Does attention improve through the practice of chess? A systematic review.

Chess is often regarded not only as a sport, but also as a unique blend of art and science, requiring creativity, strategic thinking, and cognitive rigor. Popular belief suggests that chess can enhance attention and concentration, especially in children and adolescents. However, despite the widespread assumption of its cognitive benefits, particularly regarding attention, no systematic review has yet addressed this question directly. This review aims to fill that gap by examining the empirical evidence on the relationship between chess practice and the development of attentional processes.Using the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted in February 2025 across Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCO databases (including Psychinfo and Medline). The search included articles in English and Spanish, focusing on studies that evaluated attention as a distinct cognitive construct in relation to chess practice. After an initial pool of approximately 1,000 articles, rigorous screening and full-text assessment led to the selection of 25 empirical studies that met the predefined inclusion criteria.The selected studies encompass diverse populations and research designs, offering insight into how chess may influence attentional processes. This review contributes to the current understanding by identifying existing evidence, highlighting methodological trends, and discussing the implications for educational and cognitive training contexts. Further research is encouraged to clarify the specific mechanisms through which chess may impact attention and to address gaps in the literature.