HAMPDEN, Maine
David Bishop spends the school day as a mild-mannered custodian, but before the final bell rings, he grabs his chess boards and pieces and begins his second role.
The Queen’s Gambit is playing out in real life in Maine, where this custodian is coaching his schools’ chess teams to acclaim.
kAmq:D9@A[ 2 A2CE\E:>6 496DD 4@249 2?5 7F==\E:>6 4FDE@5:2?[ =65 9:D 6=6>6?E2CJ 2?5 >:55=6 D49@@= E62>D E@ DE2E6 492>A:@?D9:A E:E=6D E9:D J62C[ 5C2H:?8 4@>A2C:D@?D E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^6>>J\2H2C5D\a_a`\_ha64eacebe_43`6g5_fce25f_`eaa`bQmE96 }6E7=:I D6C:6D 23@FE 2 496DD AC@5:8Jk^2m :?DA:C65 3J 2 ;2?:E@C]k^Am
kAm$@>6 @7 9:D A=2J6CD 2C6 8@@5 6?@F89 E@ 362E E96:C 4@249[ AC@F5=J 564=2C:?8 “4964<>2E6P”k^Am
kAm“x?:E:2==J[ :E H2D 9F>:=:2E:?8 2?5 56>@C2=:K:?8[ 3FE :E 5:5?’E E2<6 =@?8 7@C >6 E@ C62=:K6 E92E’D 2 8@@5 E9:?8] %96J’C6 86EE:?8 DEC@?86C[” E96 e`\J62C\@=5 D2:5]k^Am
kAm}2E:@?H:56[ 496DD :D C:5:?8 2 ?6H H2G6 @7 A@AF=2C:EJ[ 2?5 :E’D ?@E ;FDE 3642FD6 @7 E96 A@AF=2C }6E7=:I >:?: D6C:6D 32D65 @? E96 `hgb 3@@< 3J (2=E6C %6G:D]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4[ 2 8C@H:?8 ?F>36C @7 <:5D 7@C465 E@ DE2J 2E 9@>6 7@C 6IE6?565 A6C:@5D EFC?65 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^r96DD]4@>Qmr96DD]4@>k^2m E@ C6=:6G6 E96:C 3@C65@>] %96 H63D:E6 2?5 2AA 2==@HD G:D:E@CD E@ =62C? E96 82>6[ E@ A=2J 282:?DE 6249 @E96C @C 282:?DE 2 4@>AFE6C[ 2?5 E@ 86E 496DD ?6HD]k^Am
kAm%96 H63D:E6 925 `]d >:==:@? 52:=J FD6CD :? u63CF2CJ a_a_ — ;FDE 367@C6 E96 A2?56>:4 9:E E96 &]$] :? 7F== 7@C46 — 3FE :E 8C6H E@ c]d >:==:@? 3J E96 6?5 @7 a_a_] xE 925 9:E `_ >:==:@? 3J y2?F2CJ @7 E9:D J62C] %96 E@E2= ?F>36C @7 C68:DE6C65 FD6CD 92D ?62C=J BF25CFA=65 E@ `ab >:==:@?[ E96 4@>A2?J D2:5]k^Am
kAmr96DD 72?D 2C6 2=D@ H2E49:?8 G:56@D @7 8C2?5>2DE6CD E6249:?8 DEC2E68:6D 2?5 =:G6DEC62>D @7 9:89\AC@7:=6 496DD A=2J6CD 724:?8 @77]k^Am
kAmU=5BF@j(92E H6 2C6 D66:?8 :D 2? F?AC64656?E65 A6C:@5 @7 3@@>[ =:<6 ?@E9:?8 367@C6[UC5BF@j D2:5 {6@? (2ED@?[ DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^r96DD]4@>Qmr96DD]4@>k^2m] U=5BF@jxE 567:?:E6=J 766=D =:<6 496DD :D 92G:?8 2 >@>6?E]UC5BF@jk^Am
kAmx? w2>A56?[ q:D9@A’D 4@249:?8 DF446DD 7@==@H65 2 92AAJ EH:DE @7 72E6]k^Am
kAmw6 H2D 3FC?65 @FE 7C@> 9:D ;@3 :? E96 E6=64@>>F?:42E:@?D :?5FDECJ 2?5 E@@< 2? 62C=J C6E:C6>6?E A24<286 2E 286 d_] w6 H2D 6IA=@C:?8 ?6H @AA@CEF?:E:6D :? E96 7:6=5 — 2?5 ?@E 92G:?8 >F49 =F4< — H96? D@>6@?6 E@=5 9:> 23@FE 2 D49@@= 4FDE@5:2= ;@3] w6 7:8FC65 :E H@F=5 36 >62? =6DD DEC6DD]k^Am
kAmw6 5:5?’E 6G6? <?@H E96C6 H2D 2 496DD 4=F3 F?E:= 27E6C 96’5 368F? H@C< :? a_`b] w6 3682? G@=F?E66C:?8 H:E9 E96 496DD 4=F3 2E #665D qC@@< |:55=6 $49@@= 2?5 =2E6C 2E v6@C86 q] (62E96C366 t=6>6?E2CJ $49@@=[ 2D H6==]k^Am
kAmq:D9@A =62C?65 496DD E96 @=5\72D9:@?65 H2J[ H:E9 2 72>:=J 496DD3@2C5 2?5 3J 6IA6C:>6?E:?8 H:E9 E96 3@2C5 A:646Di A2H?D[ 3:D9@AD[ <?:89ED[ C@@<D[ BF66?D 2?5 <:?8D] w6 A=2J65 H:E9 9:D 3C@E96CD[ D@>6E:>6D :? E96 72>:=J’D 32C?[ =62C?:?8 E96 >@G6D E@ 4964<>2E6 9:D @AA@?6?E’D <:?8[ E96 @3;64E @7 E96 82>6] pE 286 `_[ 96 7@==@H65 H:E9 <66? :?E6C6DE E96 >2E49 :? H9:49 p>6C:42? 8C2?5>2DE6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A:>286D3=@8]4@>^9:DE@C:42=^a_aa^h^`^d_\J62CD\D:?46\3@33J\7:D496C\H@?\:?E6C?2E:@?2=\496DD\4C@H?Qmq@33J u:D496C 56762E65 E96 $@G:6E &?:@?’D q@C:D $A2DD<Jk^2m :? `hfa]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 q:D9@A 6?;@J65 496DD 2?5 H2D 8@@5 2E :E[ 96 5:5?’E ;@:? 9:D 9:89 D49@@= 496DD 4=F3[ H@CCJ:?8 96 H@F=5 36 EJA642DE 2D 2 ?6C5] w6 C68C6ED E92E ?@H]k^Am
kAm%96D6 52JD[ E92?<D E@ :ED 8C@H:?8 2AA62=[ E9@D6 DE6C6@EJA6D ?@ =@?86C 2AA=J]k^Am
kAm~? 2 C646?E 52J[ E96C6 H2D 2 3FKK :? E96 2:C 2E E96 #665D qC@@< |:55=6 $49@@= =:3C2CJ H96C6 E96 496DD 4=F3 >66ED] q:D9@A’D E62> 925 ;FDE C6AC6D6?E65 |2:?6 2E E96 ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:AD :? %6I2D[ 2?5 E96J 42>6 :? 6:89E9 A=246 @FE @7 da E62>D] %96 6=6>6?E2CJ D49@@= E62> 4@>A6E6D E9:D H66<6?5 :? :ED ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:AD :? |2CJ=2?5]k^Am
kAm%96 DEF56?ED BF:4<=J E@DD65 E96:C 324<A24<D 2D:56[ D2E 5@H? 2E =:3C2CJ E23=6D 2?5 =2F?4965 :?E@ >2E496D] %9@D6 H9@ H6C6?’E 24E:G6=J A=2J:?8 H2E4965 @E96CD’ >@G6D :?E6?E=J]k^Am
kAmt=: |2CBF:D[ `a[ D2:5 E96 496DD A=2J6CD 2C6 4@?DE2?E=J =62C?:?8 ?6H D<:==D 2?5 E24E:4D — =:<6 @A6?:?8 2?5 4=@D:?8 >@G6D — 2==@H:?8 E96> E@ :>AC@G6 2?5 6?DFC:?8 E96J 5@?’E 86E 3@C65]k^Am
kAm“*@F 42? ?6G6C CF? @FE @7 E9:?8D E@ =62C? 2?5 E@ AC24E:46 2?5 E@ 5@[ 2?5 J@F 42? ;FDE <66A @? 86EE:?8 36EE6C 2D =@?8 2D J@F AC24E:46] %96C6’D ?@ 6?5 E@ :E] #62==J[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmt55:6 {2#@496==6[ `b[ 4@>A2C65 496DD E@ @E96C 4@>A6E:E:G6 E62> DA@CED] p DEC@?8 H@C< 6E9:4 2?5 AC24E:46 :>AC@G6 :?5:G:5F2= D<:==D[ 2?5 E9@D6 :?5:G:5F2=D H@C< E@86E96C E@ 249:6G6 G:4E@CJ]k^Am
kAm“*@F 5@?’E ?665 E@ H@C< @FE 6G6CJ D:?8=6 52J :? E96 8J>] %@ 86E DEC@?86C[ J@F 42? 6I6C4:D6 J@FC 3C2:? H:E9 AFKK=6D[ 496DD 2?5 @E96C E9:?8D[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm{6DD@?D 7C@> E96 496DD 3@2C5 @7E6? 42CCJ :?E@ =:76]k^Am
kAm%62> >6>36CD D2:5 496DD 92D E2F89E E96> E@ E9:?< 29625[ 36 DEC2E68:4 2?5 4@?D:56C E96 C2>:7:42E:@?D @7 564:D:@?D] p?5 :E 96=AD H:E9 <66A:?8 @? E2D< 2?5 DE2J:?8 @C82?:K65]k^Am
kAm“r96DD :D D@ 8@@5 7@C E96>[ 2?5 >@DE @7 E96> 5@?’E <?@H :E[” E96:C 4@249 D2:5] “%96J’C6 ;FDE A=2J:?8 496DD[ 3FE :E’D =:<6 2 H@C<@FE 7@C E96 3C2:?]”k^Am
kAmq:D9@A F?56CDE2?5D 4@>A2C:D@?D E@ E96 ;2?:E@C :? k6>m%96 "F66?’D v2>3:Ek^6>m — (:==:2> $92:36=[ A=2J65 3J 24E@C q:== r2>A — 2?5 96 E9:?<D :E’D 2? 6?E6CE2:?:?8 D6C:6D] %96 496DD A=2J :D 244FC2E6 2?5 6I4:E:?8[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmr2>A[ E96 24E@C[ 92D 962C5 @7 E96 E62>’D DF446DD 2?5 9@A6D E@ A2J 2 G:D:E E@ E96 D49@@= E@ @776C 9:D 4@?8C2EF=2E:@?D] w6 925 9:89 AC2:D6 7@C q:D9@A]k^Am
kAm“(92E 96’D 5@:?8 :D 23@FE 2D ?@3=6 2D @?6 42? 5@ — 96’D 2 E62496C[” r2>A D2:5 7C@> {@D p?86=6D] “w6’D 5@:?8 E96 8C62E6DE D6CG:46]”k^Am
kAm&?=:<6 E96 }6E7=:I D6C:6D’D ;2?:E@C[ q:D9@A :D 96=A:?8 ?@E ;FDE @?6 8:C= :? 2? @CA92?286[ 3FE 5@K6?D @7 <:5D @7 2== D<:== =6G6=D 2?5 D@4:@64@?@>:4 324<8C@F?5D]k^Am
kAmw:D @?6 H@CCJ :D E92E E96C6 2C6?’E 2D >2?J 8:C=D E2<:?8 FA 496DD]k^Am
kAmr96DD 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36 5@>:?2E65 3J >6? 2?5 3@JD 7C@> E96 E@A =6G6= @7 8C2?5>2DE6CD 5@H? E@ E96 8C256 D49@@= =6G6=] %96C6’D @?=J @?6 76>2=6 @? 9:D >:55=6 D49@@= 492>A:@? E62> C:89E ?@H[ 3FE 96’D 9@A:?8 E@ 492?86 E92E 3J 86EE:?8 <:5D 9@@<65 2E 62C=:6C 286D[ DE2CE:?8 :? <:?56C82CE6?]k^Am
kAmu@C ?@H[ q:D9@A =@@<D 7@CH2C5 E@ D66:?8 9@H 72C 9:D E62>D 42? 8@] pD E96 E62>D 86E 36EE6C[ 96’D 86EE:?8 FD65 E@ =@D:?8 496DD >2E496D >@C6 7C6BF6?E=J]k^Am
kAm#:=6J #:492C5D@?[ H9@ A=2465 `cE9 @FE @7 bge 4@>A6E:E@CD 2E E96 ?2E:@?2=D[ D2:5 E96 7:CDE E:>6 96 362E 9:D 4@249[ 96 E9@F89E q:D9@A H2D =6EE:?8 9:> H:?] qFE ?@H[ 96 92D 362E6? 9:D 4@249 2 76H E:>6D]k^Am
kAmw6’D H2E49:?8 7@C GF=?6C23:=:E:6D]k^Am
kAm“p H9:=6 28@[ x 24EF2==J 362E 9:> 3642FD6 x ;FDE DE2CE65 =62C?:?8 9:D H62<?6DD6D[” #:492C5D@? D2:5] %92E H62<?6DDn w6 D>:=65 2?5 D2:5i ”$@>6E:>6D[ 96’D @G6CE9:?<:?8]”k^Am
