The Chess Hustler of Washington Square Park: A Life of Strategy and Survival
Chess Hustler Finds Life Lessons in Washington Square Park
New York City, NY — Beneath the sprawling canopy of a century-old elm in Washington Square Park, Marcel Anderson, known to friends as Marty, ponders his next move. A cigarette dangles from his lips as he cradles a worn queen chess piece in his hand. “The edges are coming off; gosh, I need to buy a new set!” he mutters, then adds with a wry smile, “You lose the queen, you lose the battle—on the board and in your life.”
Marty is one of the dozen chess hustlers who populate the park, turning the game into both a livelihood and a passion. For $30 an hour, he offers crash courses, while a quick blitz game costs just $10. “You beat me, you get $10; you lose, I get the money,” he explains, exuding the confidence of a seasoned player. “Thirty years, buddy. You beat me thrice, and I give you this chair,” he chuckles, gesturing to one of the iconic benches that line the park.
On a good day, Marty can rake in around $1,000, but on bad days—more common since the pandemic—he sees only $200 to $300. “The pandemic was tough; people started playing online and stopped coming out. The tourists also declined, and we are reduced to the regulars,” the 61-year-old reflects.
As he surveys the park, he points to a sun-soaked chair in the far corner. “That’s where Magnus (Carlsen) sat and played,” he recalls. “And over there, that’s Hikaru’s (Nakamura) favorite spot. Look at that stone bench—that’s where Bobby (Fischer) used to sit.” Though Fischer never hustled, the historic park was his favorite haunt, just three blocks from the Marshall Chess Club, his alma mater.
Marty dreams of one day playing against Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa, his favorite player on the circuit. “Mine is Gukesh,” interjects Joseph, a fellow player from an adjacent table. Though they may not be professionals, the two men are avid followers of the game. “I’ve been a cocaine addict, and I tell you, chess is more addictive,” Marty admits.
Washington Square Park has long been a gathering place for chess enthusiasts and the LGBTQIA+ community alike, its popularity soaring after the 1993 film Searching for Bobby Fischer. The hustling culture, however, began in the 1970s, credited to a man named Bobby Haywood, who set up a chessboard on a garbage can and challenged passersby for just ten cents. “That was the time when it really caught on—Cold War, Fischer, the Russian Grandmasters,” Joseph recalls.
Among the park’s regulars was a young Stanley Kubrick, who hustled for early photography gigs. The game became a recurring theme in his films, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to A Clockwork Orange.
Marty’s sardonic smile flickers as he reflects on the celebrity stories. “No one listens to the hustlers’ stories,” he says, likening their lives to the pieces on a chessboard—sometimes winning, sometimes losing. Born in Baltimore, he was raised by a single mother among eight children. A gifted student, he earned a spot at Milford Mill Academy, but his life took a turn when he protested the school’s treatment of Black students.
After being expelled and later reinstated, he enrolled at the University of Baltimore and pursued culinary arts. However, life spiraled as he turned to drugs to make ends meet, eventually becoming addicted to cocaine. After a stint in rehab, he worked as a cook but faced further challenges, including a divorce and a prison sentence.
Marty’s resurrection began in Washington Square Park, where he found solace in the game. He eventually became a counselor for drug addicts, dedicating nearly three decades to helping others. “I loved my job, but I wanted to retire at the first chance because I can play here all day long and make money,” he says, emphasizing, “Tax-free money!”
As dusk descends over the park, Marty spots a potential client and calls out in his booming baritone, “See what you’ve got, man… I think you can beat me.” The man pulls up a chair, and Marty eagerly sets the clock, ready for another game amid the squares of 64.