Checkmates in the Garden: The Lived Experiences of Chess Players at Igorot Garden in Baguio City

Document Types

Paper Presentation

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

Living Culture and Contemporary Societies (LCS)

School Name

Berkeley School, Inc.

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Astudillo, Alfonso III, B.

Start Date

25-6-2026 10:30 AM

End Date

25-6-2026 12:00 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

Online - https://zoom.us/j/94569671692?pwd=Fj3c3ELOebE6QbqbJOOH9wMuildoEc.1 Meeting ID: 945 6967 1692 | Passcode: research

Abstract/Executive Summary

The Igorot Garden is a public park located at the heart of Baguio City’s central business district, where dedicated groups of chess players gather daily. This study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of these players, illuminating the motivations and stories that emerged from this informal hub. Influenced by the hermeneutics of Heidegger, Gadamer, and Smith, the research utilized a double hermeneutic approach to understand how participants made sense of their "being-in-the-park." Through in-depth interviews and an idiographic lens, the findings revealed that the players’ narratives were anchored in three superordinate themes: the game itself, the community, and the physical space of the Igorot Garden. Participants interpreted their daily attendance as a vital project of meaning-making, where the park provided a "therapeutic atmosphere" and a profound sense of routine and purpose. The analysis uncovered a "fusion of horizons" where the players' passion and their sense of belonging kept the local chess culture alive. For these individuals, the Igorot Garden is not just a location but a central part of their Lifeworld, offering a comfortable and accessible site for social connection. Ultimately, the players perceived chess as an inseparable part of the garden’s identity—a shared activity that has become an authentic manifestation of local culture and personal resilience.

Keywords

chess culture; chess park; cultural transmission; Igorot Park; social environment

Statement of Originality

yes

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Jun 25th, 10:30 AM Jun 25th, 12:00 PM

Checkmates in the Garden: The Lived Experiences of Chess Players at Igorot Garden in Baguio City

The Igorot Garden is a public park located at the heart of Baguio City’s central business district, where dedicated groups of chess players gather daily. This study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of these players, illuminating the motivations and stories that emerged from this informal hub. Influenced by the hermeneutics of Heidegger, Gadamer, and Smith, the research utilized a double hermeneutic approach to understand how participants made sense of their "being-in-the-park." Through in-depth interviews and an idiographic lens, the findings revealed that the players’ narratives were anchored in three superordinate themes: the game itself, the community, and the physical space of the Igorot Garden. Participants interpreted their daily attendance as a vital project of meaning-making, where the park provided a "therapeutic atmosphere" and a profound sense of routine and purpose. The analysis uncovered a "fusion of horizons" where the players' passion and their sense of belonging kept the local chess culture alive. For these individuals, the Igorot Garden is not just a location but a central part of their Lifeworld, offering a comfortable and accessible site for social connection. Ultimately, the players perceived chess as an inseparable part of the garden’s identity—a shared activity that has become an authentic manifestation of local culture and personal resilience.

https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2026/BoA_LCS/5