Fall is approaching, and the weather is glorious. The men who play chess in front of Metropolitan United Church are taking full advantage of the situation. Fueled by pop, they battle through the afternoon. I watch a couple guys play for a time. There’s a break in the play so I ask if they’d mind me taking some shots. I do my best to shoot when it won’t disturb their concentration. I’m not sure it matters. They’re incredibly focused. The play is fast. These guys are good.
It’s hard to believe only five months ago the table where they are sitting was covered in snow. Do they play in the winter? Where do they go? I wish I’d thought to ask. Given their obsessive approach to the game, I assume they play year-round non-stop. I expect they see chess boards in their dreams. You don’t get as good as they are without a lot of practice and a lot of reading.
Looking north away from the chess tables is the church entrance. The square bell tower rises above it and watches over the park. How long before the land is parceled off for condos that watch over the bell tower?
One of these days I’ll shoot a chess game with a tripod and a neutral density filter. I’ll slow the whole thing down so it looks like a sports shoot. A man reaches for his knight and his arm blurs across the board. His opponent answers with his queen. I’ll shoot low from the board like I’m one of the pieces. The queen will land on me in a flash and stomp all over me. Chess as a full contact sport. Mixed Martial Chess.
