What is Recreational Mathematics and how does it relate to chess?

By | April 6, 2025
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The fascinating world of Recreational Mathematics at the February 2025 Discussion Group Meeting

Tiago Hirth definitely has the passion and enthusiasm to spark interest in mathematics. And how does that relate to chess? Through games, puzzles and engaging challenges, which all require problem-solving skills and a kind of mindset that is willing to dive deep into the process of finding solutions.

As educators, if we can present these activities in a fun and engaging way – just as Tiago demonstrated – we take an important step toward nurturing the next generation of creative problem solvers.

Discussion Group Meeting February 2025
What is Recreational Mathematics and how does it relate to chess? 
Guest speaker:
Tiago Hirth (Portugal) – Researcher I CIUHCT, Ludus

Tiago Hirth, Ph.D, is a maths & science communicator, researcher and educator. His main interests are Recreational Mathematics, Magic and Games. He is a member of the Inter University Center for History of Science and Technology (CIUHCT) and works with Associação Ludus, popularizing and promoting mathematics, among others, through the Circo Matematico project, which he jointly funded a decade ago. He does various consultation works for school book publishers, recreational mathematics foundations, and science centers. He believes that play is serious and that mathematics is the greatest game of them all.

Read a blog post about the latest Recreational Mathematics Colloquium (RMC), organized biennially by the Ludus Association in Portugal. Mathematical insight often emerges from playful exploration

Moderator: Tatiana Flores (Germany)  
Tatiana Flores is an international chess journalist and an enthusiastic chess player. She speaks several languages (German, Spanish, English, Catalan, French, Italian and basic Japanese) and has a wide knowledge and understanding of global culture. This has enabled her to work for chess sites such as ChessBase, Chess.com, the German Scholastic Chess Association and many others on different topics, in different languages.

In 2021, she became the Women’s World Chess Champion among the Disabled. Together with her colleague Laura Schalkhäuser, they started an inclusivity project, “Offenes Fenster” (The Open Window), in 2024. This project aims to foment the right of accessibility for chronically ill and disabled people in the chess world.

Tatiana is very interested in chess’s social and educational potential and their benefits, thus, the ECU Education Commission is happy to invite her to moderate the monthly Chess in Education Discussion Group Meetings. You can find out more about Tatiana and her work on her official website: https://tatianaflores.de/en/home/

Read Tatiana’s Meeting Notes from the Discussion Group in February 2025

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Every last Wednesday of the month, the ECU Education Commission holds a Discussion Group Meeting for chess educators to share knowledge and experiences and discuss ideas on various topics related to Chess in Education. Discussion Group Meetings allow participants to learn from each other and gain new insights through different perspectives.

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Category: Discussion Group Meeting

About Brigitta Peszleg

Secretary, ECU Education Commission 2024 - Teacher Trainer I, ChessPlus, ECU 2021 - Training and Event Manager, ChessPlus 2019 - Chess Educator, Chess in Schools and Communities 2019 - I hold a degree in Education Sciences and have worked in education since 2006. Drawing on my educational background and years of intensive chess play, I began teaching chess in primary schools in 2015. I currently teach chess across primary schools in London through Chess in Schools and Communities. Alongside my teaching, I contribute to the wider Chess in Education movement through my work with the European Chess Union Education Commission and ChessPlus. My role focuses on promoting Chess in Education globally, leading training initiatives, facilitating professional discussions and supporting a growing international community of chess educators. I am passionate about designing and developing educational resources and continually exploring innovative, classroom-ready approaches that enhance learning through chess. I am also a co-author of the Chess and Strategy Games in the Classroom Educational Programme and Training Course, and have trained many teachers across the globe throughout the years. In addition, I am involved in organising international events, including the London Chess Conference and the London Strategy Games Festival, which contribute to the advancement and visibility of Chess in Education worldwide.