Reeking of sweat socks and old egg salad, the Graylin Community College Gymnasium was stuffy. Twenty-odd conference tables waited patiently on the scarred hardwood. At the tables, the players were much less patient.

Fingers were rapping. Toes were tapping. Wanda called her client over and over again. All eyes were on the big official clock hanging over the basketball hoop. There were only fifteen more minutes until an official forfeit. Wanda dialed again.

King Me checkers challenges started as a fun-filled parody of chess tournaments. King Me teams sprung up at schools and churches. Players wore costumes and used outrageous monikers. Bouncy houses were often featured.

From the Cleveland CheckMaters to the San Diego Daughtsmen, checker leagues were suddenly bigger than pickleball. It was all fun and games until the cartels moved in.

First year, online gambling for checker tournaments skyrocketed. Overnight, the highest-ranked players became superstars, well checker superstars. Chas “Checkers” McGee, Marly “Big Board” Baker, and the maestro of the checked board Gibson “Kingmaker” Kane were all crowd favorites.

The smart money said that checkers was going to go pro soon. To grab attention in such a crowded playing field, a player needed to be special. Sports Agent Wanda Washington wanted to represent special. So she was scouting for the next big thing in checkers at Fairmount Park. By the old pump house, players set up tables under the trees. Here Wanda spotted a lanky kid, roughly twelve years old, playing three checkers games at once. With a dimpled smile, the boy beat three adults at lightning speed. Wanda knew she had a winner.

Wada had been confident when she set up an exhibition match for her new client to play 25 simultaneous checker games against the entire Chester Crown Heads. She had even wrangled two bloggers and a local freelancer to cover the event. The minute hand of the gym clock ticked and Wanda waited to throw up in her purse.

The door creaked open and in walked Javon. Wrapped in a thick comforter and with only one shoe, the middle-schooler yawned. He bobbed his bedhair with a “what’s up” at her and walked towards the first table. With a plasticky snap the game commenced and ended just as quickly.

Shuffling in his blanklet Javon moved t o the next table. Wanda started a victory dance. Javon “The King Me Kid” Davison was born.