As I was a chess Jock in highschool, I found myself beating girls off with a stick that my football play¡¯n friend¡¯s should have (stereotypically) had a legal right too. Besides the enormous popularity one develops once they begin playing with plastic bishops in their spare time, I¡¯ve found that chess teaches or echances the following skills;
¡¤ To optimize environment & utilize resources to fullest potential
¡¤ Work under pressure
¡¤ Anticipate response
¡¤ To concentrate full attention on task and hand
¡¤ To keep track of dynamic strategical interface open to X# of possibilities
¡¤ To become a master from novice
¡¤ To plan in advance & maintain awareness several heartbeats (or minutes)
ahead of present
¡¤ To develop a keen eye for weaknesses in opponent¡¯s (analogous to anything in life) defenses
¡¤ To devise multiple & equally plausible methods of breaching defenses
¡¤ Divergent thinking
¡¤ TO improve individualized thought
¡¤ To develop an impressive ability to judge opponent¡¯s style of
playing & psychological depiction by inductive & deductive analysis when considering only a brief amount of responses to provoked moves ¡¤ To become an aggressor
¡¤ To develop creative thinking
¡¤ To forge decent bluffs, to call other¡¯s bluffs
¡¤ To spot, set & spring traps
¡¤ To kill or protect 7 birds w/ one stone
¡¤ To develop a hierarchy & elevated sense of priority
¡¤ To understand, appreciate & eventually master sequences
¡¤ To learn to protect your weaknesses w/ available resources
¡¤ To meet new friends & relieve stress

Author's Bio: 

I'm a young (20, but sometimes 40)entrepreneur and CEO of the Q organization, a student at Virginia's Polytechnic Institute and state University; unfortunately, they do not offer dipolmas in Renaissance, for I am insaitably curious. I will be financially independent by 2003 and I need to find more things to keep me busy. If you're an interesting character, feel free. Circumbent@yahoo.com