Intergenerational Chess Club reboots after hiatus
Families, teenagers, millennials, boomers, centenarians and anything in between are invited to enjoy one of the world's greatest pastimes at the Sebastopol library.
Every Monday at the Sebastopol library, from 3-4:30 p.m., a room is set aside for the “Intergenerational Chess Club.” The club, which was once quite popular but was discontinued after dwindling attendance, was resurrected earlier this month.
Dagen Prusky, age 15, will be heading back to school in a couple weeks, but in the meantime leads the club, playing cheerfully against whomever shows up, no matter what age or skill level they are.
“I’ve always loved how balanced chess is and how many different levels there are,” said Prusky, who lives in Santa Rosa and goes to Technology High School in Rohnert Park. “I created the chess club to bring anyone of any level to Sebastopol’s chess community. I can’t think of a more fun way to get many generations together.”
For now, Prusky is in the middle of a game against Doug Jordan, age 65, who is a longtime foe.
Both players have three fingers on their forehead, as though they are taking part in the Jewish “Shema” prayer. Prusky blinks many times, fiddles with his shirt, and makes his move before looking up towards Jordan, who, also on the edge of his seat with his heels lifted above the ground, remains frozen with his head slanted down towards the board.
After a few minutes, Prusky surrenders the game and Jordan smiles, relaxing his posture and taking a moment to reintegrate with his surroundings.
“I don’t think I’ve ever beaten him until today,” says Jordan, who remarks with confidence that the “kids these days” are better off playing chess than video games.
At 65, Jordan is 33 years younger than the club’s oldest member, Everett Chambers, who is thrilled at this new opportunity to play against real human beings instead of a computer.
“The first time I walked in, it was all kids, and I thought, ‘I must be in the wrong place!’” said Chambers, who found out about the club through his wife who read about it on “Instagram or something.”
“I mean I don’t really have much else to do,” he said. “I go to physical therapy and I do my exercises, and now I come here and play chess. I’m sure there are some other old farts who would want to play too if they knew about it.”
Chambers used be a producer on the TV show “Columbo” along with others that marked the “golden age of television,” which Chambers hilariously remarks is “a bunch of s***” compared to today’s TV.
In spite of his age, Chambers is sharp—yet chess still pushes his mind to stay active and focused.
“I don’t do well with distractions,” he said. “Dagen can be talking to you and messing around and he’ll still beat your a**. But, for me, sometimes I get on a roll and I kick the s*** out of people, and sometimes I get distracted like I did with you.” (I, the author, was getting whooped by Chambers until he forgot to protect his “queen” and I shamelessly took it.)
Chambers has been playing chess since he was deployed to Hawaii as a medic during WW2, back when everybody had an “[American] flag up their a**.”
While Chambers lives just a couple blocks away from the library, others, like Heather Sanchez, age 28, drive all the way from Cotati.
“Chess uses parts of your brain that make you have to be present,” said Sanchez. “When something doesn’t work out, you do something else. It prepares you for when you have to pivot in life.”
Indeed, while this air-conditioned room in the library is overflowing with considerations, decisions, calculations, and preparations, the outside world is dealing with many mindless and predictable problems.
When people see the red light, they stop. When they don’t like the song, they hit fast forward. But in here, one must always be on their toes, whether those toes are seven years old or 98.
“It helps bring us together,” says Luka DeLanc, age 15, who is one of the original members of the club. “Everyone can hang out and take part in a shared interest.”
This Monday, around a dozen players showed up, but the club is looking for more. Snacks (including chess-piece shaped cookies) and drinks are on hand. Contact the library at (707) 823-7691 for more information.
I'll be there, now that I know about it. Maybe back it up an hour when school starts?