Damien High chess coach John Imperial had to turn three chess players away from last Friday's scholastic tournament at Aliamanu Intermediate. They were needed at football practice, he said: "These are starters!"

Sure, outside the chess world, it doesn't sound cool: Two people staring at a board and moving pieces, then tapping a clock. But these days, even the cool skaters who frequent APB 'A'ala Park Boardshop can grab a pickup game on a roll-up board at the shop — though "we only allow certain people," said manager Rob Carlyon. "One of our friends is really into chess, and he lets us borrow (the board)."

Inside the chess world, it's even cooler that top-ranked girl player Marissa Wai was invited to play at grandmaster Susan Polgar's Chicago tournament last August, winning half her matches.

The game has its celebs. When Hawai'i's young national champ, 15-year-old homeschooler Robert Lau, finished a nail-biter game against up-and-comer Punahou's William Chen he was promptly accosted by a pretty, younger girl with an outstretched chess book, seeking his autograph. Lau visibly blanched but sheepishly obliged.

Cool or not, chess teaches strategy, logic, even manners.

Friday's tourney drew 136 players, "the largest ever," reports organizer Guy Ontai, including top-ranked players and novices. So Hawaii Chess Federation president Randy Prothero placed a premium on etiquette, asking spectators to keep reactions to themselves as moves were made on the board.

Greater life lessons abound, too, Prothero explained later: "At beginner's classes, we teach them how to win and lose. That's the character-building part of this. It's easier to teach them how to lose than how to win, to keep the smile off their faces."

More than 50 boards were set for Friday's open round, with clocks facing forward toward officials. Between rounds, rows of skittles (pickup games) were played for fun. Novice and open categories of the tournaments ran concurrently.

Once a player gains competence, he or she — with plenty more males than females in the open category — gets bumped up out of novice and into the open category.

Chess moms were out in force, though there was a whole contingent of chess dads, too, stacked up three deep behind the nail-biter game of the day, the midafternoon matchup between national champ Lau and Punahou's William Chen at the No. 1 board. Both lost games before the tourney's end.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about chess tournaments is how it brings order to chaos. The cafeteria is filled with long, picnic table-style seating (round just doesn't work, organizers explain), and looks like a school lunchroom just before the bell rings.

Just like at a soccer match, every parent becomes an Everyparent. "Don't run!" one father admonished a child not his own.

The moment each game round started, a hush fell over the crowd. All heads bent as in prayer. By the end of the day, the tension increased as undefeated players continued to battle.

The best players scribbled down the moves they and their opponents made: These scorecards will be important when the state championship is played at the end of the school year.

More and more girls are taking to the boards these days. They tend to be the sisters of chess players, though the novice side of Friday's tournament had quite a few more pink T-shirts than in years past.

One is Avery Walsh, a Hongwanji Mission School sixth-grader. Her brother, a sophomore in college, taught her.

"She begs us to play," said mom Sara. "I say, 'I've gotta cook dinner' and she'll say, 'Just a quick game!' "

Private chess coach Reynolds Takata says Hawai'i's chess program is remarkably strong.

"With the competitive system we have in place both locally and nationally, chess has really come in as a sport. ... The playing field is different. Show up at a tourney and you can play. ...

"There's broad appeal, an old game, it's very competitive. It doesn't matter about gender, physical stature or size. Anyone can play and be the best."