Will playing chess help me regain the cognitive skills I lost

I recently took up chess in order to hone my analytical skills, skills blunted by years of smoking marijuana.  Will I be able to regain clarity of thought and mental sharpness by playing this fascinating game, or is this a futile endevour that only graps at what is irrevocably lost?

Ask Lenny.

There's no evidence pot smoking causes long term brain damage.  All you have to do to regain full brain function is stop smoking it.

playing chess will increase your mental capabilities, its good to play chess than smoke pot

Probably better asked of neuro and/or phsychological speciallists than here.  However, presuming that you are living the straight and narrow, and put in some regular work, it probably falls in the class of 'it can't hurt and will probably help'; discipline, concentration and focus....the side benefits will likely outpace the development of your game.  Those are good things, and probably true for 90%+ of all players anyway.  I would think that age could possibly be the greatest limiting factor to maximum potential.

Just enjoy the game and take the benefits that come with it - whatever they may be.

I agree, but it will bother brain development untill 21 or something.
Chess can't be bad in any case.

Only a daily, life-long regimen of methamphetamines can give you the mental rebirth you so desperately seek.

Not even a little bit funny.

Ha, that's an unusual question!  I actually used to know a lot of potheads who played chess, often both simultaneously.  They were of the opinion that they played better under the influence because it allowed them to look more deeply into a position... but in my opinion, they played worse, because they missed more easy tactical threats.  I think research backs me up on that, though I certainly couldn't find the study.

At any rate, as mentioned, there's a lot of evidence that chess will improve your cognitive skills.  Whether the brain cells lost to marijuana are irrevocably gone is a topic for a different forum, I think.

CapnBrent - good thread. I have considered this for many years as the reason for my lack of heavy concentration. Now, based upon the documentary about Susan Polgar and presonal reflection, I think that chess abilities are weighted toward the visual storage capability of the brain - recongition of patterns. Through the years, I have worked through my concentration issues and have found that my mental makeup such as behaviors, quirks and such are more of an issue than recreational drug use ever was.

Good luck in your quest.

Which one, chess or marijuana? :)

both.

     The only way to really get your analytic skills back is to take some acid.

It has been proven that a little LSD really helps humans dissect and analyze

all complicated and structured elements, like chess, more effectively.  Your

game will never be the same!

Private message sent, Brent.

I started playing chess because my family has a history of Alzheimers.  I won't find out if it works until I'm old... and if it doesn't, then I wouldn't remember anyways. :)

Take up chess to increase mental abilities?  Sure.  Take up Chess, I say, NO... don't do it!!!  Don't play this game!  Its a curse.  It will take up all your time and pull you away from the ones you love.  This game is never ending and nobody has ever really mastered it.  A continuing spiral of loss,doubt,vicotry,and confidence.  Listen to me when I say this, LEAVE THIS SITE NOW OR ELSE YOU WILL BE DOOMED FOREVER!!!!  YOUR SOUL... IT TAKES YOUR SOUL!!!

kthxbye

Boog.

That may be true, but it's hard to concentrate when the purple elephant keeps giving your opponent hints, while the pieces keep walking around where they schouldn't stand and your pieces have all colours of the rainbow!

I stopped playing chess while impaired because I made alot more stupid blunders. Now I get high less because often I would rather play chess. Scary that I find chess more addictive then drugs :)

Also when I started taking computer programming and logic classes at school I had to cut back on my smoking because I found that even when I'm not actively solving a problem I find myself thinking about it. I often come up with solutions to problems at random times and I found that when I was high I had trouble concentrating, also sometimes I would find a solution to a problem and then forget it later when I was sober.

So while I don't know for sure I would say that it is likely that playing chess might help get reasoning skills back ... provided you are not still high.

D_Blackwell: Very Funny indeed!

CapnBrent: You did not lose any analytical skills by smoking pot. You just didn't use them as much, keeping you out of practice. There are plenty of pot smoking chess players out there, just look at anybody in the Wu Tang Clan.

Even if the braincells you have lost are lost forever - playing chess will help you develop the braincells you have towards maximum potential.

From a cognitive psychology perspective I think you will find that neurons that fire together bond together. While it is possible to re-bond neurons it is a long and difficult process that requires you sticking to it. The brains potential to heal itself is not fully understood. The fact that you are concerned about regaining lost braincells indicates you still have a functional brain with plenty of cells. Ceasing drug consumption and doing healthy brain games such as chess, puzzles, etc will only improve your abilities.

It's never to late to improve. My hat is off to you!

Cheers!