This report was sponsored by the Scottish Executive Education Department and published in January 2005. Research was performed through collaboration with Aberdeen City Council, University of Aberdeen as well as the Scottish Executive Education Department. Contributing authors include:

Dod Forrest: Principal Community Learning and Development Worker, Mastrick Community Centre, Aberdeen and Honorary Research Fellow, Rowan Group, School of Social Sciences, University of Aberdeen.  Dr Iain Davidson: Honorary Research Fellow, School of Education, University of Aberdeen.  Janet Shucksmith: Senior Lecturer, Rowan Group, School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Aberdeen.  Tony Glendinning: Senior Lecturer, Rowan Group, School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Aberdeen

The report begins by providing a brief account of the background and impetus for the present study of chess development in Aberdeen's primary schools, followed by reviews of the impact of chess play on children's literacy and learning in the school environment and theories of social capital. We describe the findings of the report in sections two through to five. The final section of the report provides a discussion and analysis of the key findings. Appendix 2 provides twelve case stories illustrated by photographic images of children who were introduced to chess during the period of the study.