Chess 'n Math in Montreal

I saw a news article online this morning about various shops in Montreal that serve up games, puzzles, craft and hobby supplies and lots of other goodies, for the young and the young at heart. It mentioned the shop sponsored by the Chess 'n Math organization. It's hard to believe it's been four years since I was last in Montreal. I wonder if Pi is still there - its a sort of chess pub/club stationed in a long narrow building on the ground floor on St. Laurence, with stark white walls and local paintings hung for sale, where you can't get alcohol or beer but you can get bad coffee and cold soft drinks and snacks, ask for a board and pieces (they come rent-free with a purchase of a beverage) and while away a couple of hours at tables built for two. The serious chess players congregate near the front door where it and the windows are opened during the summer to let out their cigarette smoke. Cross-ventilation is provided by an open back door. Don and I have passed several pleasant hours at Pi. One June night after a couple of games at Pi we were rambling around late night Montreal and we came across the Chess 'n Math shop - it was closed. We didn't get back during the day to check it out, but it sure looked intriguing from what we could see through the large plate glass windows. It's probably a good thing for my pocketbook that the shop was closed; I tend to go all soft and sentimental for stores that support good causes! Boutique Strategie, 3423 St. Denis St. at Sherbrooke St. 514-845-8352. www.strategy games.ca. Hours: Monday to Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m. The Chess 'n Math Association (www.chess-math.org) runs this gaming shop, which has sets priced from $2.95 to $1,500 (a carved wooden set that sits on an electronic board), including ones using themes from Peanuts, The Simpsons, Alice in Wonderland, Star Wars and more. There's a wall of chess books, CDs, puzzles, and mind challengers like Risk, Cranium, Axis and Allies, Scotland Yard and Settlers of Catan. Proceeds go to the non-profit association, which offers camps, chess clubs and lessons. Ahhhh, I see they have an online catalog - oh oh, I can see those dollars flying out of my pocket already...