The Relationship Between Chess Thinking and Financial Competence: Cognitive and Behavioral Aspects

Abstract

The article examines the relationship between chess thinking and financial competence through cognitive and behavioral perspectives. The relevance of the topic is determined by the growing need for educational tools that develop not only academic knowledge but also forecasting ability, self-control, strategic planning, and responsible decision-making. The purpose of the study is to provide a theoretical justification of the mechanisms through which chess practice may contribute to the development of prerequisites for financially competent behavior. The methodological framework includes an interdisciplinary approach, logical and analytical methods, comparison, systematization, and generalization of scholarly sources on cognitive development, financial literacy, self-control, and behavioral economics. The study demonstrates that chess thinking has a functional affinity with several components of financial competence, including the evaluation of alternatives, forecasting consequences, impulse control, decision-making under uncertainty, planning, and responsibility for outcomes. It is shown that chess can shape cognitive and behavioral prerequisites for financially literate behavior, although it does not replace direct financial education. Based on the analysis of the literature and the synthesis of statistical evidence, the paper proposes a model of transition from chess-related cognitive practices to elements of financial competence. The practical significance of the findings lies in the possibility of integrating chess-based methods into financial literacy programs, economic education, and self-management skills development. Prospects for further research are associated with the empirical testing of the proposed model on different age groups.