Nine-year-old Isaac Bittner has found the right moves to keep his brain power in check. The third grader has become quite the talented chess player and has won several awards recently, including a second-place tie performance in a statewide tournament.
The son of Shawn and Brandi Bittner, Isaac started playing chess in first grade through an after-school club offered at Julia P. Bryant Elementary School. The club meets weekly and is guided by a parent or teacher chess coach.
Shawn’s chess-playing as a young child encouraged him to ask Isaac if he was interested in joining the club. When his son showed interest, Shawn taught him the basics of the game at home before attending the early meetings.
“He and I play a couple of times a week to keep him fresh, to go over tactics to expand his knowledge of the game,” said Shawn. But with a chuckle, Isaac’s dad added, “It was getting to where he was beating me every time; I had to go back and relearn so that I could be a challenge to him.”
His dad is not the only one Isaac bests at chess. Isaac holds the record of placing first in the region for the 2015 and 2016 season and he recently tied for second at the Phillip Taylor Georgia State Championship held at Emory University in Atlanta.
Isaac’s trophy collection from competitions won is into the double digits with his shelves boasting ten trophies in just three seasons.
The first year was not stellar, however, and that actually served as the impetus to up his game. Mom Brandi said, “He didn’t do well in his first season. He didn’t like that. We noticed he had a natural talent, but there’s a lot of studying and practicing to go along with the talent.”
Study and learn techniques, practice, play often. It paid off for Isaac.
“I like that I have a talent for the game,” said Isaac. “Chess makes me think; it puts a lot of concentration in your mind. I like the challenge and competition.”
Though Isaac likes winning, he admitted the importance of continuing to learn and improve. “I like to play others that are better than me,” said Isaac, “because it gives me a harder challenge.”
Isaac often plays against middle-schoolers, like chess players from William James. At a competition just for fun held in Swainsboro, the East Georgia College Invitational, Isaac played a middle school champion and won.
Isaac may be too young to realize all of the benefits of the game of chess, but his parents are certainly aware. “Chess helps with academics, especially math. Scientists claim that playing chess can improve mental age by up to 14 years as it develops both the left and the right side of the brain,” said his mother, Brandy.
“Scientists have proven that playing chess helps keep Alzheimer’s at bay, as well as help with attention improvement, strategic thinking and cognitive ability.”
It must be working with Isaac – he’s on the school math team, plays the piano and enjoys soccer and fishing.