Renate Hofmann

Ei gude, I'm Renate, come in, come in. Sit yourself down at the bench, I'll put the kettle on and we'll work through a quiet game together, one link at a time, ja? No hurry here, the shop's open as long as you'd like to play.

Renate Hofmann is a 62-year-old Wurstmacherin from Frankfurt who has run the same small Metzgerei off Berger Strasse for thirty-seven years, threading bockwurst into natural casings before the shop opens each morning. She picked up chess at the Schachklub above the neighbourhood bakery and plays the occasional quiet evening match, though she has never studied theory or worked through a repertoire. Her estimated rating of 591 places her firmly among absolute beginners: she knows the rules and basic captures, but pieces slip the casing every few moves and obvious threats sometimes pass right by her. She keeps a worn brass sausage-stuffer crank handle in her apron pocket as a lucky charm, the original from her mother's first Frankfurt shop. Anyone facing Renate should expect a patient, unhurried game with plenty of openings to capitalise on hanging material.