A new club in Pilsen aims to put a uniquely Latino twist on the centuries-old game of chess. They’re holding matches at bars, with DJs bumping hits in the background.<\/p>\n
William Guerrero started the Chicago Chess Club to make the game accessible to and build bonds in Chicago’s Hispanic community.<\/p>\n
“Like, there are a ton of other chess clubs in the city of Chicago, right?” he said. “I just wanted to put a different twist. I just wanted to put, I guess you could say, a Latino twist to it.”<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old Pilsen native started his clubs last October. Whether it’s outdoors, online, in front of a DJ, or at a bar, Guerrero said the Chicago Chess Club’s mission is about making the game accessible, creating a welcoming environment, and building community.<\/p>\n
“I want to let other people know that anyone can play this game; anybody, from all ages, from all ethnicities, all backgrounds.”<\/p>\n
The clubs’ events include recreational play, tournaments, and more social occasions; including one for Hispanic Heritage Month.<\/p>\n
“You’re going to listen to mariachi, you’re going to listen to the DJs playing Latino music and things like that, loteria. You’re going to be enjoying conchas,” he said. “It’s very important to me that there’s still community events and community gatherings during this tough time.”<\/p>\n
He hopes the club can have a valuable impact in coming together to celebrate chess and his culture, as enhanced immigration enforcement has prompted fear in his community.<\/a><\/p>\n “We love our community, we love our gente, we love todo lo que tenemos que ofrecer,” he said. “Like everything, like we’re not going to be in fear, we’re not going to live in fear. We’re going to make sure that we show up.”<\/p>\n