Chess, Character, and the Reordering of Our Values

By Chris Major

President, Novato Chess Club

As I get older, I find myself thinking less about success and more about purpose.

That may sound strange coming from someone who spent much of his life around competition, athletics, achievement, and performance. But the truth is, somewhere along the way, I realized that what matters most is not what you win — it’s who you become and how you help others along the way.

That’s where my heart is right now with the Novato Chess Club.

I recently had a long conversation reflecting on life, mentorship, community, and where we want this chess program to go in the future. What keeps coming back to me are the simple lessons I learned growing up — especially from my father and from people like him.

My father used to tell me:

“Boy, don’t get yourself wrapped up in all that hoopla.”

That was his word — “hoopla.” All the division, the noise, the anger, the political fighting, the separation. He’d tell me:

“Be good to all the people on your way up.”

And another one that stayed with me my whole life:

“The only color this country really cares about is green.”

At the time, as a young kid, I was so literal I remember thinking, “Who’s green?”

But what he meant was simple: if you develop yourself, work hard, build skills, and become valuable to your community, you can create opportunities for yourself and for others. Don’t let bitterness or victimhood define your life. Don’t let the outside world convince you that you can’t rise.

That perspective shaped me deeply.

Today, I worry that too many young people are growing up without grounding. They’re surrounded by noise 24 hours a day — social media, division, anger, pressure, distraction, and constant comparisons. Everybody is selling something. Everybody is branding something. Everybody is trying to convince you they’ve discovered something new. But as my father also used to say:

“There’s nothing new under the sun. It’s just repackaged and sold differently.”

That’s why I keep coming back to simplicity.

Charity. Patience. Humility. Hard work. Discipline. Service.

To me, those values matter more than ever.

And strangely enough, chess teaches many of those same lessons.

Chess forces you to slow down and think. It teaches accountability because every move has consequences. It teaches resilience because you lose games, make mistakes, and have to recover. It teaches independent thought in a world where many people simply react emotionally to everything around them.

Most importantly, chess teaches self-determination.

That word has been on my mind a lot lately.

I think one of the great challenges facing young people today is figuring out who they are before the world tells them who they should be.

When I worked in education and special education, I saw firsthand how environment shapes expectations. If children grow up never seeing people around them going to work, building careers, serving others, or leading communities, then why would they believe those things are important or possible?

But when young people are surrounded by leadership, discipline, encouragement, and examples of people striving toward something meaningful, their entire outlook changes.

That’s part of what I hope the Novato Chess Club can continue to become.

Not just a place to play chess.

A place where kids learn how to think.

How to compete with integrity.

How to lose gracefully.

How to lead.

How to mentor younger students.

How to become grounded human beings.

Because at the end of the day, I’m less interested in creating champions than I am in helping create good people.

I recently attended a gathering for, a new school (Chesterson Academy) trying to build something rooted in values, discipline, and character. One phrase they used really stayed with me:

“Our goal is not to make successful CEOs. Our goal is to help make saints.”

Now, whether you interpret that spiritually, morally, or philosophically, I think the core message is important. We have to reorder what success means.

Our society has spent decades teaching people that happiness comes from money, status, and achievement alone. But many people who achieve those things still feel lost.

Real fulfillment comes from purpose.

From service.

From relationships.

From becoming someone others can depend on.

That’s why I’m excited about where the Novato Chess Club is headed. We’re continuing to expand outreach efforts, including upcoming visits and chess donations to youth organizations in Evanston, Illinois. We’re trying to use chess not just as a game, but as a bridge — bringing people together, building confidence, and helping young people believe in themselves.

I truly believe we are entering a period of “reordering” in America. Skills, discipline, work ethic, and character are going to matter more and more. Young people need guidance now more than ever. They need mentors who are willing to speak honestly to them and help prepare them for a competitive and rapidly changing world.

That’s why I remain hopeful.

Every day I see young people walking past my home here in Marin, and I think to myself:

These kids could become anything.

Leaders.

Teachers.

Tradespeople.

Engineers.

Artists.

Parents.

Community builders.

But they need people around them who believe in them and who remind them that their choices matter.

Chess gives us one way to do that.

One move at a time.

– Chris Major

Novato Chess Club

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