chess club.

In the beginning, there was a google search... 

Not sure what I typed in to find this schach (chess) club in my district of Berlin, but I at least found it once. The website said it had a  spielabend (game night) last night from 7-12? so I thought, why not check it out (no pun intended). By the time I finished dinner with Harriet, I was leaving around 8:10 or so to make my way via U-Bahn.. even though it was not to far of a walk. As always, the streets of Berlin were busy, yet calm and I didn't noticed my directions had fallen out of my pocket. Luckily, I had remembered the address and the stops so I found it just fine. Yet, when I was walking toward the building there was more graffiti, grasses weren't as well kept, and it was the first time for me noticing a discount market. Not like any of this translates to me being inherently in danger, but I wasn't sure what to expect of a chess club. Nevertheless, I awkwardly walked up to the "do not enter" door through the porch but was nicely let in by a man who spoke decent English, and was in his late 60s or so. Also, everyone in the room were older, white men with the exception of a few. Just one exception happen to be an older woman who had flaming red hair and a glass of wine in her hand - her smile was alive and young, perhaps a point of envy. I think too many of us lose our age in some cultural mindset of expectations and whatnot, and forget that we are alive at all.

Nevertheless, this woman asked me how I had happen to find the chess club and I told her it was one of the first that came up - and the only one in my district. Interestingly enough, when I returned home I was unable to locate the website via google search again - I had to find it through using my browsing history. If I ever were to believe in a thing called fate, I might just reference this...

Anyhow, the woman asked me my rating - I offered it to her and she paired me with a man who was "much stronger" based on her assumptions. I lost the first two games via clock (with a notable advantage on the board) before I finally won the third game fair and square. His English was fair, and he helped me try and practice the German names of the pieces. {which reminds me: I solved a chess puzzle in the German newspaper this morning.. the notation used the German letters but still understandable, and a fun way for me to practice my German (:} Anyway, I played blitz long enough for them to invite me to play in a tournament tomorrow - so I am quite excited.

After a few games I started talking to the youngest person in the room other than myself who actually was from Denmark, but an artist in Berlin. English is his mother tongue - but he gets along in German much better than I do. He was quite pleasant, probably 30 or so years of age - I never asked. Nonetheless, the rest of the room was at least 40-45 so it was kind of nice having someone to talk to in English that's a little bit younger. Regardless, the beauty of chess is that it is a universal language and it shares a similar property as in the US : you understand something about fellow chess players, and share a sort of trust that no one else can share. Perhaps it is just the appreciation of patience, deep reflection, and the acceptance of being completely inferior to obtain all knowledge and mastery no matter how much effort you invest. In that way, maybe we chess players appreciate the collective in a genuine way with a still healthy balance of pursuit of individual achievement. I haven't quite figured it out, but I know I felt welcomed into the community the second I sat down at a board. And even more so once I beat a member :D.

On a fun note, they run their own private bar out of this chess club and it's pretty cheap. The perfect social house - beautiful wooden chess boards, little snacks, nice drinks, and a diverse mix of conversation and competition. It's about a 20-25 minute walk from my house... what more could I ask for?

to be continued..