With school out for the holiday, many students spent the day battling wits at a chess tournament.
Around 800 kids squared off in the Columbus Day Chess Challenge at PS 11 in Chelsea.
The event was organized by "Chess in The Schools," a group teaches it to inner-city students as a way to improve academic achievement.
Some participants explained how they take their skills from the chessboard to the chalkboard.
"Chess teaches you to like focus and like pay attention to what the opponent does so it can actually help you with your school work," said one player.
"I think it's good because we get to practice chess at the same time and get help for our subjects like for example Math or other subjects we have a problem with," said another. "And you get to get new friends and meet new people."
Some winners earned spots to next month's World Chess Championships here in the city.
For more information on the program, visit its website.