‘Chess house’ makes all the right moves on Lyndale Avenue

?Chess house? makes all the right moves on Lyndale Avenue

Chess has been around for centuries, with its bold moves and dramatic plays, becoming a popular pastime for players around the world. On one of the busiest streets in south Minneapolis, a full-size chess game has become an unusual sight. FOX 9?s Maury Glover paid a visit.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Chess has been around for centuries, with its bold moves and dramatic plays, becoming a popular pastime for players around the world.

A special place

What we know:

On one of the busiest streets in south Minneapolis, an urban oasis has become an unusual sight.

"There's people stopping in the street every single day taking pictures," said homeowner Steven Gagner.

It may look like a bunch of animals playing the game of kings, but it’s really a magnet to bring a community together, one move at a time.

"I love the fact that people want to engage. My wife tells me that I'm overly friendly. It's definitely not an average front yard," said Gagner.

Building community

The backstory:

Gagner grew up playing chess and on this day, he's facing off against his son Aiden.

"It's just an amazing game of etiquette and strategy and just general understanding," said Gagner.

During the pandemic, Gagner built a six foot chess board out of paver bricks in his front yard, near 41st Street and Lyndale Avenue South, and bought some oversized chess pieces on the internet as a way to socialize with others in his neighborhood while staying outside and socially distanced.

His gambit paid off, with neighbors of all ages stopping to play a quick game, several times a day. And since his chess set was posted in the Quirky Minnesota Places Facebook group, complete strangers swing by to take pictures and more.

"Every once in a while, I have someone come up to my door and just knock on my door, ring my doorbell and they're like 'Hey, see you've got this board out here. You down for a game?' and if I have time, I come out and play them," said Gagner.

As for the dog, cat and parrot, they came from neighbors who were moving.

So Gagner offered to adopt them and together, they've turned his house into a local landmark.

"So this is the chess house on Lyndale. When I talk to people out in the community all the time and interact with them, I'm just like, ‘I'm at the chess house’ and they're like, ‘Oh, I know exactly where you live.’ Like, yep, that's me," said Gagner.

Personal passion

What they're saying:

Gagner's passion for sharing the joys of chess goes beyond his front yard. 

He co-founded a program called "Make Your Next Move Your Best Move" to teach the board game to kids on Saturday mornings.

Gagner says it started as a volunteer effort at Hosmer Public Library, but library staff took over teaching the lessons.

"To help kids and teenagers just kind of develop that strategic thinking. It also, because chess is mostly a quiet game and a thinking game, it helps build their patience and their confidence," said Gagner.

This year, Gagner built a giant rook from a wooden spool so kids can be the kings and queens of Lyndale Avenue.

But when it comes to building community, Gagner is royalty who has no plans to call checkmate on his favorite creation for now.

"That's my overall goal with it. It's a feel good space to be able to talk to neighbors or have a friendly game, and just enjoy the outside," said Gagner.