The ‘quirks’ of chess: Tuesday nights at the Mechanics’ Institute

Enkhjin Gomboluudev picked up a score sheet, sat down in her chair and began to organize the contents of her brown bag pasta dinner as she prepared for that night’s chess match.

The 12-year-old was a little tired from her Mongolian dance performance from the other night and hadn’t been able to study her opponent’s past games to prepare as she normally would.

Forty chess boards and tables were ordered in rows throughout the Chess Room for the Tuesday Night Marathon at the Mechanic’s Institute. Numbered cards rested on the tables, indicating where the night’s pairings were to be seated.

Gomboluudev, ranked one of the top 100 girls under 13 in the United States, and Elliott Winslow, an International Master, exchanged the customary handshake across the chessboard and began their game.

“The things I enjoy most about the chess room is playing against other people and learning about it,” Gomboluudev said. “I think it kind of expands my way of thinking, for maybe like math and kind of like history a little.”

Nearby, Peter Grey sat across from his opponent with his hand to his brow, studying the pieces. Grey, who had tied for fifth place in the first Tuesday Night Marathon in the winter of 1973, had skipped his dinner to be there that night.

Minutes would pass before Grey’s hand would come down and, with great deliberation, move a piece across the board. He’d then reach over to tap the chess clock to start his opponent’s time — immediately returning his hand to his forehead.

His game progressed, providing fodder for another hobby of his: card indexing. He explained his proclivity for developing card indexes on any topic — in this case, chess moves — and how his passions go hand-in-hand.

“It’s a diverse environment: The people are different, the players are different — they all have their own quirks,” said Grey, who had joined the Mechanic’s Institute in 1965. “It’s not the same kind of satisfaction at all using a chess computer. I think for most people, they’d rather have a human opponent.”

The Tuesday Night Marathon started in 1973, and by Chess Room Director John Donaldson’s assessment, it is growing. A new attendance record was set in the Winter 2015 Tuesday Night Marathon, which ended in February, with 121 players.

“The old record was set back in 1974 with 119 players,” Donaldson said, pointing out that it was in the aftermath of Bobby Fischer winning the World Chess Championship 1972 against Boris Spassky.

As the tournament settled into play, the players started to get up and move about during their opponent’s turns — stretching their legs by stopping and studying other boards before returning to their seat to contemplate their next move.

Jossy Chalissery, of Dublin, and Renate Otterbach, of San Francisco, retreated to the Annex after their match to go over their game.

"This is a good tournament because it is something you can do if you love the game," Chalissery said, explaining that it can be difficult to participate in weekend or longer tournaments because of family or work commitments.

Chalissery used his score sheet to recreate the moves of their game. His and Otterbach’s hands flew over the chessboard in rapid movements as they looked at critical parts of the game. They exchanged ideas and discussed the possibilities of strategies.

“Usually a higher-rated player will win over the lower-rated player — but one can miss,” Chalissery said. “This is how we help each other. And that way you can learn. You can help each other up.”

Lea Suzuki is a guest contributor to The Regulars, a weekly photo and video column by Erin Brethauer and Tim Hussin focusing on the people who frequent the places of the city. To see more, visit www.sfchronicle.com/theregulars. If you know a regular, e-mail regulars@sfchronicle.com.