Chess is a very interesting game. With 64 squares and 32 pieces (16 black and 16 white) you can entertain yourself with a near infinite number of different games. Chess has been around for over 1000 years, and millions of people in the world play it. You can learn to play in an hour, but spend the rest of your life learning to be a master.
Why chess?
Chess is good for your mind. It teaches many things:
Patience -- you need to be patient while your opponent is contemplating their response to your move.
Time management -- You are often playing against a clock. I.e. in a scholastic tournament, you've got 30 minutes to make all of your moves. Use your time wisely.
Sportsmanship -- You need to know how to be a gracious winner and a dignified loser. Shake your opponent’s hand before and after every game, regardless of the outcome.
Introspection -- If they beat you, make sure you take away at least one tidbit of knowledge about how they managed to do it. Did you blunder somewhere? Did they use a tactic that you didn't see coming? Did you forget about that bishop sitting on the edge of the board? It's not losing, it's learning. Everyone likes winning more than losing, but you aren't learning anything unless you play people who are better than you are, and learning from your mistakes.
Memory -- You need to be able to remember what you've done in the past so that you can hopefully avoid mistakes you've made before, and know how to deal effectively with recurring patterns of play without having to invent a new response each time...
Responsibility -- With baseball you can blame the pitcher, or the guy in left field who dropped the fly ball. But with chess, you're responsible for your half of the game. If you win the game, YOU did it. Likewise if you lose.
Chess isn't like backgammon, Monopoly or poker, where there are elements of chance. Chess is an infinitely deep and constantly changing puzzle where everything you need to win is right there in front of you. Your opponent can't hide anything from you. It's up to you to figure it out.
Why join chess club? It's a good place to learn if you've never played before. It's a good place to practice against a number of different people who have different skill levels and styles. It's a good place to make friends and challenge yourself.