CHESS this Sunday, August 18, 2024 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Well more than a dozen players came by to enjoy chess over the boards this past Wednesday, and as usual, many more are expected for our Sunday chess session this coming Sunday, August 18th, at our regular Starbucks venue!

We meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time, at the Starbucks located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, just up from the intersection of Clayton Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd., right on the border of Clayton and Concord! Players come and go anytime, all ages and skill levels are welcome, there are no dues, and there's no purchase required (but it would be nice). Note: if you have food and drink products from other shops or stores, please enjoy them on the tables outside. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Last Wednesday we welcomed several players new to the club: Cory, David B., Zoey, and Matthew G.! Among the other players in the mix there to welcome them were Ben C., Red, Tony, Mike T., Irakli, Aaron, Meredith, Matthew R., Peter,and the father-and-son team, Jonathan and Dillon!

Speaking of teams, Meredith and Red paired up to challenge Cory and Zoey in a chess contest known as the "Brain & Hand," wherein, in turn, one player -- the "Brain" -- only names a chess piece to be moved (without specifying which if there is more than one available on the board), AND does not say where. The other player -- the "Hand" -- must then decide which named chess piece, if there is more than one available, to move on the board and to where. No other communication between Brain & Hand is allowed.

In the first match, Red was the Brain, Meredith was the Hand on one team; and, on the other team,Cory was the Brain, and Zoey was the Hand. The first match was lots of fun, as both teams got the hang of the game and laughed along with the audience's silly reactions to decisions made by both Brains and Hands. For the rematch, it was Meredith the Brain & Red the Hand versus Zoey the Brain & Cory the Hand. The rematch evolved, or devolved, into something resembling chess as Starbucks was about to close and chess moves somehow got Out-of-Hand, and yes perhaps even Out-of-Brain, too . . . but not without the joy and laughter that made for a fun evening!

Perhaps we will see you this coming Sunday to enjoy an afternoon of chess over the boards (and maybe even some Brain-Hand, along with some live keyboard music played by Robert and Red), and don't be surprised if you make new friends and even renew old friendships!

And, by the way, if you're game to play in an all day 4-rd USCF-rated tournament on Saturday, September 7, 2024 in Dublin, Calif.: (G/40;d.5); $2000 in overall cash prizes; All ages, Open Section 1500+; U1500; U1000, Starts at 9:00 a.m.Fallon Middle School at 3601 Kohnen Way, Dublin, Calif. Entry Fee $50 by 09/07/24; $60 if later. For more details check or google Emerald Hills Chess Club. They are adopting (coopting?) the name East Bay Open, the name originated by our own Contra Costa Chess Club back in the early 2010s. I do support most chess activities, and this is also a good opportunity for all our club players, especially those wanting more rated tournament experience, such as players who still have provisional ratings. I may even be one of the floor TD's there.

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