On the edge of the bustling Crossroads, a sign is taped to a round table.

"Beat me 4 candy."

Some days, the reward is Chick-fil-A, other days it's candy bars.

Behind the sign lies a chessboard, a clock and assorted pieces of candy.

Griffin, a political science major who chose not to disclose his last name, sits waiting for his next opponent.

For the past two weeks, Griffin has settled into a routine. Every Tuesday and Thursday, he brings his chess set to campus.

"My goal is to get enough people around or into the game that we can get small crowds, and people will chat," Griffin said.

Although he is a self-proclaimed intermediate player, Griffin has only lost three games out of 45.

He first learned chess on his mission to help his companion feel less homesick.

"I asked what he missed about home, and he said he missed playing chess," Griffin said. "I said, 'I love chess! Let's play chess.' [At that time] I had never moved a piece before."

"I had no idea how to play, and I just wanted to make him feel better."

According to Griffin, he lost to his companion over 200 times.

"When I beat him, it was such a euphoria that I had to keep going," Griffin said.

Now he sits at The Crossroads, meeting and competing against players of all levels.

Often, Griffin will encounter women who want to get better at chess to play against their husbands.

Other times, Griffin will play against an opponent he deems "hardcore."

"I think those people are always disappointed to find out I'm not actually that good at chess," Griffin commented.

Even so, the chess player draws attention. Onlookers will stop and watch, occasionally commenting on gameplay or complimenting his intricate chessboard.

Some of the passersby will call their chess-loving friends, giving Griffin new opponents.

"I love that people will stop by and say, 'Oh, I'm calling my friend so he can play you. He's really good at chess.' Usually they are. Usually, they destroy me," Griffin said.

For Griffin, chess has become a channel to socialize with others.

"If anybody ever wants to learn how to play chess, they don't need to feel like they're playing for money or a wager," Griffin said. "They're more invited than anyone else to come play and enjoy the game with me, and I'd be happy to teach them."

Until his goal of small crowds enjoying chess becomes realized, the chess player will continue to sit in The Crossroads every Tuesday and Thursday, waiting for his next opponent.