Why chess and Sudoku captivate many autistic people – and what it really means
Chess, Sudoku, Tetris – these games attract many autistic people in a way that stands out. However, this is not because they are easy, but because they have clear rules and patterns: All the information is on the table, the rules always apply and no other player suddenly changes the conditions of the game. If you constantly have to think about what a facial expression means or what was meant between the lines, you get something rare in such systems – predictability.
Why rule-based systems have such an attraction
Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen describes this with the term systemisation: the need to analyse and understand rule systems and use them to predict what will happen next. This tendency is particularly pronounced in many autistic people – which of course explains why chess clubs, programming courses and math olympiads attract a disproportionate number of spectrum members.In addition, many autistic people recognise details in an environment more quickly than the overall context – an ability that is directly useful in pattern recognition. If you are looking for a hidden triangle in a complex picture, you will find it faster if the brain prioritises details instead of immediately constructing an overall picture.
What this means in everyday life – and what it’s better not to do
A child who barely participates in group work can be absorbed in a logic puzzle alone for an hour. There is no contradiction here, because this is the same person under different conditions. Such moments can be used: Games that someone likes of their own accord can be used to build concentration, practise frustration tolerance and learn how to solve problems – under conditions that feel safe.
What this does not mean, however, is the assumption that every autistic person is automatically good at patterns and puzzles. Research only describes tendencies and not guarantees for individual children. Some are good at it, some are not. Finding this out without creating pressure of expectation is the real first step.
More from JuCare?
The JuCare newsletter regularly provides in-depth insights into autism – straight to your inbox.
If you are looking for specific support, the JuCare autism therapy page provides more information on how individualised support can be provided.
