Chess at the Farmer’s Market

Saturday, June 20 was about as perfect a day as Madison gets, sunny, warm, the square packed. Lincoln set up a small board near the edge of the market and started playing chess for donations. It was his first time doing anything like this.

The idea had been building for a while. A few weekends earlier, Lincoln and I noticed kids around the market playing instruments with their cases open for tips. Around the same time, while we were in Philadelphia, Lincoln and his dad ended up playing chess with some regulars in Rittenhouse Square, strangers who just play chess outdoors for fun. The two experiences kind of clicked together. Then in May, after Lincoln played in the U.S. Chess Federation National Middle School Championship in Round Rock, Texas, it really hit us how expensive staying competitive actually is. If we wanted to keep giving him real chances to compete, we were going to need some help.

There was also a simpler reason. We wanted Lincoln outside, talking to people, instead of spending another Saturday morning on Minecraft.

We weren't sure what to expect. By the end of the day, Lincoln had played around 15 games and lost three, against opponents ranging from six years old to their early sixties. A few told him they used to compete at national tournaments themselves. Some were playing for nostalgia, some wanted to test their skills, and a few just wanted to beat an 11-year-old. Everyone was kind about it either way.

At one point, the 16th annual World Naked Bike Ride passed right by the square, which is exactly as distracting mid-game as it sounds. Lincoln and his opponent paused, watched, laughed, and got right back to the board. Only in Madison.

We didn't expect the response we got. People were genuinely supportive, not just with donations, but in conversation, in the stories they shared, in how long they stayed to watch. It was honestly one of the most heartwarming days we've had since Lincoln started playing.

We're already planning to do it again.