About the Author: Broc Trammell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Thumos, a science-backed brain and gut health supplement company. A former Naval Special Warfare Operator and SWCC, Broc built Thumos alongside a fellow veteran after experiencing firsthand the cognitive toll of high-intensity military service. He is currently pursuing his MBA at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
If someone asked me to name the single best brain game I've ever played, my answer would be immediate: chess.
I've spent years pursuing high performance, from my time in Naval Special Warfare to building companies and leading teams. Throughout that journey, I've become obsessed with one question: How do we keep our brains operating at their highest potential for as long as possible?
The answer isn't found in a single supplement, technology, or training protocol. Brain health is multifaceted. It requires sleep, exercise, nutrition, stress management, and continuous cognitive engagement.
For me, chess sits at the center of that cognitive engagement.
While most people think of chess as a game, neuroscientists increasingly view it as a powerful form of cognitive training. It challenges memory, attention, pattern recognition, decision-making, strategic planning, emotional regulation, and mental endurance, all skills that play a crucial role in cognitive performance and healthy brain aging.
In a world increasingly concerned with brain health, cognitive longevity, memory improvement, focus enhancement, and neuroplasticity, chess may be one of the most accessible and effective tools available.
Why Brain Health Matters More Than Ever
Before discussing chess specifically, it's worth understanding why cognitive fitness has become such an important topic.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed every year (World Health Organization).
Meanwhile, researchers estimate that approximately one in nine Americans aged 65 and older lives with Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's Association).
These statistics highlight an important reality: brain health is no longer simply a concern for older adults. The habits we develop today influence how our brains perform decades from now. Fortunately, neuroscience has revealed something encouraging: the brain remains adaptable throughout life through a process known as neuroplasticity.
The Science of Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself by creating and strengthening neural connections.
For decades, scientists believed the adult brain was largely fixed. Modern research has demonstrated the opposite.
Every time we learn a new skill, solve a difficult problem, or engage in mentally challenging activities, we stimulate neural networks responsible for learning and adaptation.
Research published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience found that cognitive stimulation promotes neural plasticity and may contribute to cognitive reserve—the brain's ability to maintain function despite aging or disease-related changes (Park and Bischof).
In simpler terms:
The brain becomes stronger when it is challenged. That is exactly why chess is so powerful.
Chess Is a Full-Body Workout for the Brain
Unlike many games that rely heavily on reaction speed or memorization, chess simultaneously activates multiple cognitive systems.
During a single game, players must:
- Maintain sustained attention
- Recall patterns from memory
- Evaluate competing possibilities
- Predict future outcomes
- Manage emotions under pressure
- Adapt to changing circumstances
- Make decisions with incomplete information
Researchers using functional MRI imaging have observed activation across multiple brain regions during chess play, including areas associated with executive function, memory, attention, and problem-solving (Atherton et al.).
This makes chess unique because it trains several core components of cognitive performance at the same time. it's not simply a memory exercise, it's not simply a strategy exercise, it's a comprehensive cognitive workout.
The Power of Pattern Recognition
One of the greatest benefits I've experienced through chess is improved pattern recognition.
At first glance, a chessboard appears overwhelmingly complex. There are billions of possible move combinations, and beginners often struggle to understand what they should be looking for.
Over time, however, something remarkable happens.
The brain begins to recognize recurring patterns. Certain positions become familiar. Strategic opportunities become easier to identify. Decision-making becomes more efficient because the brain develops mental frameworks for organizing information.
Researchers studying chess expertise have found that experienced players are not necessarily smarter than beginners. Instead, they possess significantly larger libraries of stored patterns that allow them to process information more effectively.
This skill extends far beyond the game itself.
Pattern recognition influences nearly every aspect of life. Entrepreneurs recognize market trends. Investors identify opportunities. Leaders anticipate challenges before they emerge. Athletes react to changing conditions in real time.
In many ways, success is often determined by how effectively we recognize and interpret patterns.
Chess provides a structured environment for developing that ability.
Focus in an Age of Distraction
Perhaps the most valuable skill chess develops is sustained attention.
Modern life constantly competes for our focus. Smartphones, emails, social media platforms, streaming services, and endless notifications fragment attention throughout the day. The average person switches tasks dozens of times per hour, creating an environment where deep concentration becomes increasingly rare.
Chess demands the opposite.
A single lapse in attention can completely alter the outcome of a game. Success requires sustained concentration, patience, and deliberate thinking.
Research examining chess instruction has found improvements in attention and concentration among participants, particularly among younger populations. While chess is not a cure for distraction, it provides valuable practice in maintaining focus over extended periods of time.
As someone who spends much of my day making decisions, solving problems, and managing competing priorities, I view focus as one of the most valuable assets I possess. Chess serves as a regular reminder that attention is not simply something we have. It is something we train.
Chess and Long-Term Cognitive Health
One of the most compelling aspects of chess is its potential relationship to healthy brain aging.
A landmark study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that participation in cognitively stimulating leisure activities, including board games, was associated with a lower risk of dementia among older adults.
To be clear, chess does not prevent Alzheimer's disease, nor should it be viewed as a medical treatment. However, researchers believe that mentally engaging activities contribute to cognitive reserve, helping the brain remain resilient as it ages.
The concept is remarkably similar to physical fitness.
We do not exercise because it guarantees perfect health. We exercise because it improves our odds of maintaining health over time. The same principle applies to cognitive fitness. Every challenging conversation, every new skill learned, every strategic decision, and every chess match represents an opportunity to strengthen the brain.
Why Chess Remains My Favorite Brain Game
There are countless brain-training apps, puzzles, and cognitive exercises available today. What continues to draw me back to chess is its depth. The game never becomes easy. It never runs out of lessons to teach. Every opponent presents a new challenge, and every loss reveals opportunities for growth.
Most importantly, chess combines intellectual challenge with genuine enjoyment. It doesn't feel like work. It feels like play. That combination makes it sustainable, and sustainability is often the most important factor in any long-term health habit.
Why Thumos Complements Brain Games Like Chess
At Thumos, we believe that optimizing brain health requires a holistic approach.
Chess is an incredible tool for challenging the brain, improving focus, strengthening pattern recognition, and encouraging lifelong learning. But cognitive performance is influenced by far more than a single activity.
Sleep quality affects memory consolidation. Nutrition influences neurotransmitter production. Stress impacts attention and decision-making. Recovery determines how effectively the brain adapts to new experiences.
Brain games help train the mind, but understanding the factors that influence cognitive performance allows individuals to train more effectively.
That is where Thumos fits in.
Our mission is to help people better understand and optimize their cognitive health through evidence-based neurotechnology and brain performance insights. By helping individuals track and improve factors that influence focus, recovery, resilience, and mental performance, Thumos serves as a natural companion to cognitively demanding activities such as chess.
Imagine sitting down for a game of chess after a full night of restorative sleep, effective stress management, and a deeper understanding of how your brain performs at its best. The goal is not simply to become a stronger chess player. The goal is to build a stronger, healthier brain.
Chess remains one of my favorite tools for cognitive fitness because it reminds me that the brain thrives when it is challenged. Combined with a broader commitment to brain health, it becomes part of a much larger mission: preserving and strengthening the most important asset we possess for the decades ahead.
Add me on Chess.com – livethumos
Works Cited
Alzheimer's Association. 2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer's Association, 2025.
Atherton, Mark, et al. "A Functional MRI Study of High-Level Cognition. I. The Game of Chess." Cognitive Brain Research, vol. 16, no. 1, 2003, pp. 26-31.
Bilalić, Merim, et al. "The Mechanism of the Evolved Decision Making in Chess." Cognitive Science, vol. 32, no. 7, 2008, pp. 1248-1280.
Park, Denise C., and Gabriel N. Bischof. "The Aging Mind: Neuroplasticity in Response to Cognitive Training." Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol. 14, no. 11, 2013, pp. 805-810.
Sala, Giovanni, and Fernand Gobet. "Do the Benefits of Chess Instruction Transfer to Academic and Cognitive Skills?" Educational Research Review, vol. 18, 2016, pp. 46-57.
Verghese, Joe, et al. "Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly." The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 348, no. 25, 2003, pp. 2508-2516.
World Health Organization. Dementia Fact Sheet. World Health Organization, 2025.