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Date: 31 Dec 2007 15:47:54
From: Alex
Subject: Washington Square Park
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I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
blitz chess.
I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
Fischer."
But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
game minimum. The other guy refused to play me.
What happened to all this glory about the park? I did not see any
chess players as described in all those books and movies.
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Date: 02 Jan 2008 06:07:41
From: equique3
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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Bring a camera crew and I'm sure they'll play you for free...
Alex wrote:
> I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
> blitz chess.
> I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
> tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
> Fischer."
> But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
> One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
> game minimum. The other guy refused to play me.
> What happened to all this glory about the park? I did not see any
> chess players as described in all those books and movies.
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Date: 01 Jan 2008 15:50:31
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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TURNER STYLE
=46rom THIS CRAZY WORLD OF CHESS by GM Larry Evans (page 268)
"If I lost 25 pounds I think I could beat anybody in the world." --Abe
Turner interviewed by Johnny Carson (1962)
Someone just sent me a tape of that show and listening to it brought
back pleasant memories. Abe was the closest thing to a chess coach I
ever had.
He learned the game at a naval hospital in 1943 while recovering from
shrapnel wounds inflicted during World War II. We met at a dive on
Times Square where anyone could walk in and play chess for ten cents
an hour. Hustlers fleeced the rubes. The official name was The New
York Academy of Chess and Checkers but habitu=E9s fondly called it "the
flea house." It was the main alternative to the staid Manhattan and
shall club or outdoor tables in Central Park or Washington Square
Park. Bobby Fischer also hung out there.
Playing "Turner style" meant grabbing a pawn and then trying to grind
out a win, even if it took forever, by swapping pieces to reach an
endgame. He seldom erred, always played safe, and was usually content
to draw with strong players. But he could bite if they tried to crush
him. Looking back, Abe had the best score of any American in
tournaments against the up-and-coming Fischer (two wins and a draw).
[email protected] wrote:
> MANHATTAN
>
> <I used to go to a place on Thompson and Bleeker street (forgot the
> name of the place but it was a nice
> place to play).> -- Alex
>
> It was called the Rossolimo Chess Studio.
>
> Washington Square Park is also in Greenwich Village "where men itch to
> be free."
>
>
> Chess One wrote:
> > dunno where they all went, but then again, even washington has a winter =
- my
> > daughter said she has seen all the suits pouring out of the buildings at=
> > lunch time - and playing the hustlers, sometimes for a few bucks sometim=
es
> > for $100 - and people making even bigger side-bets
> >
> > anyway - wait till the cherries bloom again, and there they will be - du=
nno
> > why someone refused to play you, except he is a pro, and wants to see yo=
u
> > play someone else first? ;)
> >
> > phil
> >
> > "Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:effdef08-75d7-49d0-a37b-99197c7906c8@j20g2000hsi.googlegroups.com..=
.
> > >I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
> > > blitz chess.
> > > I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
> > > tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
> > > Fischer."
> > > But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
> > > One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
> > > game minimum. The other guy refused to play me.
> > > What happened to all this glory about the park? I did not see any
> > > chess players as described in all those books and movies.
> > >
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Date: 01 Jan 2008 15:39:49
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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MANHATTAN
<I used to go to a place on Thompson and Bleeker street (forgot the
name of the place but it was a nice
place to play). > -- Alex
It was called the Rossolimo Chess Studio.
Washington Square Park is also in Greenwich Village "where men itch to
be free."
Chess One wrote:
> dunno where they all went, but then again, even washington has a winter - my
> daughter said she has seen all the suits pouring out of the buildings at
> lunch time - and playing the hustlers, sometimes for a few bucks sometimes
> for $100 - and people making even bigger side-bets
>
> anyway - wait till the cherries bloom again, and there they will be - dunno
> why someone refused to play you, except he is a pro, and wants to see you
> play someone else first? ;)
>
> phil
>
> "Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:effdef08-75d7-49d0-a37b-99197c7906c8@j20g2000hsi.googlegroups.com...
> >I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
> > blitz chess.
> > I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
> > tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
> > Fischer."
> > But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
> > One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
> > game minimum. The other guy refused to play me.
> > What happened to all this glory about the park? I did not see any
> > chess players as described in all those books and movies.
> >
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Date: 01 Jan 2008 18:51:37
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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<[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> MANHATTAN
>
> <I used to go to a place on Thompson and Bleeker street (forgot the
> name of the place but it was a nice
> place to play).> -- Alex
>
> It was called the Rossolimo Chess Studio.
>
> Washington Square Park is also in Greenwich Village "where men itch to
> be free."
That's pretty bad!
last time i was down there in the village with some italian gal she was
showing me the chess places, and now and again said - see that car! - and
at length i asked her about it and she replied - hadn't i noticed how quiet
it was? - and it was!
then she said - those are the police here
still not getting it she spelled it out - m. o. b.
but she was right, very, very quiet neighborhoods - good coffee too, and
good little bakeries, almost all italian, reasonably priced
phil
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Date: 01 Jan 2008 17:46:55
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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dunno where they all went, but then again, even washington has a winter - my
daughter said she has seen all the suits pouring out of the buildings at
lunch time - and playing the hustlers, sometimes for a few bucks sometimes
for $100 - and people making even bigger side-bets
anyway - wait till the cherries bloom again, and there they will be - dunno
why someone refused to play you, except he is a pro, and wants to see you
play someone else first? ;)
phil
"Alex" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:effdef08-75d7-49d0-a37b-99197c7906c8@j20g2000hsi.googlegroups.com...
>I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
> blitz chess.
> I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
> tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
> Fischer."
> But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
> One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
> game minimum. The other guy refused to play me.
> What happened to all this glory about the park? I did not see any
> chess players as described in all those books and movies.
>
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Date: 01 Jan 2008 18:36:42
From: Ray Gordon, creator of the \pivot\
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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The weather is key.
"Chess One" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> dunno where they all went, but then again, even washington has a winter -
> my daughter said she has seen all the suits pouring out of the buildings
> at lunch time - and playing the hustlers, sometimes for a few bucks
> sometimes for $100 - and people making even bigger side-bets
>
> anyway - wait till the cherries bloom again, and there they will be -
> dunno why someone refused to play you, except he is a pro, and wants to
> see you play someone else first? ;)
>
> phil
>
> "Alex" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:effdef08-75d7-49d0-a37b-99197c7906c8@j20g2000hsi.googlegroups.com...
>>I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
>> blitz chess.
>> I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
>> tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
>> Fischer."
>> But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
>> One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
>> game minimum. The other guy refused to play me.
>> What happened to all this glory about the park? I did not see any
>> chess players as described in all those books and movies.
>>
>
>
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Date: 31 Dec 2007 23:00:07
From: EJAY
Subject: Re: Washington Square Park
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On Dec 31 2007, 6:47=A0pm, Alex <[email protected] > wrote:
> I went to Washington Square Park today to see if I could find some
> blitz chess.
> I read in several books about all the players that play chess at the
> tables there and I saw players in that movie "Searching for Bobby
> Fischer."
> But today I went and saw only 2 people there playing.
> One guy was sitting at the table telling me that he charged $10 per
> game minimum. =A0The other guy refused to play me.
> What happened to all this glory about the park? =A0I did not see any
> chess players as described in all those books and movies.
You probably would have been better off going to 23 W 10th St. to the
shall Chess Club.They usually have some type of New Year's Eve
tournament.It has been a while since I have played in the city.Having
only 2 players is not typical but asking for the fees,well perhaps
that is why the turnout is so low.I used to go to a place on Thompson
and Bleeker street (forgot the name of the place but it was a nice
place to play).
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