Chess is a great game. I have been playing since I was a kid. There are a few things about chess that stand out as important to me:
Chess rewards hard work
If you study the game, learn the openings, and invest, you will be rewarded with better play — and the more naturally gifted you are, the bigger the rewards. I am not gifted at chess (!), and so when I do practice and get better, I can feel how my effort has led to an improvement.
Chess punishes greed
This is my favorite, I must say — you watch the simple greed of humans play out as they snatch your pieces off the board, all the while losing focus: the game is about winning, not getting rich in material.
Metaphor and parallels abound
The game is just steeped in metaphor — from the royal arrangement of the pieces, to the battle of brains, to the simple contrast of black and white.
The lowest-level piece can become the most powerful
That march of the pawn across the board — that is heroism, victory, survival, teamwork. It's a beautiful thing to march a pawn across the board successfully.