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Chess has increasingly found its way into primary school curricula, promoted not as a pastime but as a cognitive training tool. Advocates point to studies suggesting the game strengthens working memory, since players must track multiple pieces and anticipate several moves ahead. It also demands pattern recognition, as recurring board configurations signal opportunities or dangers that experienced players learn to spot quickly. Teachers report that chess encourages patience, because impulsive moves are quickly punished, and this restraint sometimes carries over into classroom behavior. Critics counter that evidence linking chess to broader academic gains, such as improved mathematics scores, remains inconclusive and that time spent on chess could displace other subjects. Nonetheless, many schools continue to offer it as an elective, citing enthusiasm among students who might otherwise disengage from structured learning.