Chess “tricks kids into better study habits”, says noted local author

By Eric Norberg

The Bee, Apr 1, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Portland attorney and successful author Phillip Margolin, shown here, is also the founder of the Northwest’s “Chess For Success” program in Title I elementary and middle schools. It was about that that he addressed the S.E. Portland Rotary Club in Woodstock on Monday, March 2nd.

Eric Norberg / THE BEE

“Chess For Success is not a chess program — it’s an education program to trick kids into learning study skills,” explained noted local attorney and author Phillip Margolin before the S.E. Rotary Club in Woodstock on March 2nd.

Margolin, now retired from a criminal law practice in the Rose City that brought him before the U.S. Supreme Court on at least one occasion, in 1992 started “Chess For Success” as a pilot program in the Portland Public Schools. It worked, and has spread to 86 schools in 16 school districts and 3 states.

Margolin revealed to the Rotary group that his own study skills in his youth were terrible, and he didn’t start to get good grades until he himself started playing chess. Today, he said, kids have short attention spans and often have low self esteem — especially in the Title I schools on which the program concentrates. Learning and playing chess addresses both problems successfully for the 40+ students participating in each school. The program is open to all students in each school in grades 1 through 8.

The cost? “It’s the most conservative cost-effective program in the universe,” assured Margolin: “About $75 per kid per year.” And all of that is raised by the program itself; Title I schools pay nothing, and in fact Chess For Success even pays the teacher that administers this after-school program. Other schools, public and private, can obtain the materials and plans for a nominal sum as well. The program’s Internet website is: www.chessforsuccess.org.

Although worldwide well under 10% of all chess players are female, Margolin added, 37% of all Chess For Success students are girls, and there are many female coaches in the program. “We had the largest all-girl chess tournament in the United States, last year,” he said.

Margolin has such successful mysteries as “Heartstone” and “The Last Innocent Man” to his credit as an author, as well as 8 more New York Times best-sellers. “The Last Innocent Man” was made into a movie filmed in Portland. He still resides in Portland.

The Southeast Portland Rotary Club meets weekly for lunch and a community-oriented program each Monday noon (except on national holidays) at Country Bill’s Restaurant, S.E. 45th and Woodstock Boulevard. Guests are always welcome. The club’s Internet website is: www.SoutheastPortlandRotary.com.

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