Hong Kong  - A 77-year-old chess player was hospitalized after squabbling with his opponent during a game in a Hong Kong public park, police said Monday.

The dispute broke out over a move in a game between a 60-year-old man and the 77-year-old in a park Sunday morning in the city's North Point district.

The older man was pushed to the ground as the row escalated and then called police, who interviewed both men. The 77-year-old was admitted to hospital for treatment, but no arrests were made.

Public parks are popular places for the elderly to play games such as chess and mahjong in densely populated Hong Kong, where most people live in cramped, high-rise apartment blocks. (dpa)