What's really cool about the Crossroads Mall in
Bellevue, Washington is that is a huge gathering for
chess players. Right outside the
Wizards of the Coast store, there is a huge chess
court, with piles of checker-covered tables everywhere, including one entire section of floor, that's nothing but a
chess board with several foot-high pieces, just
laying about.
At any time of any given day you see people staring at those 16 pieces, locked in a
silent mental duel of epic proportions with their
opponent, while a clock discretely
ticks away. There would be at any given
moment anywhere from five to twenty pairs locked in such a
battle.
It's quite an interesting place to visit, and I think is a really good glimpse of
West Coast culture, as least from this native Easterner's view. The
food court isn't bad either. There is a fairly wide variety of stores in this tiny little mall, including a 24 hour
QFC on one end.