CHESS this Wednesday, July 31st and Sunday, August 4th at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

This past Sunday afternoon's session of chess over the boards was quite lively, with at least 17 players in the action, five of whom are players new to the Contra Costa Chess Club, and who came game to play and make new friends!

We welcomed Dan, Tony U., Jacob, Dillon, and Raj (a very experienced player who is from Illinois and visiting family here in California, and who said he will join us once more, this Wednesday). There to welcome them were Red, Mark, Tony, Reza, Jackson, Max, Benoit, John R., Mike T., and Matthew...!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon at our regular Starbucks venue, located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center. We go from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time as players can come and go anytime. There are no dues and there's no purchase required (but hey, it would be nice to buy something, sometime). All ages and skill levels are welcome, and there's usually a chess puzzle to solve. The first player to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! (This past Sunday's puzzle was messed up, my fault --- it will be reset for this Wednesday).

So then, perhaps we'll see you this Wednesday and next Sunday, as more new players are coming by, and the established club players are also very much game to enjoy our brand of fun, challenging chess over the boards, with the by-product of making new friends and even renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, July 28, 2024 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

More players new to the club dropped by this past Wednesday afternoon to play chess over the boards and, as expected, they made several new friends! There to welcome Darren, Eric, Kyle and John R. were Ben C., Tony, Mike T., Irakli, Bert, Red, Matthew, and Maria (long time, no see Maria and her son Sebastian)!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon, from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time, at our regular Starbucks venue located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, just up from the intersection of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd. We meet again this Sunday, July 28, 2024. Players come and go anytime, there's no purchase required (but it would be nice), and there are no dues! All ages and skill levels are welcome, and don't be surprised to see a few kids play chess! There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the player who solves it on the first try wins a tall Starbucks drink of choice! Last Wednesday's puzzle was indeed a tough one, as no one won the prize. This Sunday's puzzle promises to be much easier... maybe.

Stay tuned for our rated club tournament details, coming soon! See you Sunday?

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

CHESS this Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet again this Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at our regular Starbucks venue, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time. Players come and go anytime, there are no dues, no purchase required, all ages and skill levels welcome, etc... What's there not to like as we enjoy the game of chess over the boards?

Last Sunday's session was hopefully at or towards the very end of a rather scorching heat wave! There to enjoy chess were Tony, Reza, David, Mike T., Ben C., and young Suhas, who was there with his mom and grandmom! Suhas lost only one of his matches, and that one was to Ben C. in a very close battle. The best end game of the day went to Suhas, with several onlookers seeing that both he and his opponent (Tony) were down to their last 2 seconds of a tight G/15 match when Suhas pulled out a surprisingly quick sweeping move with his queen, backed up by a distant bishop, to the H1 square for a checkmate at the very last second!!

We believe Suhas and the other players may be back, along with many more players, at next Sunday's fun, challenging, chess session, same place, same time, and stay tuned for information/details regarding our next club tournament...! See you soon, and I need to get my game up, you can help!

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

CHESS this Sunday, July 14, 2024 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Hot summer days are certainly upon us, and there's more chess over the boards to be played at our usual Starbucks venue this coming Sunday, July 14, 2024, when we expect to see more players of all ages and skill levels have fun with the challenge of the game!

Chances are very good this Sunday that we will see young Suhas, our club's 10-year old international tournament-playing chess wizard, play chess with the club's best players, and even take part in an impromptu set of unrated Blitz and Rapid Quads! Suhas dropped by with his mom Vandana this past Wednesday, and played against Bert and Matthew, two who came to play despite the searing heat of the day, and who can attest to the skill of Suhas.

We continue to meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, from 3:00 p.m. to closing time, at our regular Starbucks venue located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, just a couple driveways up from the corner of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd. There are no dues: come and go anytime, there's no purchase required (but it would be nice), and don't be surprised if you make new friends and even renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, July 7, 2024 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

A half-dozen players braved the scorching heat to enjoy the air conditioning and the fun of chess over the boards at our regular Starbucks venue this past Wednesday. There to play were Ben C., Tony, Sam, Aaron, Mike T., and... Matthew, who solved the day's chess puzzle on his first try to win the prize!

As we do every Sunday and Wednesday, we meet again this Sunday, July 7, 2024, same place, same time (3:00 p.m. to closing, come and go anytime), with all ages and skill levels welcome, no purchase required (but it would be nice), and whoever solves the day's chess puzzle on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! This Sunday's chess puzzle could be quite different, depending on the number of players who come by to give it a try!

So then, see you soon, get your game up (mine needs a lot of work, lately), but win, lose or draw, you're bound to make new friends, even renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, July 3, 2024 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Despite the heat of the day last Sunday, at least a dozen players dropped in at our regular Starbucks venue for chess over the boards! We even welcomed two more players new to the club: David, and Brian. There to welcome them were Kevin, Jackson, Ben C., Yancy, Red, Tony, Mike T., and Reza...!

It is once again going to be hot, hot, hot this Wednesday, July 3rd, and perhaps there will be more chess players than expected, to enjoy Starbucks air-conditioning along with the fun and challenge of the game of chess. So then, perhaps we'll see you there, from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time as players can come and go anytime... and do enjoy the 4th of July long holiday weekend! (We will meet again next Sunday, July 7th, same time, same place, where we may even have impromptu unrated blitz quads!)

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