Chris

I suppose it was when I was going out of hospital.  I met a bloke there.  I don’t quite remember his name but he encouraged me to start up a club or something.  ‘What are you passionate about, Chris?’ he’d say, and I thought ‘My passion’s about Chess and my nickname at school was Crob, short for Chris Roberton, and I like coffee as well.’  I’m the founder of Crobs’ Coffee and Chess.  The motto is ‘Keeping Disability in Check.’  When they’re playing, everyone forgets about the disability, don’t they?  It’s all about the chess.  On Wednesdays, I play at a homeless shelter in the city.  On Thursdays, I go to a retirement village.  On Friday’s I play at a café in the hills, City Farm on Saturdays, and another café, where it all began, on Sundays.  The cafes reserve the tables and put the chess sets out.  Mondays and Tuesdays are my weekend from chess.  I don’t have a very good memory.  That’s one of the drawbacks of my accident.  I’m quite a good player but five minutes after I can’t remember what I’ve done.  I’ve forgotten that I played yesterday, so I’ll have to go back and play it again (laughter).  This is sort of my work to help or to encourage other people to get out.   It makes me feel good in a sense that I’m contributing to society or chess-loving society.  It helps me to get out of the house and have coffee as well, two very good things and I get to interact with other people as well.

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