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HAMPDEN, Maine (AP) -- David Bishop spends the school day as a mild-mannered custodian, but before the final bell rings, he grabs his chess boards and pieces and begins his second role.
"The Queen's Gambit" is playing out in real life in Maine, where this custodian is coaching his schools' chess teams to acclaim.
Bishop, a part-time chess coach and full-time custodian, led his elementary and middle school teams to state championship titles this year, drawing comparisons to the Netflix series about a chess prodigy inspired by a janitor.
Some of his players are good enough to beat their coach, proudly declaring "checkmate!"
"Initially, it was humiliating and demoralizing, but it didn't take long for me to realize that's a good thing. They're getting stronger," the 61-year-old said.
Nationwide, chess is riding a new wave of popularity, and it's not just because of the popular Netflix mini series based on the 1983 book by Walter Tevis.
During the pandemic, a growing number of kids forced to stay at home for extended periods turned to Chess.com to relieve their boredom. The website and app allows visitors to learn the game, to play against each other or against a computer, and to get chess news.
The website had 1.5 million daily users in February 2020 -- just before the pandemic hit the U.S. in full force -- but it grew to 4.5 million by the end of 2020. It had hit 10 million by January of this year. The total number of registered users has nearly quadrupled to 123 million, the company said.
Chess fans are also watching videos of grandmasters teaching strategies and livestreams of high-profile chess players facing off.
"What we are seeing is an unprecedented period of boom, like nothing before," said Leon Watson, spokesperson for Chess.com. "It definitely feels like chess is having a moment."
In Hampden, Bishop's coaching success followed a happy twist of fate.
He was burned out from his job in the telecommunications industry and took an early retirement package at age 50. He was exploring new opportunities in the field -- and not having much luck -- when someone told him about a school custodial job. He figured it would be mean less stress.