Playing chess in the pub... whats the problem ?

Abdiel

Anyone have any ideas on this ?

Was playing a game of chess in a local pub recently and was told by the barman that we would have to put away the board, that we couldn't play chess there, he said the owner had spotted us and told him to make us stop...

Twenty minutes later barman comes back out and says "I had a word with him and told him ye are quiet lads who are here a couple of times a week and he says it ok - so ye can play if you like"

So - why did he tell us to stop in the first place ? He just doesn't like chess ? It's illegal (in which case why did he then allow it ?) If it's about potential gambling then it still raises the question of why did he eventually allow it ? Also wouldn't pool tables and poker machines in other places be under threat for the same reason ??

simu

Sounds like he was being a bit of an ársehole the first time tbh.

stevenmu

It was probably that if you're providing yourself with free entertainment you're likely to spend less on drink.

joejoem

Bar owners are miserly hateful *****, he was probably annoyed over something else, maybe his back was sore from looking for pennys on the floor

Raiser

Yep, I heard that he was once tipped to be the first Irish Grandmaster since Finian McGreaney-Hasset, but his dreams crumbled when he realised he hadn't the heart to send his little innocent pawns into battle.

No, no, I'm imagining things again - he just was/is (and probably always will be) a wan*er.

Pub owners spend thousands on covering surfaces with fake copper cladding and cheap chinese LCD screens in the hope of attracting the "right" customers - I bet in his little head he thought his business was headed in entirely the wrong direction......

Abdiel

At €4.20 for a Guinness I think I deserve some entertainment ! I seem to be paying for the presence of An Taoiseach once in a while - he comes in now and again.
By that reasoning though newspapers wouldn't be allowed as it would be slowing people from drinking...

Had a conversation really with someobody else about the same pub owner - this was an old guy about 50 anyway, was saying he went there one night with his sons - got a bad pint and brought it back up and then had to go through an interrogation just to get a new pint - the owner was walking around a while later and was asking the usual "everything ok" question. So this guy says no - your pints arent the best and you charge too much - the response ? "If you dont like it you knwo what you can do..."

djmarkus

I think he thinks you should be putting money in the pool table or poker machine instead of entertaining yourself for free.

irlirishkev

Something to do with a gaming licence maybe? Or maybe he thought it was possible you had money on the game, hence gambling, which you also need a licence for.. I dunno. Why didn't you ask the barman what the problem was?

K.

Abdiel

Was going to ask as I was leaving - before he came back out and said we could play away. Decided then the owner was just being awkward and have since decided not to drink there anymore. At €4.20 a Guinness I want something other than the crappy country music that's normally playing.

Maybe it is the gambling, but then we could be gambling on word games, or how many flies will land in your pint if you go out to the smoking section, anything really. Somebody told me of a pub in Cork that has chess boards built in to the tables...

dg-8

Abdiel wrote:

At €4.20 for a Guinness I think I deserve some entertainment ! I seem to be paying for the presence of An Taoiseach once in a while - he comes in now and again.

Were you in Fagans in Drumcondra, by any chance?

AdMMM

Chess can be a very dangerous game if there's a hot headed player playing. Theres nothing worse than seeing your complex and long thought on strategy being beaten. It can evoke a few emotions anyway!

whiskeyman

pubs only like draughts.....
perhaps he thought you were pawn stars?
Was your friend from Prague by any chance? He mightn't like Czech mates...

enough

roberteboot

Good job deciding not to drink there anymore.Wanker of an owner and 4.20 a pint?In your local?!They can go and get ****ed!

Ishmael

|.Murderer.| wrote:

Chess can be a very dangerous game if there's a hot headed player playing. Theres nothing worse than seeing your complex and long thought on strategy being beaten. It can evoke a few emotions anyway!

*recalls father ted game of ted vs jack*

whiskeyman

whiskeyman wrote:

pubs only like draughts.....
perhaps he thought you were pawn stars?
Was your friend from Prague by any chance? He mightn't like Czech mates...

enough

I like the cut of your jib.

JackKelly

whiskeyman wrote:

pubs only like draughts.....
perhaps he thought you were pawn stars?
Was your friend from Prague by any chance? He mightn't like Czech mates...

enough

argh, it hurts!


OP,i think he's just a bender tbh.

whiskeyman

I think it was in the old Bailey Icon pub they had huge Jenga and chess. Pretty cool idea and often wondered why more pubs over here dont have stuff to do.
In England, they've lots of machines, pool tables, dart boards etc... in a lot of locals.
Here, the publicans just expect you to come in, sit down, and buy drink.
At least now some serve food, but there should be more activities down the local.
It'll keep the clientele there longer and happier.

Sounds like the owner in the above is just a whiny git and doesnt appreciate your custom. Go elsewhere

skywalker

dg-8 wrote:

Were you in Fagans in Drumcondra, by any chance?

The Ivy house up the road gives out board games on request. Not sure if chess is one.

roberteboot

whiskeyman wrote:

In England, they've lots of machines, pool tables, dart boards etc... in a lot of locals.

And things like fruit machines and arcade machines.Which is generally why they are terrible terrible ****holes of pubs.

Blitzkrieger

Abdiel wrote:

Somebody told me of a pub in Cork that has chess boards built in to the tables...

The Old Oak on Oliver Plunkett Street. Never seen anybody use them though...

Abdiel

dg-8 wrote:

Were you in Fagans in Drumcondra, by any chance?

Nope, the Beaumont House - Get a cheaper pint in Fagans !
Remember somebody telling me the Ivy had board games alright - I like the small bar around the side there - might try that in future.

skywalker

Abdiel wrote:

Nope, the Beaumont House - Get a cheaper pint in Fagans !
Remember somebody telling me the Ivy had board games alright - I like the small bar around the side there - might try that in future.

Small bar is Carthys, Id reccommend either (despite the owner being a knob end one time about reurning a drink), lovely pub & the food there is really second to none.

In fact I might give ya a game of chess down there some evening.

pwd

interested in boards chess tourney?

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=290657

skywalker

God what doesnt this site have a board for?

Might well sign up for that.

skywalker

skywalker wrote:

God what doesnt this site have a board for?

Bestiality, unless I'm mistaken.

impr0v

Myth wrote:

Bestiality, unless I'm mistaken.

Loosely covered by 'Animals / Pet Issues'

Blitzkrieger

I thought that was the Bubbles forum?

impr0v

impr0v wrote:

Loosely covered by 'Animals / Pet Issues'

I'm so there.

Ozzy

Ah Jesus, who plays chess in a pub man, come on...

Maybe the owner got bullied by nerds at school, did you ever think of that? Maybe he nearly choked to death on a chess piece as a naive young nipper? Probably forced down his throat by a gang of vicious, troublesome angry nerds? Bastards...

I think you should go back, apologise for being so insensitive to the poor guy, and try and change your ways man.

WizZard

I agree.

I mean, that chessboard must've been placed on a table, which could be used to seat another person who could pour money into the bar owner's pocket!!

For God's sake, won't someone think of the children!

Prior Of Taize

Myth wrote:

Bestiality, unless I'm mistaken.

Wrong again

Sleepy

I know the college bar in NUIG used to have a set behind the bar you could borrow. Spent many an evening enjoying a game over a few quiet pints in there. Was always a kick when I won because my oponent was far better than me

Tiffany

A similar thing happened when I was in the pub with all my relatives and my younger cousins were playing cards (all kids) and the barman told them to stop because of gambling purposes or whatnot. Now to be frank, kids don't like being in bars because it bores them to tears, and that was the only form of entertainment they had.