This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here . And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CLEVELAND -- Guardians players sit inside Progressive Field, analyzing and strategizing how to beat their opponent. Typically, that means studying those in the opposite dugout during a high-intensity baseball game.

But throughout the season, rather than four-seamers, changeups and curveballs, Cleveland players’ in-game studies also include queens, rooks, bishops, knights and pawns.

The Guardians’ Chess Club returned for its fourth season this year. Once per month, players hang out at the ballpark with students from local high schools, bonding and reveling in the competition of a chess match.

“Just being able to be part of

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