Why playing games is important to stay fit

They bring best out of you for your real life — Explained with an example

From childhood, many of us are brought up thinking games are a pass time activity and sometimes to unwind ourselves from real life problems.

But, games possess a great power to improve both our innate talents and bring new talents to our skills catalog.

Its known that many of us consider chess to be a game of strategy. There are many board games in the world which are far simpler than chess but they build our strategic thinking process.

There are also many card games which are from a spectrum of simple to complex skill levels which shapes strategic thinking in us.

Mobile games, PC and console games are not less of a caliber when it comes to inhibiting new skills in us and honing existing skills.

In this article let me talk about one such game today:

Reversi:

Its a board game (Othello is another famous name of Reversi)

How it is played?

• Reversi is played on a board of 8x8 which looks similar to chess. but, with same color cells.
• Game is played by 2 players who chose from black and white colors. There are 64 discs which has black on one side and white on other side.
• At the center of the board 4 discs would be placed at the start (2 white and 2 black placed in diagonal position)

• Players take turn to block other players discs starting with the player who chose black.
• Once a disk is blocked, that disk reverse’s to opposite color. (this is the reason this game has name Reversi)
• Player with highest number of points after no player can make any further turns, wins the game.
• More detailed rules here

How does Reversi develop Strategic thinking?

Here is a brief introduction of how Reversi game will improve our strategic thinking. The development of strategic thinking can be progressed in several levels of rationality.

Rationality level 1:

• When players make a move, there are several possibilities which gives different outcomes. This makes players to think and rationalize options.

Rationality level 2:

• Sometimes when players need to make a move, there are several possibilities which gives same immediate outcomes, but different future benefits of capturing better number of discs.
• When the rationalization of these options run through mentally, players has to consider and compare scenarios of current benefits vs future benefits.

Rationality level 3:

• These scenarios are thought through to understand what other players reacts in response.
• When the other player responses are mentally ran through, then players start making the possible move to maximize the outcome.

Rationality level 4:

• After playing some games, players will start thinking which specific positions on the board to capture now, comparing all other options available so that the maximum benefit can be enjoyed later in the game.

The levels of rationality can be further more. Rationality of one player can sometimes force opponent players to make only a specific moves and restricts them to limited unfavorable options.

The following sequence of thought outcomes happens in the brains of players when they happen to play in any rationality level.

• Experiences small and interesting problems which makes them accept this a challenge that they love to solve.
• Solve it from level 1 rationality and get the sense of achievement
• Feed the belief system that they achieved this by solving a difficult problem.
• Explored and exercised those places in brain where their thoughts are required to work fast and efficient to be able to play and win the game.

Repetition of these steps continuously makes the players become consistently exercising those places of their brain activity which are required for strategic thinking.

It also helps players become structural thinkers.