It wasn't all bad
Tom Murphy sleeps on a bench, has no money, and struggles with alcoholism. But the 49-year-old homeless man is the unofficial chess king of Washington, D.C. Murphy spends his days playing chess at D.C.’s Dupont Circle, where he specializes in a lightning version of the game known as “blitz,” in which each player has just five minutes for all his moves. He has won several tournaments and finished 15th in the 2005 world blitz championship. “The mathematical equation has always been fascinating to me,” says Murphy, a former math and science major. “Then when you add the camaraderie, the ambience, the open air, it’s almost irresistible.” Murphy’s tournament ranking is “expert,” and in coming months, he hopes to qualify in the highest category, “master.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: 'a rare treat indeed'The Week Recommends The Roadster version of Aston Martin's new Vantage coupé makes even 'the most mundane journey feel special'
-
Bad Friend: Tiffany Watt Smith explores why women abandon friendshipsThe Week Recommends A 'deeply researched' account of female friendship through history
-
Brazil's reborn dolls crazeUnder The Radar The 'hyper-realistic' babies soaring in popularity in South American nation have spawned controversy
