ChessMath
Building new methodologies for teaching and learning math so that it is more accessible and enjoyable.
ChessMath is our structured program integrating chess directly into mathematics instruction, replacing traditional lesson time with purpose-built chess-based activities.
The program spans the full mathematics curriculum across numerous domains, and contains dedicated material which follows students from primary, to middle and secondary school.
Primary School
Students begin by learning the chess pieces one at a time, with each piece introducing a new mathematical concept. A pawn becomes a lesson in counting and addition. A rook introduces multiplication. The board itself becomes a coordinate plane, a number line, and a geometric surface. Alongside structured lessons, students engage with chess puzzles — spatial challenges using arrangements of pieces that build logical reasoning before formal mathematical language is introduced.
Middle School
Coordinate systems, probability, fractions, and first-degree equations are taught through chess scenarios that make abstract relationships visible. Buyer Chess — an example of one of our unique lessons — uses the numerical values of chess pieces to build and solve equations. This turns algebra into a game of strategic exchange and makes mathematics easier to conceptually grasp and understand.
Secondary School
At secondary level, ChessMath covers the full mathematics curriculum: vectors, trigonometry, and combinatorics to statistical analysis and advanced problem-solving. The Scale Method, a structured problem-solving framework we developed, teaches students to investigate patterns and test logical conclusions – all in service of building the habits of mathematical thinking that extend far beyond the classroom.
Here is an example to demonstrate the ideas in practice:
We start by assigning each chess piece a numerical value.
A teacher then asks:
” If you have thirteen points to spend, which combination of pieces could you buy? “
The students then place a barrier along the center of the board, putting their purchased pieces in places where their opponent cannot see them. Then the game begins.
Throughout the lesson the students get a feel for mathematics in action: it becomes physical, instead of an abstraction.
We call this Buyer Chess. It evolves through the age levels, where it reappears in middle school with the introduction of variables.
The teacher then might say:
” You have 13 points to buy with. If you start with a piece that costs X points, how many points do you have left? “
Now we have an equation: (13 – X)
The evidence is consistent across contexts, age groups, and countries. Chess-based mathematics instruction produces measurable improvements in mathematical performance, understanding, and confidence.
Skak+mat controlled trial
Classes replacing one weekly math lesson with chess scored 30% higher than control classes on math assessments.
Led by Prof. Michael Rosholm at TrygFonden’s Children’s Research Centre, Aarhus University. The strongest study in the portfolio by methodological design — an RCT with randomised assignment.
Evaluation of FGU Moves®
Young people participating in FGU-Moves found math lessons 67% more enjoyable, 55% easier to understand, and 69% felt that they had improved their ability to concentrate.
FGU (Forberedende Grunduddannelse) is a preparatory education program in Denmark designed for people under 25 to enhance their skills before pursuing further education or entering the workforce.
Louise Gaudreau – Benefits of Chess in Mathematics
The group of children who were taught chess and mathematics was 21.46% better in problem-solving, 12.02% better in terms of mathematical understanding, and their problem-solving skills increased from 62% to 81.2%.
Conducted in New Brunswick, Canada, with 437 participating fifth graders.
Chess as a Solution to Mathematical Decline in Schools
Societies, particularly Western ones, are facing an increasing problem of students’ lack of improvement in Mathematics. See Sotiria Grek’s work examining the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in Europe as well as Hanushek, Peterson, and Woessmann’s work looking at trends in student performance in the United States for more information.
This paper is a comprehensive literature review on the transferability of chess mastery to other disciplines such as mathematics. It finds that there is a statistical difference in the results of students being taught chess, but notes that this difference could be attributed to placebo effects.
What is important to note is that the Chess Learning Institute is focused on teaching mathematics with chess, not chess mastery itself. This pedagogical approach is what makes us confident in our results, despite there existing academic literature stating the contrary.
