Chess table

Chess is a very popular game in Bulgaria, spawning both male and female world champions. Eurostandard, an elite high school in the capital Sofia, is the first high school in Europe to make chess an obligatory school subject. This was the result of a partnership with the European Chess Union, and was intended to promote chess among young people throughout Europe. The chess tables in Superkilen, however, are located in the more mundane park Borisova Gradina, or Boris Gardens — Sofia's oldest public park. It was established in 1884 and named after Bulgaria's Tzar Boris III. The park is famous as a public space for locals and tourists, young and old, to relax, run, and of course play chess. Playing chess in the park is a common activity in Bulgaria. On a nice summer day, it is easy to see informal chess tournaments with engaged players surrounded by agitated spectators. Every now and then, you will also see the occasional tourist flashing the camera at the scene and adding up to an already heated situation.