CHESS this Sunday, March 2, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

Just a short note to confirm that we continue to meet at our usual Starbucks venue for fun, challenging chess over the boards this Sunday, March 2nd, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to closing time. Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome, from beginners to masters and all in between, and players can come and go anytime. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Last Wednesday's session saw a group of sharp players tangle over the boards, and there were not one, but three chess puzzles to solve on the first try for the prize(s). All were indeed solved, but on subsequent tries...!

See you soon, I hope, ready for chess and to make new friends, and perhaps to renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone...!

There's more fun, challenging chess over the boards this Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at our usual Starbucks venue located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, just up from the intersection of Clayton Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd. We're there Sunday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 p.m. to closing time, as players of all ages and skill levels can come and go anytime! There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one who solves it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Last Sunday's session saw about a couple dozen players enjoy the late afternoon and early evening playing chess with each other. There were players new to the club: Nicholas, Michael, Ryan, and Yuen. Welcoming them were Ben, Sam, Benoit, Logan and Adam N., Corbett, Tony, Red, Raj, Mike T., Irakli, Daniel C., Mark, Will, David T., Alex S., and Will. . did I miss anyone? It was Ben who after a try or two found the key move that unlocked the solution to the day's chess puzzle!

So then, come by and get your chess game up Wednesday and/or Sunday, and don't be surprised if you make new friends, and perhaps renew old friendships too!

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

CHESS this Sunday, February 23, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

At least a dozen players came by for chess over the boards this past Wednesday, and many more are expected this coming Sunday, February 23, 2025 at our regular Starbucks venue as the weather seems to be warming up...!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. thru to closing time, as players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to masters, can come and go anytime. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Last Wednesday's session saw Ben, Mark, Tony, Lou, Adam Mac, Benoit, Irakli, and Bert have a good go at the day's chess puzzle, which proved too tricky for it to be solved on anyone's first try. However, Irakli gets bragging rights for finally solving it after a few tries. Ben and I early on met a chess player named Warren, who will soon be joining us.

So then, we'll see you very soon for the fun and challenge of chess, and to make a new friend or two, and even renew an old friendship or two!

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

CHESS today Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello All!

Just a quick note to confirm that we continue to meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoons for fun, challenging chess over the boards, from 3:00 pm thru to closing time at our regular Starbucks venue!

I am looking forward to the group today, Wednesday, Feb. 19th, as all ages and skill levels are welcome. There are no dues, and players can come and go anytime as they make new friends, and even renew old friendships!

There may even be a chess puzzle to solve, and the first to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

See you very soon, Wednesdays and/or Sundays!

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

CHESS this Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello All!

It sure was nice to drop in last Wednesday to see at least 9 players if not more, enjoying the afternoon playing chess over the boards.... There will be more chess this Sunday and I plan to be there myself at our regular Starbucks venue from 3pm to closing time, with all ages and skill levels welcome! I'll even have an easy chess puzzle to solve, with the first one doing so on the first try winning a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

See you soon,

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

CHESS Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello!

There's chess over the boards as usual at our regular Starbucks venue this Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 3:00 p.m. on, as all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime. We also meet on Sunday afternoons, same time, same place.

See you there!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone!

At least 20 players came by our regular Starbucks venue this past Sunday to enjoy the game of chess over the boards! We welcomed Kellen and his mom and dad, Ian and Liz, along with Kellen's twin brother. There to welcome them were Sam (who solved the day's chess puzzle), Ben, Benoit, Tony, Mike T., Adam MacD, David T., Alex S., Lou, Raj, Arian and dad Arun, Rich K., Red, new player Ray, Daniel C., Willie, and another fellow named David... did I miss anyone?

We meet again this Wednesday, February 5, 2025, from 3pm through to closing, at the same place. Hopefully the weather will be pretty good. We always meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons, same time, same place, just know that next Sunday afternoon, February 9, 2025 is the NFL Super Bowl, but I have heard that there will be several chess players who don't care much for the sport, and will rather play chess!

So then, we'll see you soon, game for chess and to make new friends, and perhaps even renew old friendships (it was really nice to see National Master (NM) Rich K. come by to get some games in, after a long absence!

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

CHESS this Sunday, February 2, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone...!

We meet once again at our regular Starbucks venue for the fun and challenge of chess over the boards this Sunday, February 2, 2025, and don't be surprised if we meet players new to the club, at which all ages and skill levels are welcome! We go from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time, as players can come and go anytime. We also meet on Wednesdays, same time, same place!

Last Wednesday saw a nice little turnout despite the chilly weather. We welcomed back Damon after a long absence, and there to welcome him were Ben, Benoit, Mike T., Sam, Tony, Raj, Will, and Irakli... and, for this Sunday, expect to meet Marcus, Kellen, and Liz!

It's also quite possible for there to be games other than Chess. Just know that you're likely to make new friends, and even renew old friendships! See you soon...!

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

CHESS Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone,

Just another quick note to confirm that there's chess over the boards as usual at our regular Starbucks venue, same time, from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time today, Wednesday, January 29, 2025. All ages and skill levels are welcome!

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

CHESS this Sunday, January 26, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone!

Just a short note to say chess players can certainly meet again as usual this Sunday, January 26, 2025 (tomorrow) at our usual Starbucks venue, from 3 pm through to closing time, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday. All ages and skill levels are of course welcome!

Please don't be too surprised if there aren't too many chess players there tomorrow, unless of course quite a few would rather play chess than witness the much-awaited division championship match between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs. I will try to drop by before and after the Bills - Chiefs game, or even earlier if it turns out to be a blow-out.

See you soon!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, January 23, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone!

Last Sunday's session of fun, challenging chess over the boards saw at least 17 if not more players, including a couple of new players by the name of Adam MacD and Mike, plus a couple of players we haven't seen in a long time --- Samuel and Juliana ! There to welcome them were Ben, Benoit, Tony, Dan G., Arun, Arian, Raj, Logan, Daniel C., Adam M., Lou, and Chris Th.... did I miss anybody?

We meet again, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday, this Wednesday afternoon, January 23rd, from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time. All ages and skill levels are welcome, there are no dues, and players can come and go anytime! Maybe we'll hear how some of our club players did at the 16th Annual Golden State Open this past long Martin Luther King weekend!

See you soon!

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

CHESS this Sunday, January 19, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone!

Good Luck, win, and have great, memorable games = for those club players matching wits over the chess boards at this long weekend's 16th Annual Golden State Open being held at the DoubleTree Berkeley Marina Hotel...!

Our club will have its usual session this Sunday, January 19 at our regular Starbucks venue. All ages and skill levels are welcome to play from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time, see you there!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone...!

More than a dozen players came by to enjoy chess over the boards at our regular Starbucks venue last Sunday, and we welcomed yet another player new to the club. There to welcome Rene were Ben, Sam, Irakli, Tony, Red, Mike T.,Lou, Daniel C., Alex S., Arun and son Arian; and, Logan and dad Adam. Did I miss anyone? This time it was Sam who solved the day's chess puzzle!

We meet again, this Wednesday, January 15th, same place, from 3:00 p.m. to closing, as we do every Wednesday and Sunday afternoons into evenings. Players can come and go anytime, there are no dues, there's no purchase required (but it would be nice), and all ages and skill levels are welcome!

See you soon, up for chess, perhaps other games, but nevertheless expect to make new friends, and even renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, January 12, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone!

We meet again this Sunday, January 12, 2025 at our regular Starbucks venue from 3:00p.m. through to closing time, with all ages and skill levels welcome to enjoy the game of chess (and perhaps some other games, too) over the boards! Players come and go anytime, and there are no dues, nor is there a purchase requirement (but it would be nice). Don't be surprised if you make new friends or renew old friendships --- just last Wednesday (we meet every Wednesday, too, same time, same place) Jimmy, new to the club but not to chess, was welcomed by Ben, Tony, Julia, Irakli, Matthew and Mike T. with several more players expected this Sunday!

See you soon!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone...!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to closing time at our regular Starbucks venue, located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, which is just up from the intersection of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd. We meet again this Wednesday, January 8, 2024. There are no dues, players can come and go anytime, and there's no purchase required (but it would be nice). There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first one to do so on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! Our last two winners have been Daniel C. and Max!

Last Sunday's session saw at least 19 or 20 players come by for the fun and challenge of the game of chess. Additionally, we're checking to see if the concept of having other games available (as a possible start for a "Chess & Games Club"). Based on a straw poll, several chess players and non-chess players (e.g., other Starbucks customers, including those accompanying chess players) have expressed interest in playing other games, such as those requiring strategy, logic, luck & skill, or just plain good ol' fun.

There for fun and challenge of chess over the boards were Ben C., Irakli, Corbett, Raj, Tony, Jackson, Logan (with dad Adam), Kevin, Mike T, Daniel C., Julia, Anson (with mom So), Yancy, Ken C., Liam, and David T. We welcomed new players Raj and Liam, and we welcomed back Kevin, as we did Meredith during our previous session, when she played chess as well as taught some of us how to play "Hues and Cues" and "Bananarama"!

In years past, we also had games such as "Scrabble" and "Chronology" going on at other tables, while Chess was in full swing at the main tables. This past session, we had the "Overrated!" game played by Kevin, then Julia, along with Mike T. and non-chess players Dan, Ernie, Adam, and Ken P. So then, while Chess remains the main event or draw, there is room for other games, subject to further feedback and/or tests of the Chess & Games idea for our club get togethers that feature making new friends and even renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, January 5, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hello Everyone!

Just a short note to confirm that we meet as usual, every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons, at our regular Starbucks venue for chess over the boards open to all ages and skill levels! Our next session is this Sunday, January 5, 2025. There are no dues, and there's no purchase required (but it would be nice), as players can come and go anytime from 3:00 p.m. to closing time, 8:30 p.m. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Over the last few sessions over the holiday season, several players came by to enjoy both the game of chess and a festive coffeehouse atmosphere along with some fun company! Looking ahead, there may be a consensus to include in our chess sessions other games that could only add to the enjoyment of our get-togethers... more on this "Chess & Games" concept in the near future? Stay tuned, and we'll see you soon!

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