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Good news for chess players.
Recent research found chess grandmasters live more than a decade longer than the general population.
“The results of our study debunk the myth chess grandmasters live short lives. In fact, they live longer – up to 14 extra years compared to the general population (particularly in countries such as Russia, where life expectancy is relatively low),” the study’s authors wrote in an article for The Conversation.
It turns out, the longevity of chess players can be likened to Olympians.
“The figure from our paper shows survival rates relative to the general population increase with time for both groups and at similar rates,” they wrote.
How does playing chess increase longevity?
While it’s thought that intelligence is linked with longevity, “the evidence of the link between IQ and one’s ability at board games such as chess is inconclusive.”
The fact that grandmaster chess players experience the same longevity as an Olympian is surprising, but researchers believe other factors might be at play, such as the type of lifestyle that comes with each of these professions.
“Attaining the exalted grandmaster title may increase life expectancy through psychological, social or economic boosts,” authors added. We found grandmasters in Eastern Europe had a higher survival relative to the general population than those in North America and Western Europe. So it’s plausible the income and social status from being an elite player are greater there.”
Checkmate!
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