MovieChat Forums > Fresh (1994) Discussion > Do you really play chess in parks?

Do you really play chess in parks?

posted 18 years ago by maartenrdijkstra
12 replies | jump to latest

In the movie people are playing chess in the park for money. I've never seen such a thing in real life. I live in the Netherlands. Is it a normal thing to play chess in parks in the USA? If so, how many parks do you think there are where people play chess in the States?

I'm a chessplayer myself and I love the idea. I did once see people play chess in Budapest in the hall of a shopping mall when I was on a vacation. Very nice :)

I loved this movie by the way, one of the better movies of the 90's.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] draconius25 18 years ago

I'm from NYC and there is always chess in the park played, right now I live in Arizona and there is not chess life here, this place sucks.

"Your suffering will be legendary, even in hell."

[–] smoove4221 18 years ago

I live right next to where they filmed the chess scenes. It takes place in Washington Sq. Park in Manhattan. There are a lot of chess hustlers and card players. They play random people for money there. A lot of times when a young player or a kid takes on one of the regular players, there is a big crowd watching the game. It's an interesting environment.

[–] nobekris 18 years ago

it's a new york thing

[–] Kazou_Kuriyama 18 years ago

also Chicago. they have speed chess tables set up in Millenium Park

[–] icrick-1 18 years ago

Yeah, it's a big thing in Harward Square in Cambridge, MA. Lot's a speed chess action, really entertaining sh*t.

[–] fcb_fan-jennifer_zuhause 17 years ago

In Lviv, Ukraine I saw a load of people play chess in a park in front of the opera. It was mostly older people but they played every day.

[–] crazykooter56 17 years ago

Out in oakland they play chess outside at macarthur park downtown thats where I learned to play, playing with the bums I learned a lot.

...you can't triple stamp a double stamp!

[–] rvrjose 16 years ago

i,m also from east oakland but i have seen a lot of chess players in san francisco on market street near the powell street bart station...

[–] billumberg 15 years ago

Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., mainly homeless people playing for money. Also, Farragut Square in D.C., mainly working-class guys (Delivery drivers, etc) playing on their breaks, usually for money. Almost always speed games in both places.

[–] 15 years ago

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