On the second floor of the Main Mall in Durango, a coterie of chess players gather to play the popular board game.
Players take their positions on either side of folding tables, exchange a few pleasantries, and then set about with their opening moves.
Every Monday night, Guild House Games in the Main Mall at 835 Main Ave. provides a space for chess players to enjoy an in-person game.
“Most of what we do here we do because it brings people together,” said Guild House Games store owner Danny Perez.
Guild House Games started its chess club about two years ago. Back then, the game store had only a few people showing up each week.
When the pandemic began, and stores had to shut down, the club had to take a break. Since its return in April, Perez said the chess club draws as many as 16 players on some nights.
“There are times we only set up two tables,” he said. “We set up tables halfway through the hall tonight because people keep showing up.”
Chess is experiencing a resurgence of sorts across the United States, in part because of the pandemic and in part because of the popular Netflix miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit,” according to ShareAmerica.gov, hosted by the U.S. Department of State.
One player, Rodney Brown, drives in from Farmington each week just to play. A few of the players said Brown is the best chess player in the group.
However, regulars said the chess club is not too competitive. Players are evenly matched for the most part.
“What’s nice is that a lot of us are pretty evenly matched,” said chess player Nathan Hooks. “There’s nobody that just shows up and destroys everybody all the time.”
Playing an in-person game of chess means something different to each of the players at Guild House Games. For Hooks, it’s as much about aesthetics as it is about winning.
“I just like seeing a nice game, and being part of that is even better,” he said. “As long as the game is pretty and nicely played, that’s what I love the most.”
After quarantining for the pandemic, players such as Melanie Ellison are just happy to play a game in person.
“After the first year of COVID, I was so tired of playing online that I was hunting for a place to play,” she said. “There’s something about playing in person.”
Ellison said she found Guild House Games Chess Club after posting on the Nextdoor app to try to find opponents. She said her favorite thing about chess is how each game can be different from the last.
“I like the infinite nature of it,” she said. “There are so many variations.”
Guild House Games employee Aidan Jackson said it is important to him that people have a space where they can play games.
“It gives people a place to come and play games, which is really nice, and it's hard for some people to find,” he said.
Guild House Games prides itself on creating communities around gaming. Other than chess, the game store hosts games of Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Pokemon, to name a few.
“It’s huge to be able to provide the space, because you’re not sitting there home alone; you get to find people to spend time with,” Perez said.
A big night for the chess club may be 16 players right now, but with winter on its way, Perez thinks numbers could rise.
“I’m pretty sure the colder it gets outside, the more it’s going to grow,” he said.
Chess club players are grateful that Perez provides them with a place to play.
“He does this all for free,” Hooks said. “He’s awesome. He’s the reason that we’re able to do this.”
In an effort to create a safe and healthy environment for its players, Guild House Games requires participants to wear a mask.
njohnson@durangoherald.com
