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It’s no secret that our Head Honcho and founder of Crobs’ Coffee & Chess, Chris Roberton is passionate about chess. The Crobs’ team suspects it goes a little deeper than that so we interviewed Chris to get some insight into the level of his fanaticism.

We’ll let you decide …

 

How many days of the week do you play chess?

At least five – on Wednesdays, I provide complimentary chess lessons and play socially with the residents of St Bart’s homeless shelter. On Thursday afternoons, I visit the Pines retirement village in Ellenbrook and play chess with the seniors. I make the long trek out to Mundaring every Friday to hold social chess meetings at Dome café. On Saturdays, Crobs’ offers family-friendly chess activities at City Farm in East Perth and Sundays are of course dedicated to our regular Crobs’ Coffee & Chess gatherings at Café Di Mondo in Midland where it all began almost seven years ago.

On a scale from Amateur to Grand Master, where do you sit in that range?

I’m better than my dad and I can beat all my staff. That’s all that really matters!

Who is your chess nemesis?

Anyone who beats me (laughs)

Does anyone in particular come to mind?

Well, Hermann does win 80% of the games we play but I plan on making it my 2019 New Years’ resolution to turn those numbers around in my favour.

What does it take to be classified as Chess Obsessed”?

Playing five days a week. If you add my daily online chess games to that, I’d say earning that title is a full time job.

Do you think you suffer from OCD – Obsessive Chess Disorder?

Yes I do. Are you implying that’s a bad thing?

 

Moving on, can you describe your greatest chess triumph?

Every week is a triumph. I have a bad memory so I only remember the victories and none of the losses. A lot of chess players will claim to have memory issues too but I have medical evidence to prove mine.

 Have you ever had a chess-related injury?

Ask my bladder. I’m usually too focused on the chess game to pay attention to it.

What advice would you give to up and coming Chess-Obsessives?

Listen to your bladder. I don’t want to be responsible for anyone sustaining a chess-related injury.

 

If you’re interested in developing a mild chess obsession or would like to acquire a severe case of Obsessive Chess Disorder, please feel free to:

* Email us at crobschess@gmail.com for more details about Crobs’ Coffee & Chess activities, events and services

* Visit www.crobschess.com and refer to the Contact section of our website for venue information.

* Attend our chess meetings in person. We welcome players of all ages and experience and are more than happy to give chess instruction if required.

Chris and the Crobs’ Team