Love chess? Then join the club! Well, chess may be a slow paced game, but in terms of popularity, it is undoubtedly growing at the speed of light. And that’s not an overstatement. The sheer popularity of this game can be gauged by the escalating number of chess clubs opening all over the world. Whether you’re in Australia, Canada, UK or Europe, you can easily find a chess club in town and join the fun!
If you’re interested in finding out about different chess clubs around the world and what they have to offer to members, then this post is a good read for you as we fill you in on all that you need and want to know.
For those who love chess and are currently residing in Melbourne, Australia, we suggest you consider joining the Melbourne Chess Club. It is not just the oldest but also the biggest chess clubs in the city, incepted in 1866. The club opens its doors for all types of chess players and fanatics, delivering the best experience to players of all ages.
From organizing fun tournaments where prizes are awarded to players in different skill-level categories, to preparing them to compete at national tournaments, to offering both private and group coaching to members, the MCC offers everything under one roof.
And did you know that some of the world class players like IM Ari Dale, IM Bobby Cheng and even FM Jack Puccini have been members of the Melbourne Chess Club?
Log on to http://www.melbournechessclub.org/ for more details about the club.
Affiliated with the Chess Association of Western Australia, which is associated with the Australian Chess Federation, the Metropolitan Chess Club was founded in 1959. It may not be as old as other chess clubs in the country but over the short span of time, the club has undoubtedly established a stellar reputation and is currently recognized as the largest senior chess club situated in Western Australia.
Currently, the club has more than 40 members ranging from juniors to State Champions. The club has successfully won ‘the Premier Division’ several times. The club offers a variety of activities such as varied chess tournaments, chess lectures and instructions and even social chess.
For more information about the club, such as annual subscriptions and the location, click on http://www.metrochessclub.org.au/.
Live in Perth? Want to become a member of a chess club? Well, then consider joining Southern Suburbs Chess Club. It is one of the largest and greatest chess clubs in Perth, Australia. The club was established in 2014. It’s been only 3 years since its launch but the club has created a rage already. It organizes and runs FIDE and ACF rated chess tournaments.
The club welcomes members of all ages with a variety of skill-set. The club has produced both WA champions and WA Junior Champions. The SSCC club won both A as well as B Divisions of HIC (Harris Interclub Competition) consecutively in 2015 and 2016.
To learn more about this club, activities, players and new chess tournaments click on http://www.southernsuburbschessclub.org.au/
Chess Clubs in the UK
For all you UK based chess fanatics out there, the good news is that chess is growing massively popular in this part of the world too. So, if you wish to compete in chess tournaments, strengthen your chess skills, or just have fun while playing the game with other great chess players, then we suggest that you register with a chess club in the UK.
Here are some of the best and renowned chess clubs in the UK:
Located in Central London, GLCC is a popular chess club that was founded in 1887. The club runs 7 chess league teams. The club welcomes players of all levels and strengths. The Greater London Chess Club (GLCC) organizes both special events and internal tournaments to engage players of all levels. To learn more about the club, click on http://www.glcc.org.uk/
Affiliated with the DCCA (Devon County Chess Association), Exeter Chess Club was established in the year 1895. The club continues to grow in popularity. The members of this club play in the Exeter & District Chess leagues that are organized by DCCA. Currently, the club has 40 members. The club offers coaching, organizes internal competitions, internet based matches and also has a junior wing.
Wait, there’s more! The Exeter Chess Club teams also participate actively in both regional and national chess competitions. The club won the National Major Plate in the year 1995 and the Intermediate Cup in the year 1996. For more information about the Exeter Chess Club, click on http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/
Whether you’re a novice at chess, an intermediate or an experienced chess player, if you wish to have fun, play in leagues, become a part of top chess tournaments in the UK, and take your game to the next level, then you might want to consider becoming a member of the Metropolitan Chess Club.
Founded in 1890, the MCC is not just the oldest but one of the greatest chess clubs in London. The MCC club was formed after the amalgamation of two popular chess clubs—‘The Monument’ and ‘The Three Pawns’.
Most of their matches are held at home or at nearby locations. The club has over 50 amazing chess players and continues to welcome and train new players too. In fact, the MCC novice members are also offered free, informal and one on one coaching by experts. So, if you want to ace your game, then this might be the best place for you to start and learn. To learn more, log on to http://metchess.org/joomla3/
Chess Clubs in Canada
Whether you’re a novice or a grandmaster of chess, if you happen to reside or be in Canada and want to continue enjoying the game of chess with other chess players, then register with the Mississauga Chess Club. It is one of the finest and the biggest chess clubs in the Country. And you know what the best part about this chess club is? It holds regular chess tournaments. So, if you’re looking to be a part of the upcoming tournament, MCC is the place.
Besides hosting chess tournaments, the club also holds fun-packed chess nights and evenings of casual chess. There membership rates are quite economical. It has also adopted the CFC rating system this year. For more on their membership rates, tournaments and rating system, log on to http://www.mississaugachessclub.ca/index.html
This is a volunteer run chess club situated in Scarborough area, Toronto Canada. The club was established in 1960 and is recognized as the longest running community based chess club in the country. The club is CFC affiliated and has members of all age groups from juniors to seniors.
The SCC club not only hosts casual play evenings for chess players but also holds regular CFC rated tournaments, bringing more fun to the table. Learn more by clicking on http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca/
Chess Clubs in Europe
The Jersey Chess Club is a famous European chess organization. The club is a non-profit organization committed to helping new players become best at their game. The club promotes the fun side of chess by spreading the joy and chess benefits. Besides this, the club hosts weekly chess games and tournaments. These tournaments are primarily held to support talent and provide Jersey Chess Club players avenues to showcase their skills. Currently, the club has about 40 members who continue to compete in the Islands Championships.
In addition to this, the Jersey Chess Club also has a successful European Small Nations & Chess Olympiad team. The JCC club runs and holds competitive leagues. In these leagues, the players of the club are given great opportunities to qualify for different events like Blitz & Rapidplay tournaments.
The success of this club can be gauged by the quality of chess players and champions that it has produced over time. John Hawes one of the finest players in the world of chess is from the JCC club boasting seventeen championship victories (3 shared and 14 outright). Besides this, he also has 12 CIC (Channel Island Championship) successes (1 shared and 11 outright). Other great players from the Jersey Chess Club include names like Paul Wojciechowski, R Blow, A J Fulton, Tito Kahn and K Belzo to name a few.
The club is open for everyone, old or young, beginner or professional. If you wish to improve your game or want to proof your mettle, or just simply want to have a great time playing and interacting with likeminded people, then this is the place to be. For more information about the Jersey Chess Club, visit their website at http://www.jerseychessclub.com/. They offer chess for everyone—players of all abilities and age.
On a closing note, no matter what part of the world you may be living in, if you love chess and want to become a champ at it, then consider joining a chess club near you. Joining a chess club can truly help you polish your skills and become a pro!