Page 7
7/27/2023
Looks might be deceiving
There’s a popular board game played in the parks of Hanoi called “cờ tướng” (general’s chess). It is also known by its Chinese name of “xiangqi”. The game is similar to western chess; but, debatably more complex, with thousands of possible moves. Like western chess, cờ tướng is played one-on-one, with players seated on opposite sides of the game board. In cờ tướng, one set of pieces is red, and one is black. Like all board games, there are rules and procedures for determining who plays the first move, how pieces move across the board, and how players move to capture or neutralize their opponents pieces. In the park where I walk, there are two areas of the park where three games are being played every day.
In one area, two game tables are set up, each with ever-changing players. Gathered around watching and cheering are 4-5 people per table. There is also a person about six feet away from the tables selling lotus tea, water, and snacks of some kind.
In the other area, the board is set on the paving stones under a large tree and players sit on the ground. Distinctly different about this third game are the crowd of onlookers, the players, and the concession stand. First, the onlookers are present in greater numbers (usually a dozen or so) and more closely packed around the players. Second, once the game play gets underway and intensifies, the onlookers become much more animated, with a great deal of gesticulating at the board accompanied by intense shouting. I might add, you don’t need to understand Vietnamese to figure out the onlookers are shouting their personal opinion as to what the next move should be. Third, one player never changes. He also happens to be the oldest looking of the bunch – I’d say well into his golden years. Lastly, no concession stand nearby.
After a few weeks of stopping and watching these games being played, this was my working hypothesis: These games are just recreational opportunities that give people excuses to get out of the house, go to the park for some socializing, get some fresh air, and engage in a favorite hobby. As for why one group is noticeably different from the other two, I really couldn’t come up with any plausible rationale. That said, there was one thing about the larger group that is very clear. The player who never changes is definitely the undisputed champion, the guy to beat.
Eager to better understand what I was observing, I sought answers. Having learned in the past that the opinions and facts voiced on the usual internet-based travel-blog and video resources (you know the ones I’m talking about) are like fish recipes (everybody has one and theirs’s is better than everyone else’s), I turned to more reliable sources. My Vietnamese friends.
Here is what I found out.
At game three, the large group. I was right about one thing. The undisputed champion is in fact, the undisputed champion. He’s the one everybody’s gunning for. The Top Dog. Apparently this situation plays out all over Vietnam. It’s a form of gambling. Simply stated, no money will ever exchange hands at the park. All bets will be placed at a location somewhere well away from the park. At this off-park location, money will be collected, winners will be paid, and the right palms will be greased. Meanwhile, back at the ranch… the undisputed champion takes on prearranged challengers, while one of the watchers keeps track of each game’s outcome. I’m guessing the champion seldom, if ever, loses. Or perhaps, it’s like a family member of mine once told me when I observed him turn down an offer to play a game of pool for $500. “Any fool can win the game on the break. If he wants to play me five games for $100 a game, we’ll talk.” As for the lack of concessions? They aren’t there to eat and drink.
So what’s up with groups two and three? I’d like to think these are the non-gamblers; just there to have fun after work. Who really knows though? Maybe they’re the puppies hoping to get up on the porch with the big dogs one day?
In the picture above, there are 16 people not counting the challenger who is sitting opposite the champion. The champ is the person sitting on the ground wearing a white shirt and black shorts and is under the person bent over at the waist.
p.2, p.2 photos, p.3, p.4, p.5, p. 6, p. 8