I always pretty keen on self improvement. Mladen wrote that part of his efforts to become a better developer would include playing more chess. In one of the comments, Lee Richardson suggested trying Go instead. Under the heading of ”Cognitive benefits”, the Wikipedia article on Go suggests:

The game purportedly increases usage of both hemispheres of the brain, in contrast to other games (such as Chess), which are primarily “right or left brain” games, and it also may reinforce the neurological connection between the hemispheres. This multi-dimensional play is supposedly the result of the combining of pure numerical calculation and an intuitive spatial awareness.

I like little mental exercises (sudoku, logic puzzles, Reversi/Othello, programming :)). Especially ones I can do (chess not really falling into this category, arguably not programming either ;)). So I’m going to see how I go with Go. :)