I'm going on vacation in July (1st to the 11th) and I'll be in NYC. Anyone know of any things there that involve chess (or math, for that matter?)? I know the Marshall Chess Club is there, which I want to check out, but does anyone know of anything else?

Thanks.

NYC has several interesting sites--in Greenwich Village there is Washington Square Park where hustlers play (Searching for Bobby Fischer scenes were about this) and there are two chess shops on Thompson a few blocks from the park. Fred Wilson Chess books (East 11th) always has lots of chess stuff. By the New York Public Library (in Bryant Park) around 40th and 5th) there are tables where one can play.

One of those shops near Washinton Square Park is The village Chess Shop.  It's a really small, really cool place.  There are usually a bunch of guys playing inside or on the sidewalk (depending on weather).  It's literally 2 minutes from the tables in the corner of the park.  They also sell some really cool sets.  It's almost like a museum.  I was down there a few weeks ago, and it was too cold outside to see any games in the park.  I'm hoping to get back down there this summer to see some chess in the park.

Union Sq. (14th St.) has an outdoor chess seen almost as lively as Wash. Sq..

If you go to Brooklyn, you may find, on West St., where the Russians play.

As mentioned there is the Village Chess Shop on Thompson and another across the street--both are very similar. Union Square is also good but last time I walked through there they were doing massive construction and I wasn't sure the chess tables were still there.

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I was in Wash Square Park last summer and despite the construction there was some chess, although it was not like the bustling scene in Searching for Bobby Fischer.  If you like someone will hustle you for $5 a game.  You may get an offer to buy drugs too.  But please don't misunderstand, I enjoyed visiting and I think that as an American chess player you have got to go there to see what it's like.

As for math, see what's going on up at Columbia University or NYU, which is close to the park.