One Month to go for new Journal Launch

Above: Frank Niro, Managing Editor of the Journal of Chess Research, reviews the manuscript, specifications and pricing of the special preview issue of the new journal with Misti Drury, customer service representative for the printing company.

Article courtesy of the International Society for Chess Research

The new Journal of Chess Research will be released at a special ceremony in St. Louis on October 26, 2014. The date coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dutch psychologist, Dr. Adriaan de Groot, who is considered around the world as the “father of chess research.” Approximately 40 guests will attend the ceremony, including at least a dozen members of the journal’s prestigious editorial board, as well as representatives of the world governing body of chess (FIDE), educators, and chess leaders from around the United States.

The Journal of Chess Research is the first international scholarly journal that focuses on research related to the game of chess across all academic disciplines. In a recent interview concerning the new journal, managing editor Frank Niro, speaking for the entire editorial team stated, “We are pleased and honored to be selected by the Board of Directors of the International Society for Chess Research to spearhead the launch of this new scholarly publication. We sincerely believe that the journal will appeal to an international audience and will fill a niche in the academic marketplace.”

The new journal plans to publish original theoretical and empirical research based on a variety of perspectives and disciplines - offering a platform for exploring a wide range of chess-related topics including education, psychology, computers, aging issues, cheating, social capital, business strategy, cognitive development, intergenerational awareness, leadership, and statistics. “Beyond that,” Niro said, “it is our hope to work as a stimulus for interest and resources that will trigger further research into health-related topics such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism and Alzheimer’s Disease.”

It is no coincidence that the journal is launching with a “preview issue” on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Adriaan de Groot. Not only was he the chess research pioneer who analyzed how chess players approach problem solving in the 1930s; he was a key member of the IBM project team in the 1990s that developed the chess playing algorithm for Deep Blue, the multi-processer computer that defeated World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. And for the 60 years in between, he continued to refine his research, publish his results, study, teach, play chess, and even produce his own CD of piano improvisations.

The Journal of Chess Research is the official publication of the International Society for Chess Research. For more information, please consult the journal website: http://www.chessresearch.org/
Mailing address: Journal of Chess Research, 3735 Palomar Centre Drive, Suite 150, Lexington, KY 40513

Membership and subscription information is on the Society for Chess Research website: http://www.chessresearchsociety.org/
Mailing address: Society for Chess Research, P.O. Box 93, Wellston, Ohio 45692

JOURNAL OF CHESS RESEARCH EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

William M. Bart, PhD, University of Minnesota
Jana M. Bellin, MD/WGM, Sandwell General Hospital (England)
Arthur Bowman, PhD, Norfolk State University
Ian Brooks, PhD/ICCF GM, University of Illinois
Christopher Chabris, PhD, Union College
George A. Dean, MD, University of Michigan
Robert Ferguson, PhD, American Chess School
Fernand Gobet, PhD, University of Liverpool (England)
Guillermo Isidron, MD, University of Havana (Cuba)
Gyorgy Kende, DMS, National University of Public Service (Hungary)
Kenneth A. Kiewra, PhD, University of Nebraska
Danny Kopec, PhD/IM, Brooklyn College
Tamara V. Korenman, PhD, Saint Xavier University
Yona Kosashvili, MD/GM, University of Tel Aviv (Israel)
Peter Maher, PhD, Webster University
Alexander Matros, PhD/IM, University of South Carolina
Joseph G. Ponterotto, PhD, Fordham University
Kenneth W. Regan, PhD/IM, SUNY Buffalo
Alexey Root, PhD/WIM, University of Texas at Dallas
Graham D. Rowles, PhD, University of Kentucky
Loren Schmidt, PhD/FM, Heritage University
Julian Z. Schuster, PhD, Webster University
Balint Sztaray, PhD, University of the Pacific
Martha Underwood, PhD, University of Arizona
Ravi Varadhan, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Grandmaster Lev Alburt, New York, NY, author, chess teacher, former U.S. Champion
Ms. Amy Bowllan, Concordia University, NYC, Emmy winning journalist
Dr. Neil Charness, Florida State University, active researcher on chess and aging issues
FIDE Master Leontxo Garcia, Madrid, Spain, international chess journalist
Grandmaster Efstratios Grivas, Athens, Greece, FIDE Trainer’s Commission
Prof. Manuel Guillermo Nieto, Colombia (SA) Sch. of Engineering, International Arbiter
Grandmaster Susan Polgar, Webster University, former women’s World Champion
Grandmaster Ken Rogoff, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, former U.S. Champion

"Journal of Chess Research" launches this fall

Quote of the Day - "All too often in the international chess community many benefits of chess are assumed without any empirical research to support such claims. The problem is that there is a definite need to collect data systematically to determine what all of the benefits of chess are. The international chess community is in the enviable position to foster much needed research on chess and its many benefits." - William M. Bart, PhD, University of Minnesota

A new peer-reviewed academic magazine known as the Journal of Chess Research will be begin publication later this year with support from the Susan Polgar Foundation. As a result, empirical research that tests, extends or explores current theory concerning the benefits and scientific implications of the game of chess will be available in a single location.

Presently, there are no scholarly journals that relate specifically to chess research. Previous articles concerning chess research have appeared sporadically in other disciplines and many of these important articles have not been translated into English. Some researchers have remarked that little has been accomplished with respect to scientific research in chess, and what has been done is difficult to identify and retrieve. The articles that do exist continue to be fragmented, poorly cross-referenced and are not centrally indexed to facilitate review and further research. The Journal of Chess Research will bridge that gap.

William M. Bart, PhD, professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota, is known in the chess world as co-author of the 2003 “Functional MRI study of high-level cognition. I. The game of chess,” published in Cognitive Brain Research, 16, 26-31. Currently, Dr. Bart teaches a college level course entitled “Chess and Critical Thinking.” In accepting his appointment to the 20-member Editorial Board of the new Journal, he remarked:
"All too often in the international chess community many benefits of chess are assumed without any empirical research to support such claims. The problem is that there is a definite need to collect data systematically to determine what all of the benefits of chess are. The international chess community is in the enviable position to foster much needed research on chess and its many benefits."

As a result of these factors, a new world-wide organization known as the International Society for Chess Research (ISCR) has been formed. The

Journal of Chess Research has been designated as the official publication of the new group and will be available to all ISCR members as part of the annual membership fee.

The Journal of Chess Research will be published quarterly in Lexington, Kentucky, and distributed to university libraries, academicians, chess players, researchers and other interested parties both in printed and electronic formats. Each issue is intended to contribute broadly to awareness and understanding of the impact of chess on human development, psychology, cognition, philosophy, sociology, aging, business strategy, education and technology. Manuscripts that make strong empirical and theoretical contributions to the field of chess-related research will be solicited from scholars throughout the academic community, both in the United States and abroad, and will not be tied to any particular discipline, level of analysis or national context.

The Editorial Board, consisting of distinguished educators and physicians from five different countries, will review all articles in advance in order to ensure that contributions to the field meet rigorous academic standards, exhibit technical competence by researchers and topical relevance. Literature reviews will be accepted, at least initially, to generate a meaningful overview of the current status of chess research on a variety of topics such as chess in education, chess and mathematics, chess and cognitive development, chess and self esteem, chess and Alzheimer’s Disease, etc. Articles not previously available in English may also be accepted, if appropriate.

According to Dr. Joseph Ponterotto of Fordham University, also a member of the Journal’s Editorial Board, “The Journal of Chess Research will be open to multiple methodologies, including qualitative research, field and case studies, life story analysis and so forth, in addition to traditional quantitative and experimental research in various combinations. Many chess studies previously published in cognitive and experimental psychology journals are difficult to understand for the average student and scholar of chess research. The articles in the new journal will be published with the goal of being accessible and reader-friendly, to the extent possible, to a wide audience."

In addition, the Journal of Chess Research will provide an information and referral network to connect researchers and learners and to assist those seeking results and interpretations of research findings. This network will be supported by an interactive and engaging web site, scheduled to be unveiled in June, where profiles of personalities involved with chess research and links to copies of articles from all over the world will be available for examination and download.

Frank Niro, President of Chess Journalists of America, will serve as the Managing Editor of the new publication. Mr. Niro is a member of the adjunct faculty at Cornell University where he teaches Strategic and Business Planning in the Graduate Health Administration program. He is former President of the U.S. Chess Trust and is an award winning writer and editor.

Relevant articles between eight and twenty-five pages that conform to the style guidelines contained in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition (APA-6) will be accepted on an ongoing basis. For articles written in a language other than English, abstracts that are translated into English may be submitted. If accepted for publication, the editorial staff will work with the author to get the entire article translated and consistently formatted.

All papers will be reviewed by the Editorial Board and notifications of acceptance will be made to the authors within 30 days of submission. Following acceptance, authors will be given an additional 15 days to submit a final manuscript. Deadlines for receipt of manuscripts for upcoming issues are as follows: Preview Issue – May 9th; Issue #1 – August 8th; Issue #2 - November 7th; Issue #3 – February 6th; Issue #4 – May 8th; Issue #5 – August 7, 2015.

Manuscripts should be attached in a Microsoft Word document and transmitted via e-mail with the subject heading Journal of Chess Research to the Managing Editor: editor@chessresearch.org. Charts and images should be compatible with Adobe Design Standard CS6 software such as InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. The Journal of Chess Research will be available in both print and digital formats. No fees will be charged to potential contributors.

Inquiries concerning membership in the International Society for Chess Research, proposals, abstracts, web site content and other matters should be mailed to the publication office at: Journal of Chess Research, 3735 Palomar Centre Drive, Suite 150, Lexington, KY 40513.

Click on image to enlarge.

BENEFITS OF CHESS

The Benefits of Playing Chess, according to information collected by the Susan Polgar Foundation are as follows:

Improved test scores and academic achievement
Better mental clarity and overall health
Verbal reasoning skills as well as numerical aptitude
Enhanced creativity, concentration and critical thinking
Increased confidence and self-esteem
Development of memory skills
Ability to patiently plan ahead
Understanding the consequences of actions taken
Perceiving a situation from the other person’s perspective

The Cognitive Benefits of Chess are listed below:

Develop analytical, synthetic and decision-making skills, which young people can transfer to real life.

Learn to engage in deep and thorough chess research to help build confidence in their ability to do academic research.

Help children gain insights into the nature of competition which will help them in any competitive endeavor.

When youngsters play chess they must call upon higher-order thinking skills, analyze actions and consequences, and visualize future possibilities.

In countries where chess is offered widely in schools, students exhibit excellence in the ability to recognize complex patterns and consequently excel in math and science.

The above information concerning the benefits of chess was presented at the SPF fundraiser at the Hungarian Consulate in New York City, May 2013.

Journal of Chess Research web site

International Society for Chess Research web site

Announcement on Susan Polgar Daily News and Information

Chess Benefits in all areas!

regator.com backlink

LIST OF EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS