Chess Master Teaches Kids Smart Moves

Orrin Hudson's interest in chess was sparked by a high school teacher who noticed him running with the wrong crowd in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.

Hudson decided to reach out to troubled and disadvantaged kids the only way he knew how, by showing them the value in making the right moves on a chess board -- as it applies to life. Hudson sold the car business and started the non-profit organization Be Someone. In his eight years, Hudson has lectured 20,000 kids.

Hudson eventually staightened out so much he wound up becoming a state trooper. After six years on the force, he was drawn by the lure of a more lucrative career dealing used cars. Then, in May of 2000, Hudson watched a news story about a shooting in Flushing, N.Y. in which seven people were gunned down (five were killed) for less than $2,000 in a Wendy's restaurant.

Hudson decided to reach out to troubled and disadvantaged kids the only way he knew how, by showing them the value in making the right moves on a chess board -- as it applies to life. Hudson sold the car business and started the non-profit organization Be Someone. In his eight years, Hudson has lectured 20,000 kids.

His goal is to reach a million. Mark Strassmann told Hudson's story, then Hudson came to our set with youngsters from East Harlem's Union Settlement, a community center that was to have its first chess tournament that night.