Ahmedabad: Amid the growing use of mobile phones and digital screens among children, Children’s Research University (CRU) has planned a special initiative to promote concentration, logical thinking and strategic skills through chess. The university’s Balbhavan department will organise an Under-12 Children’s Chess Festival on Sunday.The festival will be held at Shishumandapam on the university campus in Sector-29, Gandhinagar. Around 300 young chess players from 22 districts of Gujarat are expected to participate in the event. The festival will provide children below the age of 12 an opportunity to test their concentration, calculation, decision-making abilities and strategic thinking over the chessboard.The competition has been divided into five age categories: Under-8, Under-9, Under-10, Under-11 and Under-12. The top three performers in each category will be honoured with trophies. In addition, the top 100 players will receive chess boards as gifts to encourage them to continue playing the game and make it a part of their daily routine.According to the university, chess can contribute to the overall development of children by encouraging them to think before making a move, formulate strategies and anticipate an opponent’s moves. Such activities can help develop concentration, patience, logical reasoning, problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities.The university said the festival is part of its efforts to promote sports and creative activities alongside education and encourage children to move beyond mobile screens towards intellectually engaging activities.The university said the festival is part of its efforts to promote sports and creative activities alongside education and encourage children to move beyond mobile screens towards intellectually engaging activities.
