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Let it be known that, finally, I have validation for watching, over and over, overly sentimental, big-budget Hollywood flicks.

I knew, without a doubt, when quizzed, that The Titanic sank in 1912.

"No, no," said my friend, Al Horvet. "It was the same year that the Red Sox won their last World Series."

Given that he happens to be pretty darn smart and seemed very certain about this, I, and the rest of our Pub Quiz team at The Chieftain, believed him. But a few minutes later, when the answers were read, it was revealed he hasn't seen that movie recently.

"See, don't you dare second guess her," said Erin Ryle, another of my fearless friends who volunteered to play this bar-trivia game, to explore first-hand this game that draws dozens of people to pubs and restaurants on weekday nights. I call them fearless not only because they've agreed to be quoted and photographed, but also since it's things like what I now call the Titanic incident that my competitive side comes out. After I'm proven right, I gave Al, who did know a lot of other questions I was stumped on, a friendly, 'You jerk, I knew I was right,' look that I'm still hoping he's over.

At least I know I'm not alone.

All around us nearly 60 people have packed The Chieftain on a Tuesday night to play pub quiz, run by John Flaherty, a friend of the bar's owners, and compete for a cash prize or some T-shirts.

The game went like this:

For about an hour, Flaherty asked four rounds of 10 questions each, with a third-round break called the "picture round." There, players were asked to identify 10 famous films, though the pictures can be of anything, including places, actors and other famous people.

Each correct question was worth one point, so a perfect score would have been a big 50.

It's a set-up similar to trivia nights that are held around the state, country and even in international locations including England, Australia and Ireland, where, as a teenager, Flaherty started in on the game.

"I don't want to toot my own horn, but I was ok at it," Flaherty, whose national trivia team took fourth place during a high school competition, said. "It's hard to say why people like it, but I do."

The Chieftain began hosting pub quiz night, every Tuesday, about two months ago as a way to draw in some mid-week business after the holiday rush died down.

Tom Cahill, the pub's owner, was very skeptical about the event. But his daughter, Olivia Carver, a bartender there, sensed success. "I said, that's it," Carver said. "Let's just find someone who knows what they're doing."

In stepped Flaherty, who had run a mini-quiz during The Chieftain's Christmas party.

Pub quiz started out with two tables of players, grew quickly to half a dozen, and now, in just two months, about 15 tables of regulars show up.

"Every week, we get new people in here, and they discover the place," Cahill said. "That's the nice thing."

From our table, it's easy to see why they keep coming back.

Never mind that it's simply a fun way to kill the mid-week blahs, the game gets your friends talking, laughing and debating. You'll definitely find out things you didn't know, through the questions and each other. Then there's the satisfaction of winning.

During the game, everyone huddles around their tables, careful not let a whisper of an answer float a feet over to eavesdropping competitors. The Chieftain questions, compiled to be "more interesting than hard, so it's pretty laid back" Flaherty said, range from "Which major league baseball player was the first to sign a $1 million contract?" to "How many Popes have been assassinated?"

For the record, my team knew neither of these answers, which were Nolan Ryan and 26.

But we did know where "The Phantom of The Opera" was set (Paris), what photophobia was a fear of (light) and our go-to guy Al knew which sport Matt Biondi was associated with (swimming).

Alas, it was not enough to win that coveted cash prize. We were in second or third place for most of the evening. But that dreaded fourth round, which included the Pope question and some other big toughies, did us in. We finished a dismal 5th, with 34 points, not even close to the prize.

Al seemed most disappointed.

"I want a T-shirt or some money. That's it!" he said.

Erin is slightly more enthused. She's been playing forever, at other locations, and is impressed with her non-last place finish.

She's so enthralled with The Chieftain's game, she plans to come again and again, adding it to her schedule.

"I can play every night now," she said.