THE World Chess Championship Tournament in San Luis, Argentina ended over a month ago and now Bulgarians are rejoicing in the victory of their best chess player, Veselin Topalov, who received the trophy. However, thousands of kilometres away, in the heart of Sofia, chess passions are still running high.

Every afternoon (especially in the summer) the park in front of the National Theatre Ivan Vazov ceases to be just a city spot with trees and benches; it becomes a battleground where a little World Chess Championship Tournament is being fought.

Even when the brisk autumn air chases away park fans in the sunny afternoons, the chess fanatics are still there. The place with the marble chess tables near the fountain is usually crowded.

The group of chess lovers is often clamorous, but always concentrating, with more gazers and supporters than real players; each viewer a potential undercover chess player. One thing is for sure: everybody here is an expert on everything, always ready to give his opinion.

The namesake of the World Chess Champion, Veselin, is no exception. He humbly introduces himself only as a "mushroom-vendor", but the open chess board near the basket of parasol mushrooms tells another story, ready to take on any opponent.

"A disease which has taken more victims than the First and the Second World War put together," is his definition of chess. Although he considers himself just a fan, it's obvious he's a participant in "boxing for intellectuals" as well.

The chess community is very diverse. All kinds of people come to the park every day in the name of the game. Anyone can enter the outdoor club, no matter his age or social status. You can meet pensioners , university professors, even politicians - aged from 17 to 78.
The only thing missing is the feminine presence. "I don't know exactly why," says Veselin concerning the male bias. "It's not a man's game but a woman here is a rare sight. Maybe the reason is that men are more likely to use chess as a replacement for sex than women!".

To `join the club' all you need is a chess board, some money in your pocket and a big dose of endless enthusiasm. The rules are also very simple - five minute game, half lev stake, winner takes all.

Of course, most of the competitors in this little everyday championship are not of the same rank of Vesko Topalov, but they are definitely of the same blood type - chess factor positive. There are players who have some impressive biographies, too.

One of them is 78-year-old Dimitar Ivanov. In fact, he's a famous name on the capital's chess scene, where he's more popularly known as the Teacher. This title was given to him as a sign of respect for his rich experience as a chess player.

He worked as a project engineer, but the black-and-white board is in his heart. "I had a family to support, that's why I didn't play chess professionally. However, it became my lifelong hobby. I've been playing chess for over 63 years," said the Teacher, passing his personal card to me.

In over five decades in the game he has experienced much: "I have been almost everywhere around the world. I don't have so many medals and prizes but I have plenty of very precious chess boards."

As a Bulgarian and as a player the Teacher is very pleased with Topalov's win. "Topalov is the greatest power on the world chess scene at the moment," said Ivanov. "I drew in a game with him some years ago," he adds casually.

A few minutes later he leaves to exercise his brain at some other city tournament, where maybe he would have the chance to play the classic trick of the genre: checkmate in three moves.