Human chess?

[Nixie]

I know we have awesome people who play chess- very well.

But if there were a chance to do a human chess set up, where would you apply/ask to set it up?

[Demetrius]

You could check over by the hamster launch- there may be room next to the booth where they peace tie the hamsters.   

You are talking about human chess at the faire? I've seen it at the Minnesota faire. Hmmm... but who to talk to...?

[Avan]

I have played with human chess.  I prefer the female human chess over the male human chess.  But that is my taste and since I taste with my tongue I prefer not to get hair stuck on it.

[groomporter]

Probably contact the Entertainment, or Artistic Director if there is one.

Are you talking about just a standard chess game with live pieces,
-or "human combat chess" like we used to have at MNRF where the "pieces" attack each other in choreographed stage combat fights as part of a mini "play".

[pktaxwench]

Proposals have been submitted to CRF for a human combat chessmatch, and have been turned down.  I myself am one of the people who have submitted such proposals.  We've been told there's just no place big enough available. 

Being a six year veteran of human chessmatch before I came to CO, I have to agree since it does require a serious amount of space. With the site being on the side of a mountain, and just not having anywhere to expand to without doing a major renovation of the site.  (Plus, you generally need to have a battle of good and evil, and they don't like 'evil' characters at CRF.) 

BUT, if you really want to see a kickass chessmatch, we open at Bay Area Renaisance Festival (in Tampa FL) on Feb 21.  It'd be a great excuse to head south and enjoy the sunny weather!  Plus, I get to be badass, fighting rapier style in full gown with hoop and corset!

If I wasn't coming back to CO in April, I'd probably change my name on the little tag thingie to the left.  Since we've Queen Katherine Parr and they don't want mutiple Katherines, here I'm Lady Elizabeth Norrington.  I'm such a dork... and loving it!  Teehee!

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

If I wasn't coming back to CO in April, I'd probably change my name on the little tag thingie to the left.  Since we've Queen Katherine Parr and they don't want mutiple Katherines, here I'm Lady Elizabeth Norrington.  I'm such a dork... and loving it!  Teehee!

And here I though CoRF's good queen was Queen numero thrice and called herself Anne I could have swore that was what they were calling her last year and the year before. So how could we have Queen Katherine Parr as she in reality was Queen Numero Six. Anne was in reality Queen two and four. Anne Boleyn and Anne of Cleeves. OH well CoRF is just a Fantasy faire anyway with tons of Queen Hamsters running about.

If I had to be court and have a name I'd wish to be Queen Mary of France who was in reality Duchess Mary Brandon after coming back from France after her aged husband King Louise the XII died (Younger Sister to King Henry NOT Bloody Mary)

OH as far as expansion... it would not have been the first time CoRF expanded. The Jousting Areana was NOT always a part of the faire. The faire ended at the lower stage and just to where the lower privy's are. Quite a HUGE expansion when they did it. Ehey could expand west, but then again maybe this is all the land they can use to build on. Having been going to CoRF no for 20+ years I have seen it change little by little.

[Demetrius]

I've been going to faire since before it first opened and I have seen it expand quite a bit. I've seen it expand while I was standing right in the middle of it. Actually, it might be that I was just getting smaller, thereby giving the effect of swelling. 

Anyway, the joust field is located on what was, at one point, part of the campground. There may be room for further expansion, but human chess could be held on one of the existing stages- if the powers that be decided to do so. Perhaps if the right group of professionals comes along they might consider it seriously; maybe 'human combat chess' along the lines of what they produce at MNRF as Groomporter has described.    

[Zoë]

Would the jousting field be too small to do a human chess game? 

You know, like when they have football teams and baseball teams playing at the same stadium...

[pktaxwench]

Lady DeLaney, I'm currently in Tampa, FL, and our Queen here is the 6th wife of Henry VIII.   I thought that was kind of clear with the above statement suggesting people head south...

Colorado's Queen Anne is actually no specific queen of Henry's, kind of a mixture of the two Annes and really just "Queen Anne', since neither the king or queen resemble the historical personas. BARF (my current faire) is right on with historical accuracy for the scenario, but the rest of us have a lot of freedom to do what we want.

And Zoe, would *you* want do do stuntwork, ie, flips and falls, in the horse-poop filled sand of the Joust Field.  Ugh.   Plus, it's sand.  Having been fighting on Florida sand for the past two months, let me just say that it's a bit of an adventure when it comes to footwork.   I have to respect that the jousters do that in the icky dirty sand.  I miss CRF's rock strewn ground - except when I fall.   Then I like our soft sand here.

[groomporter]

MNRF used to use a portable chess board that they used. It was a huge tarp sew in a checkboard pattern.

[Tanda]

BUT, if you really want to see a kickass chessmatch, we open at Bay Area Renaisance Festival (in Tampa FL) on Feb 21.  It'd be a great excuse to head south and enjoy the sunny weather! 

But it's 60 here! Why leave? 

[Demetrius]

Would the jousting field be too small to do a human chess game? 

You know, like when they have football teams and baseball teams playing at the same stadium...

To answer your question... yes.

[Moldy Forest]

They could tape off some of the parking lot and do it out there, but its kinda hilly though.

[Demetrius]

They could tape off some of the parking lot and do it out there, but its kinda hilly though.

Even it out by using people of differing heights.

[Professor M]

We used to have human chess at the Pittsburgh Faire.  The person in charge was a trained stuntman who has worked on many stage and film productions.  Many of the cast members had martial arts training, and the rest of us could occasionally do comedy bits in place of fighting.  All tolled, it was a superb show.

There was never a "good vs evil" theme.  We did things like "peasants vs. royals" and "men vs. women."  It was not only a popular show, it was also a way to introduce the street cast to the customers, because you got to see the personalities of the characters as they competed.

We don't do it anymore.  We have the space, and had the talent, but management has focused our priorites elsewhere.  Hopefully we'll be able to revive it some day.