Learning All the Right Chess Moves : Games: Club for youths pits top-rated players against three people at a time to help competitors build skills.

Alex Huff of Irvine paced between the three chessboards of his opponents Saturday, quickly making his moves. “Checkmate!” the 11-year-old called out, then shook hands with Justin Skliar, one of the challengers. It had taken just seven moves.

“Good game,” Alex said.

Justin, 10, of Brea walked away from the table, where Alex was playing several people simultaneously.

“He’s better than me,” Justin said. “You learn things when you lose.”

That was the point of the matches held Saturday by Chess for Juniors, a chess club for youth based in Garden Grove. Part of the learning experience was a chance for members to play two of the club’s top-rated players.

Robert Snyder, a chess teacher and owner of the 120-member club, said the day’s tournament with Alex and Mark Henderson, 13, another talented youth, were for practice as well as fun.

To improve the odds for weaker players, Snyder pitted his stronger competitors against three people at a time. He said many of the young challengers would not stand a chance of winning if they played one-on-one with either Alex or Mark.

“It gives my weaker players a chance to play against stronger competition,” Snyder said. “Yet it gives them (the stronger players) a handicap because they have to divide their attention among numerous games.”

Snyder, who offers a free beginners’ class on Sunday evenings, said that it is a misconception that chess is for “smart people.” Anyone can learn, he said, and it teaches logic, concentration, reasoning and planning ahead.

While Alex and Mark thought Saturday’s matches were just for fun, they agreed that playing chess has helped them improve their grades.

“It just helps you think so you get smarter,” said Alex, who is one of the highest-ranked elementary school players in the country. He tied for second place during a national competition held for his age group in April.

Mark, who tied for first place in this year’s regional chess championships for the Western states, agreed that playing more than one opponent at the same time helps to improve his concentration.

“I think for them to play against someone better than them will help them realize their mistakes by avoiding them” the next time, Mark said.

As for the beginners, they just want to become better.

Alex is “pretty hard--and I learned some of his tricks,” said Brian Davis, 10, of Cypress after losing two matches to him. “Everybody wants to win.”