The People You Meet Across a Chessboard

Last week at the Dane County Farmers' Market, a young man stopped at Lincoln's chess table and watched him play.

This week, he came back.

As he waited for his turn, he introduced himself to me and shared that he had recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in neuroscience. He told me he had been intrigued by Lincoln's play the week before but hadn't had time to stop for a game. This week, he made a point to come back.

That moment captured what has made bringing a chessboard to the Dane County Farmers' Market so special.

Throughout the morning, market visitors from all walks of life took a seat across the board. One young man, whose family was visiting him from Arizona, challenged Lincoln to a game. As they gathered around the board, his family smiled and told us he could beat all of them, so they were excited to see how he would do against Lincoln. When Lincoln won, they erupted in cheers. To make the moment even more memorable, Lincoln lost one of his baby teeth right in the middle of the match. After a quick pause to deal with the surprise, he was right back at the board, ready to finish the game.

Lincoln also played visitors from Kohler, Wisconsin, a gentleman from Venezuela, and an up-and-coming YouTuber who was filming a series about making trades with strangers. Every game brought a new conversation, a different story, and another reminder that chess has a remarkable way of connecting people who otherwise never would have met.

The day became even more memorable when Lincoln was interviewed by a reporter from the Wisconsin State Journal. The interview came after another local reporter had watched Lincoln play chess the previous week, shared his story with her editors, and inspired the Journal to feature his chess journey. A professional photographer also spent time capturing photos of Lincoln in action.

By the end of the morning, Lincoln had played approximately 12 games. He won all but one, resigning just a single game against a strong opponent. More importantly, he walked away smiling. You could tell he was proud of himself, not just because of how he played, but because so many people had stopped to encourage him, challenge him, and share in his journey.

What continues to surprise us isn't just how much Lincoln has improved at chess. It's watching chess become so much more than a game. Lincoln has always been observant, curious, and eager to learn. What chess has given him is the confidence to let those qualities shine. He now introduces himself, shakes hands with strangers, engages comfortably with adults, and welcomes new challenges.

A year ago, we never would have imagined that a simple chessboard at the Dane County Farmers' Market would become a place where people from different backgrounds, different states, and even different countries would gather around one table. Week after week, we've watched complete strangers stop to play a game, share their stories, encourage Lincoln, and leave having made a genuine connection. Chess has become more than a competition. It has become a bridge between people.

We're excited to see who sits down next Saturday.