How an impromptu chess lesson to teen basketball players turned into a hit summer camp

Israel Crooks has two passions art and chess.

For now, his hope for life as a professional artist is a dream deferred. But playing chess is a reality he's brought to teens in Hamiltonthese past few weeks.

On weekday afternoons, you'll find Crooks, hisshadetents and his chess sets one with pieces the size of small dogs set up at the eastern end of the busyVictoria Parkinthe city's downtown.

Crooks, 47,teaches a small groupof neighbourhood kids what he calls "the most beautiful game I have ever seen in my life."

The native of Jamaicapaces between the tables he's set up, cajoling, counselling and kidding his charges towarda strategic understanding of the ways of the world, wrought in miniature pieces on his checked battlefields.

He is part comic, mugging for the kids, part sage, wisely stroking his chin in thoughtful contemplation.He monitors the kids' progress,moving from board to board with the erratic freedom of a knight on the attack.

Crooks was firstexposed to chess at age 10 inMontego Bay. He deepened his skillyear by year as he earned a degree in biochemistry and then moved to Hamilton in 2002 to join his wife, who had already arrived and settled in. Here, he honed his gameeven more, through hours of play at the Hamilton Public Library and between shifts at the city's factories.

I noticed the kids weren't playing[basketball]strategically. I told them we need to play chess.- Israel Crooks

About a month ago, he brought a chess set to a basketball game in the park.

"I noticed the kids weren't playing[basketball]strategically," he says. "I told them we need to play chess."

Hisset ended up on the court and the boys gathered around to watchCrooks moving pieces in an intricate dance of intrigue.

"They asked me to teach them," Crooks recalls.

He started with a few free ad hoc lessons and then, with the aid of a flyer his wife put together, more formal, for-fee (15 sessions, $225) Chess in the Park classes.

Adam Alsafadl, 12, and his older brother Yousef, 14, were two of Crooks'sfirst students.

On this day late in August,the boys quietly watched as Crooks demonstrateda queen sacrificeand explainedthe traits of a poisoned pawn.

Adam had never played chess before, but started coming every day to absorb the game from Crooks.

"I learned a lot of strategy, tactics, openings. I think it will help me a lot with other stuff, like in school," Adam said.

Still holding onto his artist dream

The summer session for the classes is over now, but Crooks, whohasalso worked as aMohawk College instructorand has a bachelor of education degree, has plans to extend the course into the fall.

"We will see what comes," he said.

As for his dream of becoming a professional painter? He hopes, in two years, to study in France.

"That is my real passion, to be a true artist," Crooks said.

He says his wife, a business analyst, supports himchasinghis dreams.

"She is so, so supportive," he said,and laughs. "I owe her. Huge."

King's advance, queen's gambit. Clearly, chess runs in the family.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check outBeing Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.