CHESS this Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet as usual from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time at the Starbucks located in the Clayton Shopping Center, as players of all ages can come and go anytime to enjoy the fun and challenge of the game of chess.

There are no dues, and there usually is a chess puzzle to solve, with the first player solving it on the first try winning a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! No one solved last Sunday's puzzle on the first try, but bragging rights go to Tony T. for finally finding the solution to a rather tough puzzle!

See you soon today, and next Sunday as well, for a game or two or three as new friends can be made and perhaps old friendships renewed, as we play!

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

CHESS this Sunday, November 30, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Just a short note to invite players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy an afternoon and early evening of fun, challenging chess over the boards at our usual Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center this Sunday, November 30, 2025!

Come and go anytime between 3:00 p.m. and closing time, as we meet there every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first player to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

As an extra feature, don't be surprised if you make new friends, and perhaps even renew old friendships! See you soon!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone! and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday Week!

There's chess over the boards, as usual, at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center today, Wednesday, November 26th, as chess players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime from 3:00p.m. to closing time, with a promise of better weather! There are no dues, and there is usually a chess puzzle to solve, with the first player solving it winning a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Last Sunday's session saw well more than a dozen players brave the chilly weather to get several really good games in, which included several solid draws! We welcomed two players new to the club, Grant and Alex!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon, same time, same place. Do join us for the fun and challenge of the game of chess, and an opportunity to make new friends and even to renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Last Sunday's chess session at our Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center was packed with players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to very experienced tournament players! We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoons from 3:00 p.m to closing time, there are no dues, and players can come and go anytime!

See you there, and here's to making new friends and even renewing old friendships as we enjoy the fun and challenge of chess over the boards!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Last Sunday's session of chess over the boards saw quite a turnout of chess players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to seasoned tournament players! Our Starbucks venue was packed with more than 25 players at one point, with virtually every table occupied with chess openings, middle games, tactics, traps, and end games of various kinds!

(Noticeably missing all too often from the tables were Starbucks products --- that's okay, as there is no purchase requirement, but it would be nice for some of us to buy something or other if you were to stay a while, from time to time or every other visit or so... to help keep this store in the Clayton Shopping Center as a solid community chess venue for all of us, as we have since 2008... thank you!)

We welcome players of all ages and skill levels for chess and perhaps even other games! Join us if you can every Sunday or Wednesday afternoon anytime from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time (come and go anytime)! There are no dues, and usually there's a chess puzzle to solve, with the first player solving it on the first try winning a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

See you very soon, and certainly be open to making new friends and perhaps even renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday November 16, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

There's lots of fun, challenging chess action over the boards this Sunday, November 16th at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center! Players of all ages and skill levels, including beginners, are welcome to come and go anytime from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time to have fun with the game of chess, and perhaps even play other games (such as Scrabble; Chronology, etc.).

The main game dish, of course, is chess. There are no dues, and there usually is a chess puzzle to solve. The first player to solve it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! Better weather ahead means we'll get a good turnout, so be open to making new friends and perhaps even renewing old friendships!

See you soon,

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

CHESS this Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon from 3pm to closing time at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, and last Sunday's turnout of players was quite good, to include our welcoming Nick, yet another new player to the club.

Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome; there are no dues; and, the first to solve the day's chess puzzle on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice. (No player won the prize, but word was that it was irakli who solved it.)

We meet again this Wednesday, November 12th, and this writer has got to get serious about preparing for the 17th Annual Golden State Open, which will attract several hundred players along with our club regulars this coming long MLKing weekend in January 2026 at the Concord Hilton!

And... there's still the challenge and a lot of fun in our regular sessions of chess over the boards, with the added benefit of being among friends, both new and old! See you soon!

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

CHESS this Sunday, November 9, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

First, apologies from our Starbucks venue go to all those chess players who came by to play chess this past Wednesday: Starbucks had to close for the rest of the day due to leaks caused by rain and wind that fouled up their electrical systems that had to do with the areas in which the baristas do their work.

That said, we do look forward to meeting again there this coming Sunday, November 9, 2025 to welcome players of all ages and skill levels for the enjoyment and challenge of chess over the boards with new and old friends alike! Players can come and go anytime from 3:00 p.m. to closing time; there are no dues; and, the first player who solves the chess puzzle of the day wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! See you there!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick note to say we're at it again over the chess boards this Wednesday, November 5th, at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center! We meet there every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon from 3pm to closing time as players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime!

Last Sunday, we welcomed yet another young player and all indications are that he plays chess quite well, as you will find out! Our next sessions will feature slightly tougher chess puzzles to solve, compared to the last couple puzzles. The first player to solve a puzzle on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

See you soon, and certainly be open to making new friends and perhaps renewing old friendships as you enjoy the fun and challenge of chess!

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

CHESS this Sunday, November 2, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

This past Wednesday our chess club welcomed yet another set of twins, along with their mom, who also plays chess! The turnout was great for a workday, as about twenty or more players came by to enjoy an afternoon and evening of chess over the boards! It was also good to see Alwin and Mystic again, after a long absence from the chess boards!

We meet every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time, at our regular venue, the Starbucks in the Clayton Shopping Center, just a couple driveways up from the corner of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd. Players can come and go anytime; there are no dues; and, there usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first player solving it on his or first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

See you soon, and it's always a pleasure to make new friends, and certainly to renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon from 3:00 pm through to closing time (players can come and go anytime) at the Starbucks located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., in the Clayton Shopping Center, which is just a couple driveways up from the corner of Clayton Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd.

We welcome players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to masters and all in between. Last Sunday we welcomed Addi and his twins Zion and Sante to the club, and our thanks go to several regular players such as Benoit, Patrick, Andrew, and youngsters Jacob and Samuel for helping to introduce the twins to the game of chess over the boards!

We meet again today, Wednesday October 29th, same place, same time!

Looking ahead: The announcement has officially come out regarding the 17th Golden State Open scheduled for the Martin Luther King Weekend January 16-19, 2026 at the Concord Hilton in Concord, California!! Many of us will be competing in that tournament, for sure! For details, go to chesstour.com or to the Continental Chess website.

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

CHESS this Sunday, October 26, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

This Sunday, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, we will meet 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. All ages and skill levels are welcome, and players can come and go anytime to enjoy the fun and challenge of chess over the boards! There are no dues, and the player who solves the day's chess puzzle on his or her first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! Last Wednesday it was Irakli who figured it out and won a caramel macchiato!

Sundays have been a real chess treat, with several kids, their parents, and of course quite a few regular chess players convening to get their chess games up, up, up...! (Kinda like the KPop Huntrix kids dancing to "Golden" last Sunday, as they took a quick dance and sing-a-long break from their chess game when the top tune came over the Starbucks sound system.)

See you soon, and be open to making new friends and perhaps even to renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet again at our usual Starbucks venue (in the Clayton Shopping Center) this Wednesday, October 22nd, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. thru to closing time.

All ages and skill levels are welcome to enjoy the fun and challenge of chess over the boards.

There are no dues, and players can come and go anytime. Be the first to solve the day's chess puzzle on the first try and win a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Our chess session this past Sunday saw quite a fun turnout of chess club regulars mixed in with a host of returning players along with at least 9 kids of various ages to total well more than 20 players, not counting friends and family and several others taking in the impromptu "chesstival"! Join us, and make new friends, and perhaps even renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, October 19, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to masters, are welcome to join the fun and challenge of chess over the boards with us every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time. Come and go anytime, and there are no dues!

We're located at the Starbucks in the Clayton Shopping Center, just up from the intersection of Clayton Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd. 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! No player solved last Wednesday's surprisingly tricky puzzle on the first try; however, it was Matt who earned bragging rights by being the only player who eventually solved it!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

There's more chess over the boards this Wednesday, October 15th at our regular Starbucks venue, in the Clayton Shopping Center from 3pm to closing time! We meet there every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, and players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime and enjoy the fun and challenge of the game! There often is a chess puzzle to solve, and the player who solves it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! (Ben C. won the prize last Sunday.)

Hope to see you there!

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