I'm sure somebody here on this website has gone down to Washington square park to play? I know many famous players have played there

There are also local, many times homeless people who okay down there regularly for money. How good are these guys? I was thinking about taking a ride down there one day to check it out. Anybody have any good experiences to share?

Some of the hustlers are really good at quick time control. Master strength or greater. 

Do they only play blitz games or would they willing to play longer games like 15-20 min?

i havent visited the Wash.  square park yet but i think they only play blitz...5/0 3/0 or handicap time games (eg 3 vs 1 min)There are some really good players there so be careful cause the rules are dif... for example they don't call checks(usually) so u may c your king captured....

Bobby Fischer used to play chess there as well as many other masters. I used to play in Washington Square Park quite a bit also. They are hustlers who play for whatever they can get, usually 5 min. blitz games. Some will play for a flat fee of a few dollars a game and once in a while you will find someoone who will play for free. Last time I was there, there were a lot of drug dealers hanging around also, don't know if they were cleaned out or not by Bloomberg. Just don't carry a lot of money when you go there, be careful and have fun!

Thanks guys. I know they're hustlers. I'm no expert player so I have no problems spending a few bucks on playing there for an experience. Even if I get whooped. I'm sure it'll be fun.

Or...

Even some percent of the homeless/poor are likely to possess chess talent. 

Just because someone is homeless does not mean he is stupid. Homeless people lack families to support them and/or social and work skills to get a job and some of them are drug addicts or alcoholics. But that doesn't mean they are stupid! 

you won't know till you ask..... or play

Spoken like a true liberal. And not for nothing, but anyone who pisses their life away because they were an alcoholic or a drug addict is pretty stupid.

frank124c wrote:

Just because someone is homeless does not mean he is stupid. Homeless people lack families to support them and/or social and work skills to get a job and some of them are drug addicts or alcoholics. But that doesn't mean they are stupid! 

Or maybe they are homeless because they are mentally ill. Or, possibly, they are smarter then the rest of us. 

What's stupid is thinking anyone who lives life differently then you do is stupid. 

Perhaps you could discuss your political views in a polite manner instead of talking at others like all the American sheep that argue at each other instead of the politicians that screwed them in the first place?

Thanks a bunch.

True. Fischer was nuts, and you can't call him a crappy player. Did he ever play in Central Park?

I'm so terribly sorry Anthony. Maybe I should be much more sensitive. I feel so awful.

AnthonyCG wrote:

mattyf9 wrote:

Spoken like a true liberal. And not for nothing, but anyone who pisses their life away because they were an alcoholic or a drug addict is pretty stupid...

Perhaps you could discuss your political views in a polite manner instead of talking at others like all the American sheep that argue at each other instead of the politicians that screwed them in the first place?

Thanks a bunch.

Perhaps civilized communication isn't your thing?

Hahaha. I guess not. Maybe you can teach me some etiquette Anthony.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/chesscom-posting-rules

Easy, boys!

The hustlers at Washington Square aren't homeless.  Those who have that "look" do so intentionally.  They are out to make money, and a sympathetic opponent, especially a tourist, might give them some even if they can't take it gambling.

And while there are master-strength street hustlers from time to time, they are the exception and not the rule.  They don't have to be.  It's like the two campers surprised by an angry bear.  They run, the bear chases.

One guy says to the other, "Wow, can you outrun a bear?"  His pal replies, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun YOU!"

The hustler doesn't have to be a master.  He just has to know his mark.

A bear and a human have roughly the same maximum running speed. Bolt easily outruns a fast bear. The story works better with a cheetah (and that is the original version imho)

I wonder what would happen if these hustlers were themselves hustled where they kept losing game after game after game and not making any money. Do you think if they were the ones losing money that they would eventually look for something else to do with their time?

What would that other thing be?