Quotes from OP suggest that the lessons might be about chess problems and ways for solving them, but might also go wider. A diversion for the kind of people for

Quotes from OP suggest that the lessons might be about chess problems and ways for solving them, but might also go wider. A diversion for the kind of people for whom $150+ for an hour out of the office is not a major expense. "Ushering me inside to the small ­one-bedroom apartment, he offers wine, vodka, or water, in that order." ... "Many of his clients from the finance world, he says, “have this idea that it’s a good idea to distract themselves from their work.”"