Dozens test their skills against international chess master Brian Hartman in his hometown of Hamilton

International cheat get the hang Brian Hartman testament use up any chance to return to his hometown of Hamilton.

So when Hartman's friend asked him if he'd play a bunch of people simultaneously at Supercrawl, he said yes.

Hartman faced a total of 74 people — earning 71 wins and three draws — during the weekend arts and music festival that showcases local talent. His goal? To promote the game in the city.

"I love playing chess and I like seeing other people playing chess … so any way I can do to encourage or help them in that journey in this small way, it pleases me," said Hartman, 68.

Now based in Seguin, Ont., he's a Canadian Chess Open champion, and a former member of Canada's Chess Olympiad Team as well as team captain.

This marks the second year Hartman was at Supercrawl for a simultaneous chess exhibition. This time, he faced off against players — 20 people at a time — of all ages. 

For the simultaneous part of the challenge, Hartman went from person to person, spending "a few seconds on each board" until the competitor was ousted.

Spectators watched from behind as competitors concentrated on their next moves. The tent where the event took place was fairly silent, compared to the otherwise noisy atmosphere elsewhere at the festival.

Over about two hours, one by one, a person would lose and be eliminated, then pack up their chess board.

Rahand Ismaeel, 26, was one of the three people who reached a draw with Hartman — Ismaeel said their matchup took one hour and 45 minutes.

For a while, things looked bad for Ismaeel, but after throwing one of the pieces away, he came back and eventually offered Hartman a draw, which the master had a "long deep think" about.

"The most euphoric moment ever [was] when he finally throws his hand out for the draw ... I like, melted in my chair. It was awesome."

Hartman said he has "great respect for anybody that can play chess."

"When I'm at the simultaneous exhibition … I'm hoping I'm conveying that respect because that's how I feel. When I'm shaking the player's hand before the game and after the game, I truly mean it."

Hartman said playing against that many people at once leaves him in "almost a trance" and prompts him to go with his intuition.

"For the majority of moves, it's just instantaneous," he said, though occasionally, a player will make him stop and think "for a few extra seconds."

Hartman took up chess when he was 16 after he was given a set as "another game to learn."

But it became more than that.

"I could lose myself in the 64 squares," he said. "My family was breaking up when I was 15, and so I dove into chess to take myself out of the emotional trauma that was going on."

His mentor was another chess legend, Paul Vaitonis, a Lithuanian-Canadian and international master who, Hartman said, "chose Hamilton as his home."

Caroline Soares, who also played against Hartman at Supercrawl, said she just ran into the tent and decided to give it a try. They ended up matching wits for two hours.

"When I saw the pieces, I was like, 'Yes, I have to play,'" said the 28-year-old.

Soares said she'd be up for a rematch if the event returns next year.

Hartman said he hopes to return if he's invited. 

"When I looked at Supercrawl. … I just knew there was a space there that could raise up the cultural and intellectual profile in a public setting. So, I wanted to add chess to the eclectic mix of the festival," said Flora.

Hartman sees Hamilton as a great place to promote chess.

"[There's a] long history of chess activity in Hamilton and it's a phenomenal city. And in my view, it's the most beautiful and best city in Ontario."

Hartman has played many board games, but says chess has a special place as it's easy to play yet "difficult to master."

"Anybody can do it, and it's just a matter of focus and discipline, and ideally getting some coaching from somebody would help," he said.

"If more people played chess, we'd be better off."

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