| Brainpower games are those games which exercise | | | | even at grocery-store check-out displays. Though it's |
| your mental capacity. My personal favorite is Chess, | | | | all about numbers, it isn't really about math skills as |
| but there are many others, some of which you | | | | much as it is about deductive reasoning. Like |
| probably already play or have played. Here is a look at | | | | crossword puzzles, it also has the advantage of being |
| a few of the more common ones and how they may | | | | a one-person activity, and a small book of these |
| help your mind. | | | | puzzles can be carried with you anywhere. |
| Crossword Puzzles | | | | Poker |
| For many years people have noticed that older folks | | | | Whether played for money or just chips, poker is one |
| who regularly did crosswords seemed to stay | | | | of the best of the brainpower games because it |
| mentally sharper as they aged, compared to those | | | | requires so many different kinds of mental skills. You |
| who didn't exercise their brains in similar ways. Recent | | | | need to understand probabilities and how to analyze a |
| research has supported this idea. As a mental | | | | hand in relation to all the other information you have. |
| exercise, one of the primary advantages of doing | | | | You need to be observant to gather that information |
| crossword puzzles is that it's a brainpower game you | | | | from the players around you. Learning to "read" other |
| can play by yourself. | | | | players is a big part of the game too. Poker is directly |
| Chess | | | | useful in training you for real life decision making, |
| Historically THE thinker's game, chess is not - contrary | | | | because it develops your intuitive grasp of what a |
| to what many think - just a left-brain analytical contest. | | | | "good bet" consists of. |
| Playing well requires both hemispheres of the brain. | | | | Boggle |
| Your left-brain will be analyzing possible moves and | | | | While not as popular as it used to be, you can still buy |
| predicting responses of your opponent. Your right brain | | | | a Boggle game in many department stores. It is a |
| will be grasping the spatial relationships on the board | | | | word game based on observation and fast thinking |
| and providing an intuitive grasp of good positioning. An | | | | more than vocabulary. Attempting to quickly find |
| interesting note: many top players are also musically | | | | words in the letters is great for training your mind to |
| talented, and handling music is right hemisphere function | | | | look for patterns. Once you notice an "s" for example, |
| in most people. | | | | you can look at every noun thereafter to see if the "s" |
| Scrabble | | | | can be connected to it to create another word and |
| You may think that this classic word game is all about | | | | more points. It is a vocabulary game in part, but decent |
| vocabulary, and it can really help you learn a lot of | | | | pattern recognition skills are the best advantage you |
| new words, especially if you play with an | | | | can have. |
| open-dictionary rule. But to really play well, you have to | | | | Some Other Brainpower Games |
| learn strategy. You have to figure out where to place | | | | The game of dominoes can be very analytical if you |
| your words, and how to make multiple words in one | | | | play it well. Card games like gin rummy are good for |
| play. A good understanding of how to score the most | | | | developing pattern-recognition abilities. The classic |
| points on each turn can make you a better player than | | | | board game, Monopoly, or the pricier "Cash Flow" |
| an opponent with a larger vocabulary. | | | | game by Robert Kiyosaki, are both good brainpower |
| Sudoku | | | | games, as well as being good for learning real estate |
| Sudoku has recently become very popular, with the | | | | investing principles and habits. |
| puzzle books appearing in most bookstores now, and | | | | |