HEREFORD and South Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman is urging more children to enjoy the benefits of chess after going head-to-head against the world’s greatest ever player Garry Kasparov at the House of Lords.

Norman joined three other members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Chess for a specially arranged simultaneous display against the former world No.1 as part of the 6th London Chess Classic.

And it was not just Norman and his colleagues looking to get the better of Kasparov with four pupils from London schools leading the charge for the younger generation.

Recent surveys by the Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC) found pupils as young as seven should be given compulsory lessons in chess amid claims it boosts concentration levels, numeracy and reading comprehension.

“Chess is a marvelous game to play and it’s always a pleasure to play,” said Norman.

“There’s certain artistry and a beauty about a good chess game and that makes it an amazingly addictive and fun thing to do. I’d encourage people to get involved.

“I’ve played a role in getting chess into schools in south Herefordshire which is my constituency and it’s been very widely welcomed by the schools that have taken it up.

“It’s had a great effect on the young people who have done it and I don’t think there is any doubt that the skills required to play chess are skills you can use in many other aspects of your life.

“It’s a source of great self discipline, it requires a lot of practice and study so it’s a good thing for a young person to take up.

“I played a gamble and I got beaten by Gary as a result, but those are the breaks. It’s a great privilege for me and the children to play him.”

Research has shown that chess – which is already part of the curriculum in some nations – can dramatically improve pupils’ levels of concentration, boost problem-solving skills and develop their thought processes.

And Kasparov, who became the youngest ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985 at the age of 22 and was ranked world No. 1 for 225 out of 228 months, believes the efforts of organisations such as the CSC show how important chess can be.

“This is a great initiative and I have been promoting this idea of having chess as part of the education system around the world,” said the Russian.

“And I am very happy to see the success Chess in Schools and Communities has had so far because it just shows that everyone can see the benefits – parents, headmasters, students and eventually the overall public.

“The benefits of kids playing chess at an early age is quite obvious, it improves their communicative skills, it helps them to appreciate the big picture, to see the outcomes of their actions, they can recognise patterns.”