CHESS this Sunday, January 18 and Wednesday Jan. 21st at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

The 17th Annual Golden State Open gets underway this long Martin Luther King holiday weekend at the Concord Hilton, and only a small handful of our club's regular players appear to have registered for the competition within at least five divisions, as of this writing.

Our chess club will therefore meet as usual this Sunday, January 18, 2026 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 can come and go anytime to enjoy the fun and challenge of chess over the boards among new and old friends in a community coffeehouse setting without any dues or tournament costs.

We'll also meet on Wednesday, January 21, as we do every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, same time, same place, for the game of chess and perhaps even other board games, along the way to making new friends and even renewing old friendships!

For both Sunday and Wednesday sessions, there usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first player who solves it on his or her first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

See you soon, maybe even at the Concord Hilton this weekend!

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

CHESS this Sunday, Jan.11th and Wednesday, Jan. 14 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

There's lots more fun, challenging chess over the boards this Sunday, January 11 and Wednesday, January 14th at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, just up from the corner of Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Clayton Rd.! Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime from 3:00 p.m. to closing time; there are no dues; and, there's no purchase required (though it would be nice, since the venue is free...).

Our sessions last Sunday and Wednesday, despite some rather chilly and wet weather, an aggregate total of nearly 30 players came by to enjoy the game of chess! We always enjoy welcoming new players and companions at virtually every session, and last week we welcomed Jack and Mark; Winston, Ella, and Catherine; Anjel and Ivan and Yarida; Mayume, Melaia, and Carla; Soo kim; and James B.!

Welcoming them and engaging them in games were Ben C., Mike T., Tony T., Jacob, Lou, Rose, Andrew N., Max, Nathan, Arian, Arun, Carl, Sol, Irakli, Chris T., and Meredith, with some feasting on fresh made cookies and caramel corn brought in by a good friend of ours!

There usually is a chess puzzle to solve, and the first player who solves it on his or her first try wins a free tall Starbucks drink of choice! Max solved last Sunday's puzzle to win his tall Strawberry Lemonade! However, no player was able to solve last Wednesday's puzzle without a hint, as it was indeed a tough one!

Perhaps we'll see you at this Sunday and Wednesday's sessions, as there may even be several players practicing for next long weekend's 17th Annual Golden State Open Tournament at the Concord Hilton! Don't be surprised if you happen 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 4th & Wednesday Jan. 7tlh at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone...!

Enjoy the fun and challenge of chess over the boards as we welcome players of all ages and skill levels --- from beginners to masters --- to play at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center, at 1536 Kirker Pass Rd., just up from the intersection of Ygnacio Valley Road and Clayton Road!

We are there every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 p.m. thru to closing time, as players can come and go anytime.

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!

See you soon, and don't be surprised if you make new friends and perhaps even renew old friendships every time we meet!

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

CHESS this Sunday, December 28, 2025 at Starbucks!

Happy New Year to All...!

Chess players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join the fun and challenge of chess over the boards this Sunday, December 28, 2025 at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center from 3:00p.m. through to closing time! Players can come and go anytime, there are no dues of course, and there will be a chess puzzle to solve, with the first player solving it winning a free tall Starbucks drink of choice!

Last Sunday saw two more players new to the club, along with their mom! There was no chess action last Wednesday, owing to it being Christmas Eve and Starbucks closing quite early. In anticipation of a similar schedule next Wednesday, December 31st being New Year's Eve, our chess club will not meet that day.

To all a safe and very happy new year!!

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

CHESS this Sunday, Dec. 21 and Wednesday, Dec. 24 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

It's certainly the season, Holiday Greetings to All...!!

Chess players of all ages and skill levels are more than welcome to enjoy the fun and challenge of the game of chess this Sunday at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center! We're there as usual from 3:00 p.m. on through closing time... but do note that on Wednesday, December 24th chess players can start earlier, from 2:00 pm on in the afternoon to get a game of two in. Also note that this weekend's weather seems to promise to be a fairly wet, rainy one!

Last Sunday we met and welcomed Carla and her family to the chess club, and they merged very well with at least a dozen of our regular players. Daniel C. was the first player to solve the day's puzzle on the first try, to win his tall Starbucks strawberry lemonade!

Last Wednesday saw another dozen players brave the chill air to play chess, and we welcomed yet another first-timer to the club, Charlie G.! Charlie likes speed chess, and chess overall, as he is a very busy assistant instructor at a nearby school's after-school chess program!

See you very soon!

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

CHESS this Sunday, December 14, 2025 & Wednesday, Dec. 17 at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

Join the fun and challenge of chess over the boards this Sunday, December 14th and Wednesday Dec.17th at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center! We welcome players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to experts and masters to play and/or learn more about the game.

Players can come and go anytime after 3:00 p.m. through to closing time every Sunday and Wednesday; 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!

Matt was the player who eventually solved last Wednesday's puzzle, and while he certainly has the bragging rights, it should be noted that he nearly solved it on his first try almost as soon as the puzzle was put on the board!

This Sunday we also expect to welcome a couple of kids new to the club, along with their parents. Join us as we are in the holiday spirit of making new friends and perhaps even renewing old friendships!

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

CHESS Sunday, December 7th & Wednesday Dec. 10th at Starbucks!

Hi Everyone!

We meet as usual from 3:00 p.m. to closing time as players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to come and go anytime every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon at our regular Starbucks venue in the Clayton Shopping Center. Our next sessions are this Sunday, Dec. 7th and on Wednesday, Dec. 10th, same time, same place. (By the way, we'll now be posting once a week, and will often recap some of the highlights of our sessions.)

Along with the fun and challenge of the game of chess, 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! The last puzzle was quite a tough one, but the next one will be fairly easy, perhaps a speed test to see who is first to solve it on the first attempt!

See you soon, as many of us are getting ready for the holiday season, along with making new friends, renewing old friendships, and starting to get geared up for January's 17th Annual Golden State Open that will be held at the Concord Hilton

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

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