tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36792363.post-24106834137034819892008-08-03T06:54:00.018-05:002008-08-03T07:22:37.938-05:00<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_71mBL6Rg3II/SJWfANfM0ZI/AAAAAAAAD_4/8xDJaq61I5Q/s1600-h/toronto_moving2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230261368230039954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_71mBL6Rg3II/SJWfANfM0ZI/AAAAAAAAD_4/8xDJaq61I5Q/s400/toronto_moving2.JPG" border="0" /></a> I can’t resist the bonhomie of street chess, so when I found myself in Toronto for the day last Thursday, I made sure to visit the one spot in town where I knew there to be a lively version of it generally in progress: the courtyard of the <a href="http://www.metunited.org/">Metropolitan United Church</a>, on <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&amp;safe=off&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;q=metropolitan+United+church&amp;near=Toronto,+ON,+Canada&amp;fb=1&amp;dtab=2&amp;reviews=1&amp;cid=3844340168673310000&amp;li=lmd&amp;z=14&amp;t=m">Queen Street between Church and Bond</a>.<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230261297325638450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_71mBL6Rg3II/SJWe8FWRgzI/AAAAAAAAD_w/nqyMdvCdu6s/s400/toronto_table3.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230261217141745090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_71mBL6Rg3II/SJWe3ao8ZcI/AAAAAAAAD_o/eskXTBdFxp0/s400/toronto_table2.JPG" border="0" />The churchyard has four chess tables located a piously appropriate distance from and building’s entrance. Still, if you enter the church from the front you can’t avoid walking past the chess boards.<br /><br />From about 3:30 in the afternoon on there were five or six games going on at any time, the woodpushers having appropriated not just the chess tables proper but some of the assorted picnic tables that also dot the yard. The scene was mostly male and slightly raucous though perfectly friendly. Five-minute blitz appeared to be the game of choice, though some clock-free games were under way. No money changed hands at the table where I played (won 1, lost 2).<br /><br />I also stopped by the <a href="http://www.ydsquare.ca/">incredible plaza</a> at Yonge and Dundas to see the <a href="http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/photos/master_mr_peru_01.jpg">irrepressible</a> chess entertainer <strong>Raul</strong>, who holds court on the corner. He charges five dollars a game (“a donation, not gambling”). I didn’t have time for that. Maybe next visit.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2495207261_a9f474d2dd.jpg?v=0" border="0" /></div></div><p align="center"><strong>Raul</strong></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Raul photo by </span></strong><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2495207261_a9f474d2dd.jpg?v=0"><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Danielle Scott</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"> via flickr</span></strong></p>Tom Panelashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16043077227993571019noreply@blogger.com