Submitted by Les Anderson
Checkers you say!
When one mentions the game of checkers the first thought that comes to mind is the board game with the little round discs that became a common Christmas present for children during the forties, fifties and well into the nineteen seventies.
Little did the gift givers and parents know, the game of checkers is one of the oldest board games known to mankind. Depictions of the game of checkers have been found on cave walls and on the walls of tombs of the ancient kings of Egypt predating the birth of Jesus Christ by 3,000 years.
Yes, even the game of chess was a derivative from the ancient game of checkers, as were many other board games that appeared and vanished throughout history.
The game of checkers was once used for military officer training because of the game’s structure of sacrificing pieces to pull the enemy into irreversible traps.
Checkers is a game of concentration and strategy. In fact, more often than not, two equally skilled checker players will come to a game-ending stalemate.
In one international class A tournament in 1959 in St. Louis, Missouri, the best-of-three championship match could not be realized.
After 153 games of stalemates in the first match, the championship was called a draw.
It has been known for many years that playing the game of checkers is among one of the top five exercises for our brain. This is even more so and critically important for seniors.
Checkers stimulate both left and right sides of the brain at the same time. It maintains the brain’s ability to focus on a particular task.
For seniors, being regularly involved in games, such as checkers, has a multitude of valuable positives that slows down the brain’s aging process.
Dr. William Glasser, a renowned psychiatrist and psychologist who specializes in the power of positive thinking and brain longevity, states: “Our brains need exercise much in the same way an athlete trains his or her body.
“If we do not exercise our brain like we do our bodies, our brain slowly loses its ability to function.
“A lack of brain exercise can lead to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss and the ability to concentrate on any one aspect of our daily tasks.”
It is for this reason the Rossland Seniors Association will focus on reinstating more functions that target healthy brain and body programs.
Of course, chess and backgammon enthusiasts will always be welcome. In the end, it all depends how many people want to sign up for the games and exercises.
While we focus primarily on seniors as a seniors’ association, we do tend to lean towards an open-door policy for many of our activities.
Take note, we try to stay away from games of chance or luck…we can be persuaded, however.
If you are interested in our ongoing activities (such as checkers, stretching classes and bridge) please feel free to contact us.
Our doors are open to Trail, Warfield and the surrounding district’s citizens.
To join, call Les Anderson at 250-362-5532 or 250-231-4573; or just drop into our facility at 1916 1st Ave. in Rossland.