Aspiring to take his chess skills to a new level, Chen-lam plans to continue playing chess when he goes to Taiwan for his university studies the next academic year. If chess playing had not improved his logical thinking and academic abilities, he might not have landed a place in the electrical engineering department of the National Taiwan University, he said.

Two of Chen-lam's schoolmates, Form Six student Fong Kam-fai and Form Four student U Heng-chun, won awards in the Go chess contest. Kam-fai came first and Heng-chun came third.

Describing his passion for Go chess as a 'daily indulgence', Kam-fai said he used to play five hours a day, much like teenagers addicted to computer games.

'I learned because I accompanied my elder brother to some interest classes,' he said. 'Soon I was fascinated. Now I am a five duan player, at the top level in Macau.'

Go chess is the oldest chess game in history. Ancient Chinese scholars since the Song Dynasty were required to excel in four areas: qin: a classical stringed zither, Go chess, calligraphy and painting, said Kam-fai, who plans to study economics at the Taiwan Politics University next September.

Go chess uses the largest board among chess games, said Heng-chun, who started playing because his elder brother got him interested.

'It looks really easy to play, but it takes forever to become a good player,' he said.

'It takes even longer to grasp the theories and wisdom behind the game.'

Nowadays when teenagers spend hours on the internet they do not necessarily indulge in violent games or useless conversations.

The three Escola Estrela do Mar students say chess games are becoming more popular with the teenage online community.

'You'll be surprised how many of us have met our matches on the internet,' Chen-lam said.

'We promote chess to our family, friends and even teachers. It is more than fun. It is even more addictive than unhealthy computer games.'