Chess is a game that can be traced back over 1,000 years but it is suddenly one of the hottest games this holiday season.

The newfound popularity of the game is being attributed to people staying home more during the pandemic, and the popularity of the Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit. After the show premiered in October, the sale of chess sets in the United States spiked 87% and the sale of books about the game rose 603%, according to market research firm NPD Group.

The home to The World Chess Hall of Fame is right here in the Central West End. Brian Flowers, the Marketing Coordinator for the World Chess Hall of Fame, said foot traffic in the hall of fame has increased. Flowers says people are walking in talking about having just watched the Queen’s Gambit and feeling inspired.

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