Chess got a little bit cooler at the Hip-Hop Chess Federation's First Annual Chess Kings Tournament in Oakland, Calif.

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At the tournament, held Saturday, high school teams from Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose competed for scholarships, Inside Bay Area reported Sunday.

Meanwhile, hip-hop stars -- including RZA of the Wu Tang Clan -- chess champions and other celebrities sang the game's praises to the assembled crowd.

RZA described the many similarities between chess and hip-hop, while Rakaa, of the group Dilated Peoples, said both hip-hop and chess teach you to trust your instincts.

U.S. National Chess Champion Josh Waitzkin said chess is a way to get to know oneself better.