CHESS this Wednesday, August 30th at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons at our regular Starbucks venue from 3:00 p.m. through to closing (8:00p.m.) and this past Sunday several players stayed past closing to play chess over the boards on the outside tables under the lights!

17 or more players came by Sunday and enjoyed an afternoon of fun, challenging chess! At least 4 players were there for the first time: Rose, who was there with Lou; and Aldon, Jeff, and Damon were welcomed to the club by Sam C., Ben C. and family, Vin and his Dad Vincent, Red (long time no see, Red!), Mike T., Meredith, IMRonald, Daniel (with Samantha), Mark, Reza, Matthew, and Suhas and his Dad!! (Did I miss anyone?) Players were so absorbed in their matches that the chess puzzle is going to have to wait until this coming Wednesday. (First one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink!)

Looking ahead, as several players expressed an interest in playing official USCF-rated games without traveling too far, I will be scheduling a USCF-rated club tournament for sometime in September or October. I will be eliciting ideas or preferences regarding dateline, time controls, entry fees, etc. along with format and number of rounds. This month's club tournament was cancelled owing to all too few commitments due to possibly other activities and more pressing matters. So, stay tuned til then!

As always, come by and make new friends, renew old friendships. See you soon!

-- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID #A6024746

CHESS this Sunday, Aug. 27th at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We'll have our regular fun, challenging session of chess over the boards at our regular Starbucks venue this Sunday, August 27, 2023. We will go, as usual, from 3:00 p.m. to closing time as players and their friends and family can come and go anytime . . . ! Expect to see adults and kids alike join in the fun, and don't be surprised to see an IM or even an NM join us! There will definitely be a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Our last session this past Wednesday was with Meredith, Angel, Tony, Ben C. and Mike T., and before I forget, safe travels and a rewarding junior year to Jonah, as he goes to Maryland to continue his studies on his way to becoming an... engineer! Meredith is on deck to head south to UC Irvine next month to begin her studies to become an.... engineer!

See you soon, come by for the game of chess, make new friends and/or renew old friendships!

--- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID #A6024746

CHESS this Wednesday, Aug. 23rd at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

At least a dozen players came by last Sunday for fun, challenging chess over the boards at our regular Starbucks venue: new player Jessica was there with her pal Meredith and was welcomed by Mike T., Anh, Mark, Trmy, Sam C., Ben C., Angel, Vin, and Vin's Dad Vincent!

We meet again this Wednesday, August 23, 2023, same place, same time (3pm through to closing), all ages and skill levels welcome, come and go anytime, no dues, no purchase required! When there's a chess puzzle to solve, the first one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Come by to have fun, get your game up, get into some tough matches, or simply learn more of the game, practice it, and by the way, make new friends, renew old friendships! See you soon!

-- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID #A6024746

CHESS this Wednesday, August 16th at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Several kids or young adults joined the fun and challenge of chess over the boards this past Sunday, and they certainly were a challenge for the adults! There for the afternoon, with several staying until evening, were Lou, Juliana, Mathis, Meredith, Ian, JJ, Kayden, Ben C., Kevin, Sam C., Reza, Mike T., Jayden, Max, Suhas, and IMRonald! Did I miss anyone? Oh, yes, of course there was Ian, JJ, & Kayden's Mom Paige and Dad Harry, along with Jayden's Mom and Suhas' Dad!

We meet again this Wednesday, August 16, 2023, from 3:00 pm on through closing time, at our usual Starbucks venue. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks beverage of choice! All ages and skill levels are welcome, come and go anytime, there are no dues, and there's no purchase required (but it would be nice).

Next Sunday, August 20, 2023, as mentioned in the last few emails, we'll try to have a 3-Round USCF-rated club tournament (G/30;d.10), at the Carl's Jr. Restaurant near our usual Starbucks venue. Entry fee is $20. Starting Time: 12:15 pm. Required: Current USCF membership. The Sunday afternoon chess session at Starbucks will be held, as usual.

However, regarding the tournament, because only 3 players have indicated interest and commitment to play to date, more players will need to sign up by this coming Wednesday for the tournament to be held as scheduled. Otherwise, a cancellation of the tournament will be sent out via email, and we'll try to reschedule one, perhaps a much larger tournament, for another time.

See you soon!

-- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID#A6024746

CHESS this Wednesday, August 9th at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

There's lots more chess over the boards this Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at our regular Starbucks venue, so come on by, get your game up, make new friends, or renew old friendships! We meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. through to closing. All ages and skill levels are welcome, there are no dues, no purchase required (but it would be nice), and players come and go anytime. This Wednesday there's word a chess master or two will be there! Additionally, there usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks beverage of choice!

This past Sunday saw at least a dozen players (Kevin, Meredith, Jonah, Tony, Daniel, Anh, Mike T., Ernie, Bert, Ben C., Reza, Max, and Dan -- did I miss anyone?) enjoy an afternoon and early evening of fun, challenging chess over the boards! Daniel solved the chess puzzle on the first try to win a free tall Starbucks drink . . . for Samantha!

USCF-rated Club Tournament Sunday, August 20, 2024:
Location: Carl's Jr. Restaurant (across side parking lot from our usual Starbucks venue).
Format: 3 Rds; Quads or groups of 6 or more players.
Time Control: G/30;d.10.
Entry Fee: $20 paid or or before 08/19/23; $25 if paid on 08/20/23.
Cash Prizes: 90% or more of Entry Fees are returned as cash prizes; amounts to be determined based on number of entries. 1st & 2nd Places for Quads; 1st, 2nd and 3rd Places for groups of six or more.
Requirement: Current membership in the US Chess Federation. To join or renew, go online at www.uschess.org.
Note: Players not participating in the tournament are welcome to observe the matches or play chess with other non-participants either at the restaurant or back at Starbucks.

Let me know if you have questions or need more information, see you soon!

-- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID #A6023746

CHESS this Sunday, August 6th, at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

At least 14 players came by during our session last Wednesday to enjoy an afternoon of chess over the boards, make new friends, and renew old friendships! We welcomed back Anastasia and Serge, visiting from New York! There to welcome them with open chess boards were Sam C., Matthew, Jonah, Meredith, Mike T., Angel, FBen, Johnny, Mark, Bert, John S., and . . . IM Ronald! The chess puzzle was a tricky one, but it was FBen who solved it, albeit on his second try to earn solid bragging rights!

We meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons from 3pm on through closing time, and we meet again this Sunday, August 6, 2023 at our usual venue, Starbucks, located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, just up from the Concord intersection of Clayton Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd. All ages and skill levels are welcome, there are no dues, no purchase required (but it would be nice), and players come and go anytime. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks beverage of choice!

As mentioned in previous posts, we're having a USCF-rated chess tournament on Sunday, August 20, 2023. Time Control G/30;d.10. For format, entry fees, cash prizes, location, etc click on the Upcoming Club Tournaments tab above. Current membership in the US Chess Federation is required. To join or renew, go online at www.uschess.org.

See you soon, and if you have questions or need more info, let me know . . .

-- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID #A6024746

CHESS this Wednesday, August 2nd at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone...!

Despite the persistent heat outside, several players and companions came by our usual Starbucks venue this past Sunday to enjoy an afternoon and early evening of chess over the boards. We welcomed new players Curt, and a gentleman whose name I didn't quite get. There to greet them and enjoy the overall matches were Meredith, Durward and Nancy, Daniel and Samantha, Carol, Mike T., Max, and Ben C. and family; and, Matthew also dropped by!

Max solved the rather intricate chess puzzle on his first go at it, to win a tall Starbucks beverage! Our next session, as we meet every Sunday and Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time, is this Wednesday, August 2, 2023. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the one who solves it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Our next club tournament:

For those interested, we will have another USCF-rated club tournament on Sunday, August 20, 2023. Time Control = G/30;d.10. Entry Fee = $20 if paid by 08/19/23; $25 if paid on 08/20. 3 Rounds. Players will be grouped according to ratings into Quads or groups of six. 90% or more of entry fees will be returned as cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, based on format and the number of entries. Matches will start at 12:30 p.m. and should conclude no later than 4:00 p.m. Location: Carl's Jr. Restaurant, next to our regular Starbucks venue. Current membership in the US Chess Federation is required. To join or renew membership, simply go online at www.uschess.org.

Let me know if you have questions or need more info, see you soon!

-- Mike T.
Contra Costa Chess Club
US Chess Federation
Affiliate Club ID #A6024746