Chess is one of the oldest games in the world, a battle of minds where every move is intentional, every sacrifice calculated, and every victory earned through foresight and adaptability. It’s not just a game—it’s a way of thinking. It’s a framework for life. Those who treat life like chess stay ahead. Those who play checkers—reacting without thinking ahead—find themselves stuck, trapped by the next obstacle life throws at them.
I’ve been leaning into this idea more lately, recalling how my dad taught me chess when I was six. He never let me win. When I finally did, he retraced my steps to make sure it was real. It was. That moment stuck with me. It taught me that life, like chess, isn’t about winning every single time—it’s about adjusting, anticipating, and staying steps ahead. That mindset applies to everything: finances, career, investing, education, and even navigating policies that threaten progress in psychology and research funding.
The History and Evolution of Chess
Chess is one of the oldest and most strategic games in the world, dating back over 1,500 years. It originated in India around the 6th century under the name Chaturanga, which was a war game that included four divisions of the military—infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots—represented by what later became pawns, knights, bishops, and rooks. From India, the game spread to Persia, where it was called Shatranj, and after the Islamic conquests, it made its way to Europe through Spain and Italy around the 10th century. By the late Middle Ages, it had evolved into the modern chess we know today.
Chess is a game of pure strategy, where two players control 16 pieces each and battle across an 8×8 board. The goal is to checkmate the opponent’s king—meaning putting it in a position where it cannot escape capture. What makes chess fascinating is how it blends tactics (short-term plays to gain an advantage) with strategy (long-term positioning and planning). It mirrors life in so many ways, whether it’s patience, foresight, adapting to challenges, or even knowing when to sacrifice something for a greater gain.
Over time, chess has become more than just a game—it’s been used in war planning, psychological studies, artificial intelligence research, and even as a metaphor for politics and business. The greatest players, from Bobby Fischer to Magnus Carlsen, are revered not just for their skill but for their ability to see ten, twenty moves ahead—like grandmasters of strategy, not just chess.
Chess vs. Checkers Thinking in Real Life
Your Chessboard: Navigating Career & Finances in Uncertain Times
The goal is simple: stay financially stable and keep moving forward in your career—even when the economy or job market seems unpredictable. But like in chess, life isn’t played in a straight line—you have to think ahead, adapt, and position yourself wisely.
The Pawns (Small Daily Financial & Career Decisions)
Pawns might seem insignificant, but over time, these small, daily decisions build your foundation. Budgeting, networking, staying sharp with your skills—these are the little moves that pay off big in the long run.
Cutting unnecessary expenses, even the small ones, strengthens your position.
Learning new skills or certifications adds long-term career value.
Consistently saving, even a little, gives you a safety net.
These moves don’t feel powerful in the moment, but they protect the bigger pieces down the road.
The Knights (Unexpected Financial or Career Challenges)
Knights move unpredictably, just like life’s unexpected challenges: layoffs, recessions, or emergency expenses.
A checkers player might panic and scramble. A chess player has already built an emergency fund, updated their resume, and found side income streams to ride out the storm. When the knight jumps in, you’re ready to sidestep and keep moving.
The Bishops (Long-Term Financial & Career Planning)
Bishops move diagonally, cutting across the board in unexpected ways. They represent long-term career decisions and financial planning. Investing in assets like index funds or real estate, choosing careers with stability and growth potential, and making strategic career shifts—these are moves bishops make.
They don’t react impulsively—they position themselves ahead of time for long-term success.
The Rook (Your Backup Plan & Strong Financial Moves)
Rooks move in powerful, straight lines. They represent bold, strategic moves that protect your financial and career stability.
Having a secondary income stream, like freelancing or investing, so you’re not dependent on one source of income.
Strengthening your emergency fund so you’re never cornered into making desperate financial choices.
Making sure your resume and professional network are strong so, if needed, you have options.
Rooks make decisive, strong moves—they don’t scramble.
The Queen (Your Most Valuable Asset: Adaptability)
The queen is the most powerful piece on the board. In life, your adaptability and mindset are your greatest assets.
If jobs in your industry are disappearing, pivot.
If inflation rises, adjust your budget.
If investments take a hit, stay calm and think long-term.
A checkers player reacts to every setback. A chess player stays flexible, knowing the game is far from over.
The King (Your Ultimate Goal: Long-Term Financial & Career Security)
The king is what you’re protecting at all costs—your long-term stability.
For career, this means prioritizing moves that lead to growth and security, not just short-term rewards.
For finances, it means building a strong savings account, passive income streams, or diversifying your investments to always have options.
The king should always be your focus—everything else supports your financial freedom and career growth.
When it comes to investing, understanding the game of chess can separate you from those who lose their life savings in the market and those who have found the stock market to be one of the greatest ways to build wealth. I wrote two articles using the chess analogy for this series, which you can find below.
The Chessboard of Investing: Getting Rich Without Hurting Others
The Chess Analogy: Rational Investing in a World of Emotional Markets (Part II)
The Chess Mindset for College Students
For college students, life is like a chessboard. Balancing studies, part-time jobs, and planning for your career requires strategic thinking.
The Pawns: Daily habits—studying, networking, and managing your time—might seem small, but they lay the groundwork for future success.
The Knights: Obstacles, like failing a class or financial struggles, need quick thinking and adaptability.
The Bishops: Long-term plans, such as applying for scholarships, internships, or research opportunities, position you for success after graduation.
The Rook: Building a solid resume, engaging with mentors, and having a career plan provide structure and direction.
The Queen: Adaptability means pivoting when necessary, adjusting academic plans or career paths as life changes.
The King: The ultimate goal is to graduate with minimal debt, a strong career path, and meaningful connections.
A checkers-minded student crams for exams last minute, hoping for the best. A chess-minded student plans, adapts, and positions themselves for long-term success.
Applying Chess to Low-Income Individuals
Life on a tight budget can feel like playing a game with no real chances of winning. But the chess mindset can help break the cycle and build a better future.
The Pawns: Budgeting, finding community resources, and prioritizing essential needs.
The Knights: Preparing for the unexpected—whether that’s job instability or an emergency—by building backup plans.
The Bishops: Investing in education, learning new skills, and seeking long-term job opportunities.
The Rook: Accessing financial aid, negotiating pay, and utilizing assistance programs as structured financial moves.
The Queen: Adaptability—finding new income streams, relocating if needed, or continuously upskilling.
The King: Financial stability and breaking the cycle of poverty—achieving a better life.
A checkers-minded individual reacts to every crisis. A chess-minded individual plans ahead and makes moves that set them up for future success.
Psychology Concept: Delayed Gratification and Strategic Thinking
A key psychological concept that aligns with chess thinking is delayed gratification, which refers to resisting immediate rewards in favor of longer-term benefits. This concept, studied in the famous Stanford Marshmallow Experiment by Mischel et al. (1972), found that children who were able to wait for a larger reward had better life outcomes, including higher academic achievement and financial stability.
Applying this to life strategies:
A checkers player spends impulsively, seeks instant success, and avoids long-term planning.
A chess player saves money, invests time in education, and makes sacrifices now for a stronger future.
Understanding how impulse control and strategic foresight contribute to success reinforces why thinking ahead—like a chess player—leads to better career, financial, and personal outcomes.
Checkers vs. Chess: The Mindset Shift
A checkers player lives paycheck to paycheck, reacts emotionally to job market changes, and lacks financial backup plans. A chess player prepares for uncertainty, builds financial resilience, and always has multiple career or income options ready.
In uncertain times, you don’t need to predict the future—you just need to play the game better than everyone else.
P.S. Playing checkers is fine and I love checkers but I prefer chess when I am thinking about life and the moves I need to make for the future.
The Broke College Student 
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