Every Friday in a southern Alberta classroom, youth are learning how to keep their troubles in check.

Hunched over chessboards at the University of Lethbridge, teens and young adults who are at-risk or have been convicted of various crimes are taught to think, think again, then think some more as they move their pawns, kings, queens and rooks across 64 black and white spaces.

The founder of Chess for Life says the program helps them learn how to accomplish short-term goals, like completing commun…