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

CHESS this Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

There's more fun, challenging chess over the boards this Sunday, Oct. 12th, at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, which is just a couple driveways up from the intersection of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd. We meet there every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon, as players of all ages and skill levels (from beginners to experts and masters) are welcome to come and go and play the game from 3:00 p.m. to closing time. There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first player solving it on the first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Among about twenty or more players that stopped by to play chess last Sunday were at least 6 kids (e.g., Jayden, Aaron, Kaya, Lana, Samuel, Jacob) who whose ages ranged from 7 - 11 yrs. It was really cool to see an adult player or two or three help the ones who are beginners with the basics of the game!

Hope to see you there!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We had a good turnout this past Sunday at our regular Starbucks venue, enhanced by several kids who were there to learn about the fun and challenge of the game of chess! There to learn and be welcomed to the club were Kaya, Jayden, Aaron, and little Max, along with Delilah and Aria. Interestingly, there was young Samuel (7- years old and quite good at the game) helping them with the proper chess moves!

Drop in and get your game up this Wednesday (we meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon), same place, at the Starbucks in the Clayton Shopping Center, from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time, as players can come and go anytime for chess over the boards and to perhaps make new friends and even renew old friendships!

As new players have come aboard over the past few months, they are also welcome to see me to add their contact email addresses and contact numbers for club news on an ongoing basis. Conversely, players who have not come by in more than a year could be dropped from the club's email list, unless they let me know they want to continue to receive these emails (I really don't want to unnecessarily clutter up anyone's email in-boxes).

We welcome players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to masters and all in between! There are no dues, and oftentimes there is a chess puzzle to solve, with the first player solving it on the first try winning a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

For more chess, I understand that the old chess group that met at the La Scala cafe in Walnut Creek some time ago would like to start up again at that same spot every Tuesday evening from 7:30 p.m.

See you soon,

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

CHESS this Sunday, October 5, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to closing time at our regular venue, the Starbucks located in the Clayton Shopping Center, for the fun and challenge of chess over the boards!

We welcome players of all ages and skill levels, and this past Wednesday we certainly welcomed 8-year old twins Jayden and Aaron, along with their 10-year old sister Kaya, as all three are learning how to play and enjoy the game of chess! We also welcomed a young man named Jesus; and, we also welcomed back Wesley after a short absence -- and oh yes, after a long absence . . . Irakli!

The offer or challenge is still good, that is, win one two-game set against a certain member of this chess club mentioned in a previous post -- once playing the white pieces and once playing the black pieces between now and the Golden State Open in January 2026 -- and win a grande Starbucks drink of choice!

Perhaps we will see you this coming Sunday, October 5th, ready to enjoy a chess game or two or three, and to make new friends, and perhaps even renew old friendships! There will also be a chess puzzle to solve, and the first player to solve it on the first try 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, October 1, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We're playing chess over the boards today, October 1st at our usual Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center from 3 pm thru to closing time. All ages and skill levels are most welcome!

See you there!

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

CHESS this Sunday, September 28, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Let's play some fun, challenging chess over the boards this Sunday, Sept. 28th, at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, which is just a couple of driveways up from the intersection of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd! We meet there every Wednesday and Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to closing time as players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime! There are no dues, and there's no purchase required (though it would be nice...).

Looking ahead, the annual Golden State Open will be held in January, 2026 at the Concord Hilton during the long MLK weekend! Several of us will surely be competing in that tournament --- and this writer will definitely be gearing up for it. (His game does definitely need some work... and any one player that gets two wins over him playing both black and white pieces between now and mid-January also wins a free grande Starbucks drink of choice!)

See you at our Starbucks venue, and be open to making new friends and even to renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

It's Wednesday and there's an afternoon of chess as usual from 3pm to closing time at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center! All ages and skill levels are welcome, there are no dues, and players can come and go anytime to enjoy the fun and challenge of chess over the boards. There's also new friends to make, and maybe even old friendships to renew! We meet Wednesdays and Sundays, same place, same time, see you there!

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

CHESS this Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick note to say that this Sunday, Sept. 21st, we will meet again, as usual, at our regular Starbucks venue, 3pm to closing time. Come and go anytime, all ages welcome, from beginners to masters and all in between!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet again this Wednesday for fun, challenging chess over the boards at our regular Starbucks venue, in the Clayton Shopping Center, from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time, as players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime!

We also meet every Sunday afternoon, same time, same place, and last Sunday we welcomed Charlie G. to the club! There was a very nice, active turnout of players of all ages, and it certainly was quite nice to see Tony T. back as a regular!

See you soon, and here's to making new friends and renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, September 14, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

All ages and skill levels are most welcome to enjoy an afternoon of fun, challenging chess over the boards this Sunday, September 14th, from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center!

Players can come and go anytime; there are no dues; and, there's no purchase requirement (but it would be nice...). We've had very nice turnouts at both our Wednesday and Sunday afternoon sessions lately!

See you there, and don't be surprised if you make new friends, and perhaps even renew old friendships!

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

CHESS this Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Just a short note to say that there's lots of fun, challenging chess over the boards today, September 10th, at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center. Players can come and go anytime from 3:00p.m. through to closing time, and all ages and skill levels are welcome! There are no dues, and there's no purchase required (but it would be nice). Be the first to solve the day's chess puzzle on the first try and win a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

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

CHESS this Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

Just a short note to say we meet as usual this Sunday, September 7th, at our usual Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to closing time. Players of all ages and skill levels can come and go anytime; there are no dues, and there's no purchase required (but it would be nice).

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! Come by early if you can, for the best tables, and to make new friends, and perhaps even to renew old friendships!

P.S.: Looking ahead to the next Golden State Open, you may be pleased to know that it is returning to Concord, California! It will be held at the Concord Hilton, and if you're planning on playing in it, plan on blocking out on your calendar the long Martin Luther King weekend, January 16 - 19, 2026. (More info on details to follow soon, or if it's on there already, check either uschess; or continental chess, or chessaction websites.)

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

CHESS this Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet again this Wednesday, September 3, 2025 (as we do every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon) for fun, challenging chess over the boards at our regular Starbucks venue, located at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd. in the Clayton Shopping Center, from 3:00 p.m. through to closing time. Players can come and go anytime; there are no dues; and, there is no purchase required (but it would be nice).

This past Sunday we had a fairly good turnout, considering the long Labor Day holiday weekend, as we welcomed yet two more players new to the club: young Shevin (along with his parents Chiru and Shilpa), and Wesley! It was great to see youngsters Samuel (with his dad Alex), Aaryan (with dad Arun), and Shevin play chess together, and thanks go to Chris Th. for playing with them on that 4-way chessboard for the fun of it!

We look forward to seeing chess players every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon for the game of chess, and the ever-present opportunities to make new friends and perhaps even renew old (and sometimes odd) friendships!

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

CHESS this Sunday, August 31, 2025 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet once again this Sunday, August 31st as we do every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon (from 3:00 p.m. to closing time, as players come and go anytime) at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, which is just a couple of driveways up from the intersection of Clayton Rd. and Ygnacio Valley Rd.

There are no dues; and, all ages and skill levels are welcome, from beginners to masters and all in between! There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first to solve it on the first try wins a tall Starbucks drink of choice! Patrick and Ben C. were the most recent winners, and they have yet to collect on the prize, which by club bylaw, if I remember correctly, means they now might have to share the one tall drink that of course will now have to come with two straws . . .

So then, perhaps we'll see you this Sunday enjoying the fun and challenge of chess over the boards, as a part of the long Labor Day holiday weekend, ready to make new friends, and even renew old friendships!

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