Weatherbee Elementary School, as well.īishop learned chess the old-fashioned way, with a family chessboard and by experimenting with the board pieces: pawns, bishops, knights, rooks, queens and kings. He began volunteering with the chess club at Reeds Brook Middle School, and later at George B. He didn't even know there was a chess club until after he'd begun work in 2013. He was exploring new opportunities in the field - and not having much luck - when someone told him about a school custodial job. He was burned out from his job in the telecommunications industry and took an early retirement package at age 50. In Hampden, Bishop’s coaching success followed a happy twist of fate. “It definitely feels like chess is having a moment.” “What we are seeing is an unprecedented period of boom, like nothing before,” said Leon Watson, spokesperson for. The total number of registered users has nearly quadrupled to 123 million, the company said.Ĭhess fans are also watching videos of grandmasters teaching strategies and livestreams of high-profile chess players facing off. It had hit 10 million by January of this year. in full force - but it grew to 4.5 million by the end of 2020. The website had 1.5 million daily users in February 2020 - just before the pandemic hit the U.S. The website and app allows visitors to learn the game, to play against each other or against a computer, and to get chess news. Nationwide, chess is riding a new wave of popularity, and it's not just because of the popular Netflix mini series based on the 1983 book by Walter Tevis.ĭuring the pandemic, a growing number of kids forced to stay at home for extended periods turned to to relieve their boredom.

Prince gambit