He wanted to give kids who usually didn't have access to the game a chance to play. Among the kids, there's been no shortage of interest. It's anything but quiet, despite the reputation chess has for being a cerebral game. Here kids jump out of their seat when they capture an opponents bishop or queen. The room is filled with light, playground banter.
Egos are large, so is the desire to win.
They gather around Brian Hawkins, the center's assistant director, who started getting serious about the game about 10 years ago after a knee injury cut short his football career at Norfolk State University in Virginia. He saw it as something that could satisfy his competitive spirit. This sparks cries of appreciation, and a flurry of questions. A mother watches her son grow up, and wishes his father were there to see it. A profile by Eric Neel.