The city's future grandmasters are getting their heads in the game.
The Chess in the Schools tournament is held every Saturday for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Organizers say the tournament gives students a chance to exercise their minds.
Kids say they like learning how to knock out their opponents while learning some important life lessons.
"It feels like I'm doing something good, that I'm doing something to my memory and my brain, and making my life happy," said chess player Cesar Mejin.
"I learned from it a lot. For example, when one piece is going to attack the other, and the other is attacking another piece you can't decide which one, you have to decide which one is more important," said chess player Uriel Flores-Garcia. "For example, saying which one of my friends are more nice to me, this one or this one is more evil to me."
"These kids choose to play chess and use their mind and use their, you know, everything to think ahead, plan ahead and come here and do this," said Shaun Smith, director of the school program for Chess in the Schools.
Chess in the Schools is free for students in participating schools.
Find out if your school qualifies at chessintheschools.org.