Hey guys,

I often see in American movies and tv shows guys sat out in the park playing chess (eg. as in the movie Searching For Bobby Fischer) I believe it's pretty popular in other countries as well.

Anyone know of anywhere like this in the UK? Somewhere pretty cool where a lot of people just hangout outdoors and play whoever wants a game. I'm not looking for a cliquey chess club environment, more just a fun social gathering over a game of chess in the park or whatever.

Any ideas? I'm based in London at the minute, but I'd be interested to know of such places in other UK cities too...

Holland Park in Kensington

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coisAm0U4Ac

http://www.hollandparkchess.com/location_hours.htm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/truejavachik/1370038860/

http://kensington.londoninformer.co.uk/2011/04/giant-chess-board-officially-o.html

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?p=10049

Thanks for this TadDude. Interesting that you are the person who responded and yet you are from Canada! I thought there would be a lot of people posting about all the imba places in the UK, but it seems like an area which could do with some development! My OTB skill is very low and I don't have a lot of time to commit (hence I haven't joined a club), but I think I'd take a lot of pleasure from a few casual games with fellow chess enthusiasts...

You can just take out your own board and clock to a bench/table combination in your neighbourhood, invite some friends along on a sunny day [trick them into this, i.e. luring them with a football] and soon you'll find yourself playing outdoor chess and dozens of friendly homeless people joining in

P.S. be sure to bring a few crates of booze too, the winner stays and receives a free bottle for each win

That sounds awesome, and you're right, a do it yourself situation could function fine - as long as other people did actually come and sit and play!

Maybe I'll start a chess area in a London park somewhere then :) Anybody gonna back me?

fickle weather= lack of chess culture

p.s. yes, I'll back you;

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/chess-in-public-spaces--londoners-and-brits-needed

aha! someone else thinking the same thing! and roughly the same age too, which is interesting, given that usually outdoor chess spaces are dominated by an older age group (which is fine by the way)...

I was thinking less formal and drastic though ie. no government grants, just finding a nice, relatively secluded spot and setting up a chess board, then just promoting it online and hoping other people come and bring their boards too...

If the weather's an issue, then you could try casually placing your board on a table in a cafe. I think fellow chess enthusiasts might get the message and pluck up the courage to ask for a game! 

Oh riiight! The Tao meister thought he'd rear his ugly head :P The problem is that we're in the UK, and interaction with strangers isn't a very British thing to do! Nobody has courage to pluck up!

Then let's create one!