In a wide-ranging examination of chess, David Shenk uncovers the hidden
history of a game that was invented in India around 500 A.D. and seems
more popular than ever today.
From its enthusiastic adoption by the Persians and its spread by
Islamic warriors, to its 21st century importance to the development of
artificial intelligence and use as a teaching tool in inner-city
America, chess has been a omnipresent factor in the development of
civilization.
Research shows that brain is much like the body — it needs
continual activity to remain strong and supple and fight off the
predations of old age.
And researchers have determined that chess is uniquely
well-suited to "exercising" the brain. It is simple to play, but offers
nearly limitless variation.
It requires memory, problem-solving skills, abstract thought,
and creativity. And it turns out that the people who play it regularly
in their older years — along with related activities like crossword
puzzles — are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and related
conditions.
source: ABC News Article
“chess is uniquely well-suited to ‘exercising’ the brain”
I think the journalist is embellishing here. Do they really mean that chess is the single best brain exercise? Other games such as Go and Bridge also require memory, problem-solving, abstract thought, and creativity. How about geometry puzzles, or other “outside the box” riddles.