Chess fans mate at the Love park downtown

Chess is a game that requires patience. So does sitting outdoors in 95 degree heat with 30 percent humidity. Chess players at the John F. Kennedy Plaza, which is known for its majestic fountain and sculpture of the word "love," however, do not seem to mind the heat. On every sunny day from April to October, the players gather at the park at 15th and Market Streets for a few games of chess or cards. "This is a place where we play and people come here to communicate," said Charles Smith, a preacher who frequents the area. "The benches and trees make it convenient, and you get the view of the sun." Another player, Peter Folk, came for a different reason. Claiming to be a 63-year-old retired general, Folk stays in the park to avoid the real-life traumas of war. "This is the world championship," he said. "This is what I like to do. There is no bloodshed here." Ranging from doctors and accountants to jobless and homeless people, the players said last week they don't only play for fun. "Sometimes I give them a gift of 50 cents or a quarter when I loose," said James Williams, an occasional player. "But I don't bet money. You have to be grand master to take bets here." Some good players, however, do make "fast dollars" in the park, according to Gregory Johnson, a city janitor. "Everyone comes around when they get off work," he said. "Some of them want to make money off the doctors and lawyers that come here. But in general, they just come here to have a good time." One player, after declining to give his name, said he was a graduate of Princeton University. He also said that he makes his living from beating other players. "The heat is tough to deal with, but poverty is even harder to deal with," he said. Although most players said they play for enjoyment, Larry Thomas, an accountant, said he looks at the game as an "educational process." "I learn a little bit about the game everytime I come here," said Thomas. "This seems to be some sort of institution for people to come out here to play chess and cards." Many of those who work in nearby offices said they take detours to the park during lunch breaks and after work on their way home in order to catch a little bit of the game. "Some of these people practically live here," said a bystander who works in the building across from the park. "I'd come by quite often to watch them play. I will definitely be very surprised if they are all gone one day." According to Johnson, the players come from many diverse social and racial groups, who come together simply to share a common interest. Prejudice, he said, is not part of the scenery. "It doesn't matter whether you are a doctor or a lawyer. When you come out here to play, you have to go by the rules," he said. Many of the players at the park know each other only by name, splitting up at the end of the day and simply relying on the sheer magnetism of the place to draw them together again to finish their matches. Card players, too, find companionship and competition at the plaza. "We come out here every day," said 24-year-old Toni Caldwell. "There are more people here who know how to play Pinochle. You make friends out here, you eat out here, you have sex out here, you do anything else out here." Caldwell and friend Florence Thompson said they often play cards for five hours at a time, spending the whole day at the park. "You sit out here and relax. You gossip, watch things and be amused of the sight," said Thompson. "We meet here without [the need to] call [each other in advance to arrange the time.]" "It's a free night club with no music," added Caldwell. "We hang out till night." More than just a chess haven, some of the players said John F. Kennedy Plaza gives them the home and family that they lack elsewhere. "I have the feeling of belongingness here," said Johnson. "It's a chance to meet new friends and other people, and it's also a place to keep your friends and acquaintances."

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