Objective:

Determine the effect of chess training on executive functions: planning, cognitive flexibility, working memory and inhibition by reviewing the scientific research literature in the last decade.

Method:

A search was carried out in the Web of Science, Scielo, Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases for the period 2012-2022, using the systematic review methodology.

Results:

Sixty-six articles were found and only thirteen that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. It was possible to identify relationships between chess and the four executive functions: inhibition, flexibility, working memory and planning, in addition to executive functioning in general.

Discussion:

The results have suggested that the systematic practice of chess contributes to the development of executive functioning. Because it is an easily accessible practice, its benefits could be taken advantage of by incorporating it into various educational scenarios.

Conclusion:

The majority of research from the last ten years provides evidence that allows us to demonstrate the hypothesis that chess practice is associated with better executive performance; there is also a single article that, on the contrary, rejects this relationship.