Moving Stories: Videos from the American South

Capital Pool Checkers

Pool Checkers is not your ordinary game of draughts. Instead, it turns a simple child's game into a fierce, intellectually challenging sport with the complexity of chess. Stephannie Stokes wrote about the sport for us two years ago. Today, we bring a short film about the fierce pool-checkers masters of Washington, D.C.

Capital Pool Checkers has been in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington area for over 35 years. It is a place for people to gather, socialize, and, of course, play pool checkers. But in recent years the small club has seen its membership decline. As gentrification creeps closer to Shaw, the older players wonder if they can keep their club alive. They are looking to draw a younger generation of people to join their club and play the game they love.

With players sporting nicknames such as The Razor, The Z-Man, Pressure Man, Hard Rock, and Special-K, there is never a dull moment at Capital Pool Checkers.

And walk-ins are welcome.

A Brickyard Digital Production

Director/DP/Editor: David Ross

Producer: Marc Elraheb