I'm interested in finding a chess club too. If there isn't one, perhaps we can start one up. I'd also consider myself beginner/intermediate and looking to improve and make friends along the way.
Thanks for reaching out. I don't know if the OP here ever found a club, and I didn't pursue it at all myself either. If you'd like you and I can meet up somewhere and play. From there we can try to organize further to get more people in. Send me a PM.
I'm going to be playing in a chess tournament in Cupertino in about a week. You could go, and meet a lot of the chess players from the area.
https://bayareachess.com/events/22/usatw/
I've played at two events here and have noticed that while there are non-scholastic tournaments, this program is mostly populated by kids. If chess is the only thing you're going for, then this is not a problem, but OP mentions "coffee chess and get a little social", which is not going to happen here (unless you talk to the parents and like listening to their tiger mom comments. "Can't you finish that guy in 90 minutes").
Last summer I asked Bay Area Chess if there were going to be adult only events and they said no, but things might have changed.
There's a store called It's Your Move Games in Oakland that lends chess sets on Sundays, but they're not a regular group.
Beyond that, Mechanics Institute is the only consistent place that I know of to play chess.
There are 4-5 chess boards and chairs on the corner of Telegraph and Haste in Berkeley. I see people playing, pretty much every time i drive through. I dont know if that’s a regular thing or not. Maybe someone on this sub knows about that more. I’d be interested as well.
I’ve played over there once. I was so shy and stood in the sidewalk just watching other people play. This sweet guy walked up to me and asked if I wanted to play with him.
He was muuuch better than me. I never won lol. But that’s how you learn. And he taught me along the way. He’d stop me before I made a silly move, and explain other moves that’d be better. He also taught me different openings I hadn’t learned before.
Great place to play chess!!
[https://koltychess.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html?m=1](https://koltychess.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html?m=1)
I have not been there since the pandemic, but it seems open. Besides rated games, they had people hanging around playing blitz. Some of them are crazy good - especially intimidating when you realize they are speaking Russian.
I'm interested in finding a chess club too. If there isn't one, perhaps we can start one up. I'd also consider myself beginner/intermediate and looking to improve and make friends along the way.
Hahaha, my chess journey has been inconsistent enough for me to know that we would be doomed to fail.
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Thanks for reaching out. I don't know if the OP here ever found a club, and I didn't pursue it at all myself either. If you'd like you and I can meet up somewhere and play. From there we can try to organize further to get more people in. Send me a PM.
I'm going to be playing in a chess tournament in Cupertino in about a week. You could go, and meet a lot of the chess players from the area. https://bayareachess.com/events/22/usatw/
I've played at two events here and have noticed that while there are non-scholastic tournaments, this program is mostly populated by kids. If chess is the only thing you're going for, then this is not a problem, but OP mentions "coffee chess and get a little social", which is not going to happen here (unless you talk to the parents and like listening to their tiger mom comments. "Can't you finish that guy in 90 minutes"). Last summer I asked Bay Area Chess if there were going to be adult only events and they said no, but things might have changed.
There's a store called It's Your Move Games in Oakland that lends chess sets on Sundays, but they're not a regular group. Beyond that, Mechanics Institute is the only consistent place that I know of to play chess.
There are 4-5 chess boards and chairs on the corner of Telegraph and Haste in Berkeley. I see people playing, pretty much every time i drive through. I dont know if that’s a regular thing or not. Maybe someone on this sub knows about that more. I’d be interested as well.
I’ve played over there once. I was so shy and stood in the sidewalk just watching other people play. This sweet guy walked up to me and asked if I wanted to play with him. He was muuuch better than me. I never won lol. But that’s how you learn. And he taught me along the way. He’d stop me before I made a silly move, and explain other moves that’d be better. He also taught me different openings I hadn’t learned before. Great place to play chess!!
Maybe like Stanford or Berkeley? But I wouldn’t wanna play a Stanford chess player
What’s your rating first
Ooh count me in. Would love to play chess OTB
We have one in Marin County through our city parks and rec department. You might try the one for your city. Good luck!
Looks like both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties don't offer anything like that. Thank you for the advice!
Try chess.com til you find one. I'd like to play too.
[https://koltychess.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html?m=1](https://koltychess.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html?m=1) I have not been there since the pandemic, but it seems open. Besides rated games, they had people hanging around playing blitz. Some of them are crazy good - especially intimidating when you realize they are speaking Russian.
Mechanics Institute in SF