By Pat Loeb

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – More than 1,000 chess players have gathered in Philadelphia for what experts call the “undisputed leader” of American chess tournaments: the World Open.

There was lots of energy in the Liberty ballroom at the Center City Sheraton, but very little motion because the dozens of pairs of players were looking intently at the board.

“It’s the feeling I get when I’m walking down the aisles with everyone concentrating on playing chess and you don’t really get that anywhere else in the world, but here,” said Joseph Bzomowski, a student at SUNY Binghamton.

Bzomowski said he trained all year for this tournament, both physically and mentally.

“It’s a mind and body thing and actually the first day we were here, my friend and I went for a jog, and we went to the Philadelphia Art Museum and we ran up the steps.”

Philadelphia has hosted the tournament for the last 35 years, but this may be the last time.

Organizers say the hotel was unavailable for next year, so the World Open is moving to the Washington, D.C. area for at least three years, which could be a gambit.

Or, the endgame.