a deeper glimpse into his thinking and decided that I have no reason to judge this. In point #34 he says, “it is a skill that frees”.

King Janaka got enlightened with one foot on the stirrup as he was mounting his horse. So why not someone else in that little moment when the mind is single focused on their next chess move? 😉