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Coffee shop chess

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Ghost of a Duke

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As part of my outreach work, i often find myself in coffee shops, with clients, playing chess. (My travel chess set is like a fifth limb). It feels perfectly natural to play a game or two while sipping a cappuccino and munching on a biscotti.

Got me wondering though, what is it about chess that makes it so compatible with coffee shops? i wouldn't feel so comfortable bringing out a monopoly board or playing battleships. Even a game of cards would make me feel a bit conspicuous. Is chess unique in this respect?

Played two games yesterday and won them both. It was a good day.

E

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Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
As part of my outreach work, i often find myself in coffee shops, with clients, playing chess. (My travel chess set is like a fifth limb). It feels perfectly natural to play a game or two while sipping a cappuccino and munching on a biscotti.

Got me wondering though, what is it about chess that makes it so compatible with coffee shops? i wouldn't ...[text shortened]... hess unique in this respect?

Played two games yesterday and won them both. It was a good day.
When you play chess with clients it is better to let them win 😀

DC
Student

Aylesbury

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>> Got me wondering though, what is it about chess that makes it so compatible with coffee shops?


Sip, move, sip, chat, sip, move.

Works well with beer too!

Ghost of a Duke

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Originally posted by Eladar
When you play chess with clients it is better to let them win 😀
🙂 Am currently beating one of my clients 22-5.

May seem harsh, but he really enjoyed those 5 victories. (And i enjoyed seeing him enjoy them).

Alas, no beer though.

E

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Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
🙂 Am currently beating one of my clients 22-5.

May seem harsh, but he really enjoyed those 5 victories. (And i enjoyed seeing him enjoy them).

Alas, no beer though.
Did you notice that your client was happier with you when the client won? Happy clients make happy accounts. You might want to make a blunder or two or ignore a blunder or two to allow a little better win rate.

By playing your client is getting better and better!

Btw I think you had a chance at a smothered mate in your first game on this site. It was either a smothered mate or your opponent would have to trade his rook for your knight.

D
Losing the Thread

Quarantined World

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Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
As part of my outreach work, i often find myself in coffee shops, with clients, playing chess. (My travel chess set is like a fifth limb). It feels perfectly natural to play a game or two while sipping a cappuccino and munching on a biscotti.

Got me wondering though, what is it about chess that makes it so compatible with coffee shops? i wouldn't ...[text shortened]... hess unique in this respect?

Played two games yesterday and won them both. It was a good day.
Card games are associated with gambling, chess has lost that association. Backgammon, go, and draughts would work as well, but other board games just require too much setting up and bits all over the place.

Ghost of a Duke

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Originally posted by Eladar
Did you notice that your client was happier with you when the client won? Happy clients make happy accounts. You might want to make a blunder or two or ignore a blunder or two to allow a little better win rate.

By playing your client is getting better and better!

Btw I think you had a chance at a smothered mate in your first game on this site. It was either a smothered mate or your opponent would have to trade his rook for your knight.
Thanks, will go back to the game and have a look.

The client was happy when he won as he knew i was giving him my best game. I don't think he would have found his victories quite so sweet if he suspected i had let him win.

As an aside, chess has also been a useful way to engage with clients with high anxiety, confidence issues. (Should probably explain that i work in the mental health field and that my 'clients' are not rich investors). The chess board acts as a kind of barrier, a point of focus, over which a conversation can flow.

s
Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

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Originally posted by Duncan Clarke
>> Got me wondering though, what is it about chess that makes it so compatible with coffee shops?


Sip, move, sip, chat, sip, move.

Works well with beer too!
But with beer, the more you sip, the worse you play. I know that for a fact🙂

wolfgang59
Quiz Master

RHP Arms

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Originally posted by DeepThought
Card games are associated with gambling, chess has lost that association. Backgammon, go, and draughts would work as well, but other board games just require too much setting up and bits all over the place.
Without gambling backgammon is just Ludo!!
The doubling die is an important part of strategy.

tonytiger41

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Originally posted by Eladar
When you play chess with clients it is better to let them win 😀
Also true when you're interviewing for a job.
I was challenged to a rapids game so couldn't decline. I rolled up my sleeves and played (and lost).

D
Losing the Thread

Quarantined World

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Originally posted by wolfgang59
Without gambling backgammon is just Ludo!!
The doubling die is an important part of strategy.
Yes, but if people see you playing backgammon they won't instantly think that there's money at stake, whereas if they see you playing cards they might think that.

Ghost of a Duke

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Coffee shop update:

Played my client again this morning and suffered the most brutal defeat i have ever experienced OTB. It was horrific.

Thank god i had the coffee.

E

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Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Coffee shop update:

Played my client again this morning and suffered the most brutal defeat i have ever experienced OTB. It was horrific.

Thank god i had the coffee.
Did you record the moves?

E

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Originally posted by tonytiger41
Also true when you're interviewing for a job.
I was challenged to a rapids game so couldn't decline. I rolled up my sleeves and played (and lost).
Hey! Tony the Benoni!

Nice to see you. If losing at chess can get you hired, I should be able to get any number of jobs. Of course I didn't play for my college, so beating me wouldn't do much for a person's ego.

Ghost of a Duke

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Originally posted by Eladar
Did you record the moves?
Afraid not, but i could describe the coffee.

(I was forked and pinned all over the place and at one point was a queen and bishop down). He sent me a text later in the day; a smiley emoticon.

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