The challenges facing this generation in the new millennium will be about solving global issues. An explosion in science and technology occurred in the past twentieth century making it impractical for schools to continue basing their curriculums on memorizing content alone. We know this about the 21st century- our students will need to be comfortable with change and the handling of new information. These are numerators of curriculum because of their variability.
Chess is a game which requires disciplined and systematic thought.
It takes structured thinking and helps train the mind to search for patterns and that is why we spend some time each year teaching its finer points. For students, content flows much easier when linked to play, not as a reward but as the engine for learning. There is often motivational power to be tapped inside well developed simulations. Once the parameters of a simulation or game is established, students are free to create and adapt their learned skills to overcome obstacles. Adapting to one's environment in order to solve problems is really the best measure of intelligence.