DECODING GENIUS
The Unexpected Lessons of After-School Chess Club
COMING SOON TO AMAZON
COMING SOON TO AMAZON
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What if genius has been hiding in plain sight?
For the child who thinks differently, chess may be the arena that finally fits. In Decoding Genius, Dan Shapiro shows how chess helps kids build focus, confidence, resilience, creativity, and decision-making beyond the board.
But the lessons go far beyond childhood. Decoding Genius is also for readers chasing a mental edge — people who want to think more clearly, perform under pressure, stay sharp, and understand how memory, strategy, patience, and preparation shape better decisions.
Not every child finds confidence on a field, stage, or court. Download a free parent-focused companion featuring excerpts from Decoding Genius and see how chess helped Dan Shapiro’s son build motivation, confidence, focus, and resilience in a way that finally fit how he thinks.
What If Your Child Needs a Different Kind of Arena?
Praise for Decoding Genius
MEDIA & PRESS FOR DECODING GENIUS
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From the Book:
“I remember sitting in the dorm room with my fellow students watching the James Bond movie From Russia with Love. That movie has a scene where an assassin from Bond’s nemesis criminal organization, SPECTRE, played a tense, methodical game of chess in an opulent setting among numerous spectators, and it hit me square in the face.
If you want to show someone is highly intelligent, you show them playing chess. Everyone understands this or believes it on an almost instinctual level. Chess has this reputation that it produces geniuses and that geniuses are drawn to chess. The assassin was an evil genius, to be sure, but that didn’t change the basic concept: aptitude at chess equals a brilliant mind.
I was no chess player, but I was fascinated by the idea of chess as a litmus test for brilliance. Why were chess players considered to be so smart? Where did that idea come from? And was it even true?”
About the Author
Dan Shapiro is a lifelong student committed to the pursuit of knowledge and new experiences. He has worked in the investment industry for nearly three decades. A volunteer and board member for many nonprofit organizations, Dan is a wine collector, home cook, musician, and vintage guitar collector. He is passionate about the game of chess, which he enjoys playing with his son, Harry. Dan lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two sons.
