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They Come To Blitz In The Park
by David Pambianchi
A weekend of chess play in MacDonald Park
Photo: David Pambianchi
Chocolate, vanilla, rather Jamoca Almond fudge, this describes the chess circle at Captain Gerald MacDonald
Memorial Park in Queens. Not because the Mr. Softie truck regularly chimes the area, but here resides the most
diverse ethnic congregation short of the United Nations. Drawn by the game, a cultural mix of players gather to
play "Blitz" chess.
Like football or tank warfare, the Blitz game is fast. Think quick! Move quick! Don't panic! The often-rapid hand
motions and clock slapping can sometimes send pieces flying off the board much to the joy of Christian, Muslim,
Jew, Hindu, Buddhist and whatever other flavor you can imagine who compete at five and even three minute
games of chess. You must win the game before your time keeper beeps, flashes or drops a tiny flag. If not, no
matter how much material or position you have on an opponent, you lose once the clock has spoken.
Indifferent, chess and timer remain blind to age, sex, religion and race. Surrounding one of twelve tables, you
might observe four New Yorkers awaiting their turn. An Italian, a Cuban, an Albanian and a retired gentleman of
German, Austrian and Hungarian descent study two comrades, a Lithuanian and a young man from Sri Lanka.
After parking his Taxi nearby, glides the Indonesian expert seeking a game with his pal from Turkey who just
hopped off the subway. At another table, a Columbian and an Israeli Chess master attract a crowd including a
Greek, a Romanian dentist, Montenegrin, a German lawyer, Afro-American, Belgian and Latino, while a Deli owner
from Nepal hurries off to bring coffee. Likewise, Russia, Serbia, Bosnia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland and
China have full representation.
Probably the largest, unofficial, easily accessed, impromptu chess club anywhere, Blitz addicts of various levels
and the Long Game find membership free. Across from the Post Office, this narrow park, made fine with a variety
of trees, plants and flowers, also plays host to some Domino and Backgammon play as well as respite for the
passersby. Relatively void of gambling, drinking or drugs, the Park remains a comfortable haven for all. Varied
cuisines adorn Queens Boulevard and Austin Street. You can break for fast food, the KFC, Taco Bell, Boston
Market and such, or Italian fine-dine at Positano's, perhaps Mexican, Chinese and other restaurants, maybe stop
for gelato, catch a ballgame or movie.
Although scarcely six female players frequent the tables, some males remain hopeful for change. Players offer a
wide variety of interests and occupations. Besides those mentioned, doctors, stockbrokers, computer
programmers, court officers, firefighters, teachers like myself, also play chess, white collar, blue collar and no
collar. Evening socialization includes late night pizza breaks, an audience of EMS workers and the occasional
birthday cake. Conversation opens to music, history, science, politics, every topic and issue to stimulate the
intellect from the profound to the ridiculous. Argumentation rarely gets out of hand enough to disturb lasting
friendships, friendships molded by laughter and trust, created over time and over the chessboard.
As a newcomer to Speed Chess, I spent a full day of observation before venturing to play. I hoped that I could put
up a good fight, but suspected to lose on time. The game lay open to everyone; still, a silent, unknown chess
player can create some tension. I remember how the regular players, a conglomerate of cultures, watched me
from the sides of their eyes. "Is he a hustler?" I wondered at their thoughts masked in multiple languages, or
"some lunatic?" Levity commonly colors the atmosphere around the chess circle enhancing the excitement and
seriousness of the game. After watching a respected chess master win, I remarked, "You know, I think I could
beat him." Then, I added through a silence you needed to wade through, "on a good day... if the sun was out... and
he had a few beers."
A regular over the past month, my Blitz game improves and hopefully continues to do so from the high level of
chess played here. However, perhaps most important remains the promise of new acquaintances and friends
befitting this World War I Memorial Park. In this sense, no one gets checkmated.
Within this New York potpourri, somewhere between the chess pieces, aggression, affection, sacrifice, defeat
and victory, the beeping and flashing digital clocks, amid the thoughts and goals in common, the varied and
shared human experiences, race and culture simply translate into what each individual can bring to the table,
both literally in a Queens Park chess game and as a human being. We glimpse the promise of liberty, see who we
are as a community from many sides and see ourselves clearer through combined expression and
communication with others. At games' end, this is a good place to be.
Pictures coming soon...
by David Pambianchi
A weekend of chess play in MacDonald Park
Photo: David Pambianchi
Chocolate, vanilla, rather Jamoca Almond fudge, this describes the chess circle at Captain Gerald MacDonald
Memorial Park in Queens. Not because the Mr. Softie truck regularly chimes the area, but here resides the most
diverse ethnic congregation short of the United Nations. Drawn by the game, a cultural mix of players gather to
play "Blitz" chess.
Like football or tank warfare, the Blitz game is fast. Think quick! Move quick! Don't panic! The often-rapid hand
motions and clock slapping can sometimes send pieces flying off the board much to the joy of Christian, Muslim,
Jew, Hindu, Buddhist and whatever other flavor you can imagine who compete at five and even three minute
games of chess. You must win the game before your time keeper beeps, flashes or drops a tiny flag. If not, no
matter how much material or position you have on an opponent, you lose once the clock has spoken.
Indifferent, chess and timer remain blind to age, sex, religion and race. Surrounding one of twelve tables, you
might observe four New Yorkers awaiting their turn. An Italian, a Cuban, an Albanian and a retired gentleman of
German, Austrian and Hungarian descent study two comrades, a Lithuanian and a young man from Sri Lanka.
After parking his Taxi nearby, glides the Indonesian expert seeking a game with his pal from Turkey who just
hopped off the subway. At another table, a Columbian and an Israeli Chess master attract a crowd including a
Greek, a Romanian dentist, Montenegrin, a German lawyer, Afro-American, Belgian and Latino, while a Deli owner
from Nepal hurries off to bring coffee. Likewise, Russia, Serbia, Bosnia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland and
China have full representation.
Probably the largest, unofficial, easily accessed, impromptu chess club anywhere, Blitz addicts of various levels
and the Long Game find membership free. Across from the Post Office, this narrow park, made fine with a variety
of trees, plants and flowers, also plays host to some Domino and Backgammon play as well as respite for the
passersby. Relatively void of gambling, drinking or drugs, the Park remains a comfortable haven for all. Varied
cuisines adorn Queens Boulevard and Austin Street. You can break for fast food, the KFC, Taco Bell, Boston
Market and such, or Italian fine-dine at Positano's, perhaps Mexican, Chinese and other restaurants, maybe stop
for gelato, catch a ballgame or movie.
Although scarcely six female players frequent the tables, some males remain hopeful for change. Players offer a
wide variety of interests and occupations. Besides those mentioned, doctors, stockbrokers, computer
programmers, court officers, firefighters, teachers like myself, also play chess, white collar, blue collar and no
collar. Evening socialization includes late night pizza breaks, an audience of EMS workers and the occasional
birthday cake. Conversation opens to music, history, science, politics, every topic and issue to stimulate the
intellect from the profound to the ridiculous. Argumentation rarely gets out of hand enough to disturb lasting
friendships, friendships molded by laughter and trust, created over time and over the chessboard.
As a newcomer to Speed Chess, I spent a full day of observation before venturing to play. I hoped that I could put
up a good fight, but suspected to lose on time. The game lay open to everyone; still, a silent, unknown chess
player can create some tension. I remember how the regular players, a conglomerate of cultures, watched me
from the sides of their eyes. "Is he a hustler?" I wondered at their thoughts masked in multiple languages, or
"some lunatic?" Levity commonly colors the atmosphere around the chess circle enhancing the excitement and
seriousness of the game. After watching a respected chess master win, I remarked, "You know, I think I could
beat him." Then, I added through a silence you needed to wade through, "on a good day... if the sun was out... and
he had a few beers."
A regular over the past month, my Blitz game improves and hopefully continues to do so from the high level of
chess played here. However, perhaps most important remains the promise of new acquaintances and friends
befitting this World War I Memorial Park. In this sense, no one gets checkmated.
Within this New York potpourri, somewhere between the chess pieces, aggression, affection, sacrifice, defeat
and victory, the beeping and flashing digital clocks, amid the thoughts and goals in common, the varied and
shared human experiences, race and culture simply translate into what each individual can bring to the table,
both literally in a Queens Park chess game and as a human being. We glimpse the promise of liberty, see who we
are as a community from many sides and see ourselves clearer through combined expression and
communication with others. At games' end, this is a good place to be.
Pictures coming soon...
Zat 125 X 60
