Over the years, autism has become a central focus within our chess school, shaping our teaching practices and language. With guidance from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) tools, we’ve developed specific methods to help autistic children improve their focus and cultivate meaningful social behaviors, such as handling wins and losses gracefully, all aimed at enhancing their overall quality of life.

We’ve integrated techniques and strategies into our chess instruction to foster adaptive and functional behaviors, replacing challenging or inappropriate actions with positive ones. Our approach involves understanding the incredible minds of students on the autism spectrum and recognizing how they perceive the social world. Through chess, we help them cope with trading pieces, dealing with wins and losses, and learning through failure.

It’s no surprise that chess offers children with autism a unique way to concentrate intensely on a single board. The game is tactile, engaging their fine motor skills, whether they’re moving pieces physically or using a mouse. Its repetitive nature, with familiar patterns and shapes, provides comfort. Chess is a visible, straightforward strategy game that helps reduce sensory overload, allowing students to focus. This is why so many autistic children not only enjoy chess but excel in it, using the game to expand their skills.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) techniques can be highly effective in reinforcing positive behaviours and addressing challenges children with autism may face, such as maintaining focus and managing frustration, especially when teaching them chess.

At Smart Kids Chess we BREAK DOWN COMPLEX TASKS into manageable steps. Chess can be overwhelming with many rules and moves. By breaking down the game into small steps, such as learning how a single piece moves or practicing one opening move, children can build confidence and avoid frustration.

We BELIEVE IN A REWARDS TO BEHAVIOURS based approach as we gamify chess and give students points for their achievements and behaviour. So when a desired behaviour occurs, points are given to increase the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. For example, after completing a sequence of moves or showing good sportsmanship, the student could earn reward points they value, cash them in for prizes or extra chess playtime. We also believe in using prompts to guide the child toward a desired behaviour during gameplay, then gradually reducing those prompts as they become more independent.

But nothing is more important than learning how to take life’s hits and get back up and keep going – perseverance!  Children with autism may struggle with frustration when things don’t go as expected, such as losing a chess game. Teaching them how to express frustration appropriately (e.g., saying “I’m upset” instead of acting out) teaches appropriate behaviour to reduce behavioural challenges. We teach students to use phrases when feeling frustrated or overwhelmed during chess games, such as “I need a break” or “Can you help me?” This helps to reinforce their use of language cues by acknowledging and respecting their request.

At Smart Kids Chess, we use a myriad of techniques that are not limited to but also include: visual cues, visual schedules and visual timers, contingency management (cause and effect relationships), social situational practice, differential reinforcement and token economy rewards.

For children with autism, the benefits of chess go far beyond the basic rules of the game. They often grasp these rules quickly, but for parents, it’s the developmental aspect that matters most. Chess reinforces positive behavioral patterns, helps kids navigate the challenges of winning and losing, and provides a concentrated space where they can focus their social skills on a single opponent, practicing learned social behaviors in a safe, structured environment.

In essence, chess creates a “small world” for children with autism—one that is limited to 64 squares. The routine and structure of the game offer a sense of security. The teacher explains how each piece moves, how different rules apply, and how the pieces rely on one another. There’s a clear beginning, middle, and end—free from the overwhelming uncertainty of the broader world. In this predictable journey, the real magic happens: a smile, a spark of understanding, the beginning of a dialogue.

As they form patterns on the board and engage in silent communication with their opponent, autistic children begin to vocalize their strategic plans. They talk about their moves, how they plan to defend their king, and what options they see. Soon, they start making new friends, and social interaction becomes a natural, unconscious process. Through chess, they open up and engage with others without even realizing it.