The Effects of an 8-Week Chess Intervention on Cognitive and Academic Outcomes

from novices to masters.However, while chess has been widely adopted in educational settings worldwide, significant gaps remain in the empirical understanding of its cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional benefits for young learners, particularly in blended learning methodologies.Chess is a game of strategy and skill, a pedagogical tool educators have used to stimulate intellectual processes such as memory, attention, ABSTRACT Background.Chess is increasingly recognized as a potent educational tool for augmenting cognitive abilities and academic performance.However, empirical evidence among Vietnamese primary school students remains limited.Objectives.This study assessed the effects of an 8-week chess training program delivered through a blended learning approach on novice learners' cognitive functions and academic outcomes.Methods.Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, 62 primary school students (Grades 4-5; mean age ≈10.6 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=32) and a control group (n=30).The experimental group received weekly 60-minute chess sessions combining face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated activities, covering chess fundamentals, tactics, endgame techniques, and opening principles.Pre-and post-intervention assessments measured academic performance via the School Performance Test (SPT), attention (short-term and minute-focused), and memory.Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, t-tests, and Pearson correlation analyses.Results.The experimental group exhibited significant improvements in SPT scores (6.21 ± 0.34 to 8.02 ± 0.42; F=6.314, p=0.021) and short-term focused attention (45.34 ± 3.67 to 69.98 ± 4.12; F=4.897, p=0.042).Minute-focused attention (11.32 ± 1.45 to 17.23 ± 1.78; F=5.427, p=0.033) and auditory word memory showed marginal gains, whereas changes in literary creativity and digit memory were insignificant.Conclusion.The findings indicate that blended chess training substantially enhances primary students' specific cognitive skills and academic performance.