‘‘Today is our first time coming to the Starbucks and watching the different players in the chess group.” Young said. ‘‘Yesterday we saw people playing, so we decided to learn more about the game.”

And what did they learn by watching members of the chess club playing? Patience, they said. The importance of taking your time between moves to consider what happens next.

And that is just what Fagan, a retired air traffic control officer, loves to hear.

‘‘My focus has been to help our youth become more effective thinkers,” Fagan said. ‘‘A lot of youth get in trouble today because they don’t consider the consequences of their actions. ... With chess you’re constantly thinking about your move but more importantly what happens if you make that move, so your always looking for options to make the right choice.

‘‘That applies to if a child is told not to talk in class by the teacher and they decide to do so what are the possible results of their action.”

The Forestville Chess Club meets weekly to offer those lessons. Fagan introduced the game of chess to the two brothers a year ago at Spauldings Library in District Heights.

‘‘Since learning how to play chess, I can see it has helped me in school.” Young-Allen said. ‘‘When my teacher gives me an assignment, I’m able to understand it better and what my teacher wants.”

For the past four and a half years, Fagan has been exposing area youth and adults to the game of chess at area libraries.

County library branches that offer chess clubs include Hyattsville, Spauldings, Laurel, Accokeek, Glenarden, Largo-Kettering, Hillcrest Heights, Oxon Hill, Fairmount Heights and Beltsville.

Elizabeth Elam, director of young adult department at the Hyattsville branch, said a mother’s request for her boys to learn the game prompted the library to create a chess club four years ago.

‘‘The number of participants varies every year,” Elam said. ‘‘When we first started there was about 28 people, ranging from experienced to beginners. Recently it has been about 10 to 15 people attending the sessions.”

On Aug. 11, Hyattsville Library plans to host its first chess tournament for children kindergarten through twelfth graders.

Elam said that Fagan’s dedication to the game is inspiring.

‘‘Ted Fagan’s mission in life is to bring chess to everybody, it doesn’t matter the age.” Elam said. ‘‘During the chess club sessions Fagan is multi-tasking, he’s all over the place, he’s instructing at one point, then giving tips to others and then you’ll see him sitting down playing chess.”

Fagan said he self taught himself how to play chess.

‘‘I think it’s a gift to find something you’re passionate about at this age,” Fagan said.

To spread his love of the game, Fagan started the Eagle Chess Academy, a 501c3, non-profit company that provides chess instruction in area schools and libraries.

‘‘I am working on getting a facility for the academy so youth can come practice. ... Financing the young men and women who want to go grand master and international tournaments.” Fagan said.

‘‘If a young person gets grand master or international status they are definitely considered for a four-year scholarship, which university and college chess teams throughout the country are looking for.”

Fagan is also the founder of the Forestville and Largo chess clubs, adult group that gathers at area businesses to play chess.

Cast of characters

‘‘He got my only knight gambit,” said Antonio Jones, 38 of District Heights. ‘‘Nobody has every beaten me that fast.”

‘‘Don’t worry we can go at it again,” responded Charles Freels, 43 of Clinton.

Jones an avid chess player has been attending the Starbucks Coffee store in Forestville every Friday to compete against area chess lovers.

Jones — whose chess name ‘‘Remain Confident” — said he learned the game in his early 20s while hanging around Malcolm X Park in Harlem, N.Y.

‘‘We not only come because we enjoy the game but also because it’s a great place to gather and socialize.” Freels said. ‘‘I have to say that this is the best group of African American men and women I have ever been around, everyone is so respectful and just has a good time. There is so many good people her that even if I didn’t play chess I will keep track of every single person here.”

The chess participants derive from an array of backgrounds and professions, playing chess from late afternoon hours to the store’s closing.

Jones is a union electrician, while Freels is an operations manager for Howard University in the District.

Talisa Jackson, 41 of Bowie said the competitions can become pretty intense, which is why she spends fours hours a week playing chess on her computer and studying techniques.

‘‘The guys here are exploiters,” Jackson said. ‘‘If you become too routine, they will exploit your weaknesses.

Jackson, a postal clerk said she has been playing chess for 10 years.

Other hot spots in the county for chess competitions is the International House of Pancakes restaurant in Forestville and the Borders Bookstore at the Boulevard at Capital Center in Capitol Heights.

Fagan said that once Starbucks closes, the 20-plus participants travel down the street to IHOP and play to early morning hours.

Alphea Uwode, 55, of Brandywine said her interactions and exposure to chess has inspired her to write a play about the Starbucks atmosphere.

‘‘Getting more females and girls exposed to the game of chess is important and hopefully this play could do so,” Uwode said.

Uwode, a county teacher, said socializing with attorneys, politicians, educators and other professionals has made her transition to Prince George’s County easier.

Every Saturday, Borders is home to more than 30 men and women who verbally jab or quietly play mind games with their opponent.

For the past year 15-year-old Gabe Vilarrubi of University Park has traveled with his father Roberto Vilarrubi, 55, to learn the lessons of chess.

‘‘I taught Gabe how to play around 5 years old,” Vilarrubi said. ‘‘I think it improves on logical conclusions ... original hypothesis and analysis of situations. The reasoning one uses in chess goes beyond just the board.”

Berlin Hansford, of Bowie, got her son Domani Hansford, 7, and daughter Daia Hansford, 4, involved in the game.

‘‘I thought it would be a good idea for Domani to learn chess because I new it was an analytical and skilled game, which most people don’t ever get to play. ... When I was growing I never learned how to play.” Hansford said.

E-mail Marcus Ngbea at mngbea@gazette.net.