“'I came here to get a Ph.D. in American literature, and here I am, with pictures of American writers on the wall—a chess vendor.' That’s Imad Khachan, the owner of Chess Forum, the only remaining chess shop in New York City. A Palestinian refugee with no family of his own, Khachan has become 'the father of everybody' to a community of chess enthusiasts, those curious to learn more about the game, and those whom Khachan describes as the city’s 'invisible people.' 'When no other place will welcome you, you have a seat [here],' Khachan says in Lonelyleap’s short documentary, King of the Night. The film depicts the chess shop as more than a home for chess players; Khachan’s open-door policy has provided a haven for many patrons who have a difficult home life. According to Brass, some Chess Forum regulars have no home at all. ... In the chess shop’s early days, it was open 24 hours. Khachan, working the graveyard shift, would often take breaks to roam the streets. He still practices the nocturnal habit. ..."
The Atlantic (Video)
2008 October: World Chess Championship 1972, 2009 January: Sicilian Defence, 2009 February: Mikhail Tal, 2009 February: Garry Kasparov, 2009 April: Vasily Smyslov, 2009 August: Chess960, 2009 November: Bent Larsen,2011 November: The Lewis Chessmen, 2012 July: 40 Years Ago Today: Chess Rivals Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky Meet in the ‘Match of the Century’, 2015 September: The Subtext Buried In Seven Great Movie Chess Scenes
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