Chess, an elegant hobby

(Baonghean) - Chinese chess is an intellectual sport with a tradition in our country. Currently, the attraction of Chinese chess has not decreased, even popularized in the form of sidewalk Chinese chess, contributing to the excitement of playing Chinese chess in Vinh City...

No one knows since when, Chinese chess has been present in the cultural and spiritual life of Vinh City people. Compared to other sports with ups and downs, sidewalk Chinese chess has a completely different color, even in the period when the country was still at war, or the hardships of making a living in the post-war period, there were still many chess boards displayed... Vinh City people play Chinese chess not only as a simple entertainment, but above all, it is the traditional culture of the nation, an elegant and close hobby that helps train intelligence and perseverance, patience. Chinese chess players come from all walks of life, all are passionate about the moves, the "eating" sounds, strangely attractive! Chinese chess is intellectual but simple, it seems, there are few sports with a rustic and simple approach like Chinese chess?

A chess "ring" in a coffee shop in Vinh City.

Chess enthusiasts now often gather on Nguyen Canh Chan Street, Ngu Hai Street, Hong Bang Street, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. From 9am or 3pm onwards, it becomes noisy because dozens of chess boards are set up. The thoughtful players sip hot coffee, or sip fragrant lotus tea and huddle their heads together at the chess board. Even though there are only two players playing in silence, there are always a few people sitting next to them, pointing and giving advice to the players. They feel sorry for the players if they make a wrong move or admire the players' strange and high moves. The tense and exciting atmosphere, mixed with the noise, creates a different and interesting atmosphere for sidewalk chess. Mr. Dang Van Tam (Quang Trung Ward, Vinh City), who has been playing Chinese chess on the sidewalk for nearly 30 years, sincerely said: “For decades, I have been playing Chinese chess regularly. Every morning and afternoon, at the right time, I sit at the base of this tree waiting for friends to play. No appointment, but every time someone comes over to play a few games. There are acquaintances, and there are also strangers. But as soon as the chess board is laid out, it is like an invitation, no matter how familiar or unfamiliar, they all smile and sit down.”

Those familiar with this form of play, they call it "sidewalk chess" - a short name for sidewalk chess. Sidewalk chess in Thanh Vinh is now not only the domain of the elderly, but also attracts a large number of young people to participate. Playing sidewalk chess also has many principles and rules, not as casual and casual as many people think. Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, an architect and also a long-time "sidewalk chess" player on Hong Bang Street, said: "Sidewalk chess is completely different from professional chess, firstly, there is no control over the time to make a move, secondly, there is no application of the rules in the ruleset. It is quite free in the moves, but if the player is not alert, it is easy to fall into moves that are too liberal and difficult to control. Sidewalk chess is both easy and difficult and easy to "get addicted" for that reason."

No one denies the strong vitality of this intellectual sport, but for a long time, Chinese chess has existed and developed as a spontaneous need, and spontaneously, who dares to guarantee that the quintessential values ​​of Chinese chess are properly preserved? The evidence is that many innovative rules have appeared, and new players have approached Chinese chess, innocently playing according to the "new rules" without paying any attention to its traditional rules. From here, misunderstandings about chess have been formed, even many variations such as "betting chess", "spinning chess" - names referring to the form of chess with betting with many tricks, the main purpose of making money. Besides, people playing Chinese chess on the sidewalk are also facing many evils such as pickpocketing, theft, gambling... mixed in for profit, affecting this elegant hobby. The desire of sidewalk chess players is to receive attention and intervention from local authorities, to handle and deter bad actors, to restore chess to its original beauty, and to preserve for future generations the quintessence of traditional national culture.

Hoang Vu

Vinh City