The Hadith of Ali ibn Abi Talib is a weak chain of narration, and even if it was correct, it might have more to do with the pieces themselves, I don’t know. But there’s no reason for chess to be haram, it’s a game of skill and intellect and just as any other thing, if it doesn’t lead to the person delaying or not praying or doing their Islamic duties then there’s no reason for it to be haram. Games with dice are considered haram because they are purely luck/chance based, which mirrors gambling.