17 months later and we can finally play over the board chess?!

It is fair to admit, it has been such a long time since I have been able to play over the board chess in the UK. Last month, all Lock-down measures were finally lifted. With my second vaccination completed last week, I felt the need to finally get outside and play some outdoor chess. With my personal hand sanitiser in one pocket and my phone sat-nav in the other, I set forth on a simple train journey to King's Cross/St. Pancras and then one train stop to Farringdon on the circle/metropolitan line:

The location for such an event was easy enough, a six minute walk from the station and within an area with plenty of local amenities (there was a Tesco express and Sainsburys in walking distance from the venue for some much needed lunch). Around the corner from the square, there was also a pub serving pints in plastic cups should you wish to wet your thirst during an intense blitz chess session.

The FourCornerClub is an interesting initiative set up by a player who simply wanted to "meet other humans" and play chess in real life. Such is the unfortunate fate of UK chess this past 17 months, we have been barely able to meet up in real life at all, let alone play chess in real life. So the founder, with a few of his friends in the local area, decided to meet up and play in a public square:

The club meets every week 12pm @ St. John's Square Farringdon

One point within the video that struck me as odd, was the fact that across the world, chess is played regularly in parks and public areas:

Chess played in Washington Square Park 

Chess played in a park in Russia

However, for some reason, it is not played in the UK! Now before you laugh at me and say that  it is everything to do with our bad weather, my simple reply to you is yes, but at least it is not an outdoor club in Manchester or North Wales (where I used to live):

Proof that chess can be played outside in London...

To be fair, I have played chess in pub many times. In fact, before Covid, I did used to go very occasionally to a Wetherspoons pub in Hackney where I played many fun blitz games against some very strong players: 

Hackney Chess in the "Rochester"- At least it is warm indoors... The beers and food are very cheap for London as well! 

The club itself is a brilliant initiative and I met many chess players like myself who were also eager to play chess in real life and not behind a screen computer...:

Some of their pictures from Instagram

The club has now been meeting for over 3 months now and with a sizeable following on Instagram, has even arranged pop-up outdoor meetings across London. Judging by one of their recent posts, it would appear they even met next to national landmarks like Tower Bridge:

The views must have been spectacular! 

The club is open to all players of all strengths. There was even a young boy present who started playing at the club when he saw some boards set-up from his mother's café:

Here is one of my casual games that I played. It was a fun game against a solid player:

Video Analysis of my game: 

If you wish to check out this club, make sure to follow them on Instagram and check the updates of when the club meets every week.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and hopefully I will post more games from this outdoor club soon