Card games have been a popular pastime for centuries and for good reason. They are fun, challenging, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. But did you know that playing card games can also have some real cognitive benefits?
In fact, there is a growing body of research that suggests that playing card games can help improve problem-solving abilities. Pranoto et. al. write in their 2017 article that playing a card game improves decision-making and problem-solving abilities, and players get accustomed to solving problems in a short time when playing the game.
Estrada-Plana et. al. write in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry that older adults who played card games on a regular basis had better cognitive function than those who did not play card games. Executive function is a set of cognitive skills that are essential for problem-solving, including planning, attention, and working memory.
How do card games help improve problem-solving abilities?
There are a few reasons. First, card games require players to use a variety of cognitive skills, including attention, memory, and reasoning. Second, card games often involve strategic thinking and planning. Third, card games can be challenging, which can help to stimulate the brain and promote growth.
The Benefits of Playing Card Games for Problem Solving
There are a number of ways in which playing card games can help improve problem-solving abilities. These include:
- Improving attention and focus: Many card games require players to pay close attention to the cards in their hand, the cards that have been played, and the cards that are still in the deck. This helps to improve players' attention and focus, which are essential for problem-solving.
- Boosting memory: Card games often involve remembering the order of cards that have been played, the cards that have been discarded, and the cards that are still in the deck. This helps to improve players' memory, which is another essential skill for problem-solving.
- Developing strategic thinking: Many card games require players to think strategically about their next move. This involves considering the current state of the game, the possible moves that their opponents could make, and the best way to achieve their own goals. This helps to develop players' strategic thinking skills, which are essential for problem-solving.
- Promoting creativity: Some card games, such as Rummy, Marriage, Poker, and Callbreak, require players to be creative in their use of the cards in their hands. This helps to promote players' creativity, which is another important skill for problem-solving.
- Visual-spatial skills: Card games often involve visualizing the cards that are on the table, as well as the possible outcomes of a game. This can help to improve players' visual-spatial skills.
Here are some of the other benefits of playing card games:
- Reduces stress and anxiety: Card games can be a fun and relaxing way to spend time. They can also help to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Promotes social interaction: Card games are often played with friends or family. This can help to promote social interaction and bonding in this day and age when people have been separated from each other for various reasons.
- Can be enjoyed by people of all ages: Card games are a great way to get people of all ages together and have fun.
These all lead to a sharper brain which we have discussed in our previous write-ups about the benefits of playing card games.
Choosing the Right Card Games for Problem Solving
Not all card games are created equal when it comes to improving problem-solving abilities. Some card games are more challenging than others, and some require more strategic thinking than others. If you are looking to improve your problem-solving abilities, you may want to choose card games that are more challenging and require more strategic thinking.
Here are a few examples of card games that can help improve problem-solving abilities:
- Bridge: Bridge is a complex card game that requires players to use a variety of cognitive skills, including attention, memory, and reasoning.
- Marriage or Rummy: Rummy is a card game that requires players to use their memory and strategic thinking skills to build sets and runs whereas Marriage Card game is a version of Rummy where players are dealt with 21 cards which means the players have to be attentive on several fronts like memory of what cards were thrown by other players so as to make the decision about which cards to keep and which to throw away while creating the necessary sequences or dublee.
- Solitaire: Solitaire is a single-player card game that requires players to use their problem-solving skills to clear the board.
- Callbreak: Callbreak requires strategy, memory, and attention, and also needs to read the mentality/psychology of the opponents so as to bid accurately, and play diligently to create an upper hand whether by winning one’s bid hands or not letting one’s opponents attain their bids. We’ve covered bidding strategies and the neuroscience associated with them in our blog titled Decoding Bidding Strategies in Card Games.
Playing card games can be a fun and challenging way to improve problem-solving abilities. There are many different card games that can provide these benefits, so you can find one that you enjoy and that fits your skill level. So, next time you are looking for a way to improve your cognitive skills, why not install Callbreak Legend or Marriage Card Game by Bhoos Games on your mobile device and enjoy it with your friends and family around the globe?