Holmes, who coaches at East Chapel Hill High, said he wants the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board to begin paying chess coaches at schools. He also wants local districts to follow in the lead of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg schools, which are spending close to $100,000 this year to teach students chess. "It says something that the school system values chess enough that they give this wad of money to give instruction," Holmes said. "[Chess] is a great tool for helping people develop concentration skills. It's abstract thinking -- thinking about what's coming."

more from The Sun Herald Wish we had such a program here in Malaysia. :(