Checkmate!(Letters)(Letter to the editor)

So much of what we do as lawyers is trying to predict the next moves of our adversaries and the impact of our own strategic decisions. It turns out, one of the world's oldest games may be the best tool to make us and the next generation of lawyers smarter and better equipped for the rigors of representing our clients.

For the past few years, I have been promoting the benefits of scholastic chess in our community. I started by supporting chess clubs, but soon realized we needed to move chess into the classroom. After an amazingly successful pilot project in Sunrise, the Broward County school system launched the "First Move" program countywide, teaching chess in the classroom to over 30,000 second-and third-graders.

Tied to the curriculum, they are learning more than a game. Then, the National Scholastic Chess Foundation began teaching mentors to provide support to community-based chess programs. Local lawyers participated in these mentor workshops. Our collective work on these and other initiatives led to the City of Sunrise being named by the United States Chess Federation "Chess City 2015," joining a long and impressive list of large cities receiving this honor.

The reason for all this work is what I have seen firsthand in our schools and communities. Students who, based upon traditional measurements, may not be characterized as high achieving often excel at chess and find new inspiration in the classroom. Others who have difficulty focusing on exams develop skills through playing chess that result in far greater determination and focus in the classroom.

My law firm partner, Walter "Skip" Campbell, and other attorneys throughout Broward County have joined in the effort to bring chess to all students. We are not focused on tournaments and trophies...