There is a common misunderstanding that cheating in chess emerged years after chess engines were widely available for simple users. In fact, it dates back to 1770 when Hungarian author and inventor Wolfgang von Kempelen created a fake chess-playing machine called the Turk.

The automaton was called so because of the world-renowned leverage that Turkish chess players held at the time. The Turk was a mechanical illusion that allowed a human chess master hiding inside to operate the machine.

With a skilled operator, it won most of the games played during its demonstrations around Europe and the Americas for nearly 84 years, playing and defeating many challengers including statesmen such as Napoleon Bonaparte and Benjamin Franklin.

Spotting the cheaters in the game is not a piece of cake. I remember a story from my playing years when a chess player was busted because he went to the bathroom with his phone in the right pocket and came back having his phone in his left one.

Turk has not been busted this easy. It was not until 1975 when people realized that Turk was a purported chess-playing automaton. In his book The Great Chess Automaton, Charles Michael Carroll studied the machine in an unprecedented attitude, delving into the depth of the details and trying to debunk all the mysteries about who sat inside it.

Five years later, Bradley Ewart discussed the Turk and other automatons in his book Chess: Man vs. Machine, proving that the machine had the capability to host a chess master inside it and create the illusion that a machine is making the moves.

All in all, the Turk left a gigantic legacy on its trail, starting a whole new aspect in chess that has evolved since its creation and turned into the worst crime anyone can do toward chess.

The modification of chess engines and the shrinking of mobile devices provided chess players with theoretical opportunity to cheat during chess games. It would not be a hard guess to say that the overwhelming majority of cheaters execute their plan in the bathroom.

Indeed, any battle-scarred double-agent will never carry the device to the scene of his activity himself, much like Michael Corleone when he killed McCluskey and Sollozzo in The Godfather.

That is why the first and in many prominent chess player’s opinions the most light-shedding cheating accusation is called bathroom controversy. During World Chess Championship 2006 match between Vladimir Kramnik and VeselinTopalov, the latter accused the former of cheating during the game.

Topalov’s manager Silvio Danailov explained their actions by pointing out that Kramnik has spent an unreasonable amount of time in the bathroom, which can be deemed as an attempt to violate the rules of fair play and utilize forbidden strings in order to gain an advantage over Veselin.

After these accusations Kramnik forfeited the 5^th game, which was the first world chess championship match since 1972 Spassky-Fischer in which a game was forfeited. Game 6 was due to be played on September 30, but was postponed until October 2 by the decision of the FIDE president. On September 30 and October 1 negotiations over match continuation between players, their teams, and FIDE took place instead.

Kramnik agreed to play Game 6 under protest, with the status of Game 5 to be resolved later. It is a well-learned fact that KirsanIlyumzhinov told Kramnik:

...I hereby inform you of my full trust in the members of the Match Appeals Committee and their latest decision taken in respect of the appeal of Topalov's team dated 28 September 2006. I am also asking you in good faith to continue your participation in this match...

For your information, the classical games tied after 12 games and Kramnik won the overall match by 8½-7½. The two chess masters held the grudge till their last individual meeting and refused to shake hands every time they played against each other.

Another incident that includes a high profile character is Kasparov’s touch move rule controversy. At Linares 1994, Polgar suffered a defeat at the hands of then-world champion. After four games 17-year-old Polgar had 2 points, which was a fair result considering that she was rated third from the last.

In the 5^th round she was matched with Garry Kasparov. During the game, the World Champion changed his mind after making a move and then made another move instead. (According to chess rules, once a player has released a piece, he cannot make a different move. So, Kasparov should have been required to play his original move)

Later, Polgar mentioned that it was the first time she was invited to a major event and did not want to cause any outbreaks in the tournament. At that time she was unaware of the fact that video tapes showed that Kasparov’s fingers were free of the knight for six frames (in other words for ¼a second).

Kasparov has never admitted that he released the knight, even though it is known that Polgar approached Garry in a bar and said some words about the incident.

In Chess for Dummies, James Eade commented on the game, writing:

If even World Champions break the rules, what hope do the rest of us have?

In the 2010 FIDE Olympiad Tournament atKhanty-Mansiysk, French National team treasured a vituperous failure as three French players were caught in a scheme to use a computer program to decide moves. Their plan involved one player, Cyril Marzolo, following the tournament at home and using the computer program to decide the best moves.

He would send the moves by SMS to the team coach, Arnaud Hauchard, who would then stand or sit at various tables as a signal to the player, Sebastian Feller, to make a certain move. Unlike other cases, each player involved was a legitimate Grandmaster or International Master. None of the other players on the team knew of this or were involved, but those involved were banned from chess for varying amounts of durations.

Now back to Eastern Europe, where a non-titled Bulgarian chess player named BorislavIvanovwas accused of cheating by several Bulgarian chess grandmasters. More than 20 of them signed a petition against him participating in tournaments, outlining that they would refuse to join the tournaments that included Borislav.

The reason was his outstanding performance and his skyrocketing ELO. After mixed up speculations Grandmaster VeselinTopalov, ranked No. 1 in Bulgaria, stated in an interview on 21 May 2013 that there is no evidence that Ivanov is cheating, and that "it's simply stupid to blame a chess player for performing well on the board".

To be honest, this is pretty ironic. Afterward, the court acquitted all the accusations; however, in 2013 Ivanov announced about his retirement from chess: most probably a relief for everyone.

Indeed, there is a bulky mass of cheating incidents, so it can make us hungry to have a look at the reaction of FIDE encapsulated in regulations. In July 2014 FIDE released and implemented a new bundle of chess laws that included a point about mobile phones:

11.3b claims that during play, a player is forbidden to have a mobile phone and/or other electronic means of communication in the playing venue. He shall lose the game if he does. In certain circumstances, the arbiter may require the player to be searched. This is a much more stringent rule, aimed at preventing suspected cheating.

The previous 2009 version of the law stated that:

if a phone makes a sound during play, the game is lost for the player concerned.

Surprisingly, there were negative reactions to this change. Some people indicated that there might be some emergencies or where they are supposed to leave their phones if they travelled to the venue, but the stance of FIDE was clear and not subject to change.

Nonetheless, these disagreements between chess players and FIDE laws are hindering the implementation of this law that thoroughly nullifies the chances to cheat during the game.

As they say, the two most powerful warriors are patience and time, so maybe one day this law update will compel everyone to be honest and believe in themselves instead of hoping that their phone screen will bring them glory.

Another appealing reaction on the regulations made by FIDE was given by a Russian-Kazakh GM  Vladislav Tkachiev. He is an eccentric individual in the chess world with an ostentatious character. Vladislav is sure that even after all these regulations it is still an incredibly easy task to cheat during a chess game.

He spent an hour and a half researching the subject and came to a conclusion that it costs thirty bucks to rent equipment and a conspirator to send him key moves during the game. That is enough to gain an enormous advantage over someone with the same strength.

The Grandmaster decided to try this on his colleague DanillDubov and recorded the process in this video. As you can see, it works perfectly.

​

It turns out that ear is not the only place, where you can hide your crime device. Latvian grandmasters were fazed by the strong performance of Anna Rudof in 2008 Vandoeuvre Open in France, who was unexpectedly leading the tournament.

The disgruntled GMs accused the Hungarian phenom of cheating. In Rudolf’s case, suspicion centered on her lip balm said to be a wireless device for communicating with a remote silicon adviser.

To her chagrin, the organizers confiscated her handbag and lip balm before the key round. Her opponent refused to shake her hand before the game and told her she didn’t play fair. Her concentration was rattled and she ultimately blew the game.

It is now too common in chess for disgruntled losers to raise the specter of cheating without offering a shred of evidence. False allegations, which are maliciously made in order to hurt a player’s reputation and confidence, are as much a threat to tournament chess as are real cases of hidden microcomputers and surreptitious wireless devices.

In other words, it is cheating when you use a chess engine, or break the touch-and-play rule, but it is critical to comprehend that falsely accusing someone of cheating is not less cheating than the latter and the former.

At the end of the day, you can read, hear, and witness about millions of cheating ways in different kinds of fields. Maybe you are tempted to try out the smart methods of Vladislav Tkachiev and maybe you are not.

But before you open a new tab to search for an ultra-microphone designed for cheating during exams, ask yourself a question; if I am not going to persist under the pressure and test my knowledge, skills, and nerves then who will?

agadmator

(441k subscribers, 1214 videos,149 million views)

The host of the channel is from Croatia, so you can spot a little Slavic touch in his accent. He posts daily chess videos and the enormous amount of the videos is either classic chess games or contemporary ones that were played, say, yesterday.

The videos cover a major area of chess curriculum, so it genuinely does not matter if you are a beginner or an advanced player since the host is breaking down all the simple variations while analyzing the games so everyone would understand. If you want to keep up with the latest tournaments and their most remarkable games agadmator will be a great help.

chess24

​(111k subscribers, 3055 videos, 43 million views)

Covering all significant tournaments and creating entertaining events for their viewers is what chess24 does. If there is a tournament that has some famous grandmasters playing in it you will be able to view the coverage on their channel.

One of their most curious types of videos is RadioJan that features a candidate master playing chess while trying to make it entertaining.

Therefore, the channel posts both entertaining and educational videos, making it available for almost everyone interested in chess. If you speak Spanish you might want to try the Spanish version of chess24 en Español(69k subscribers, 1552 videos, 21 million views).

Their content has the core that the English channel does, but the commentators are unique in their own way. To get the gist of their uniqueness you should check this video of Pepe Cuenca commentating the blunder of Wesley So in the game against LevonAronian.

Saint Louis Chess Club

​(224k, 2276 videos, 64 million views)

This channel provides with unique insight to the chess theory combined with practical experience. They release videos for beginners, intermediates, and advanced chess players.

It is critical to point out that the videos were filmed during real chess training hosted by famous chess grandmasters, such as AtanasKolev, VarujanAkopian, CristianChirila, Ben Finegold, and ElshanMoradiabadi. Additionally, they provide in-depth coverage of ongoing chess tournaments.

PowerPlayChess

​(55k subscribers, 1300 videos, 16 million views)

The host is analyzing excerpts taken from famous games of contemporary chess players and gives his perspective on certain player’s playing style and their abilities.

He uploads two videos weekly and at times an advanced chess problem. Therefore, this channel is not recommended if you are a beginner, but if you have a solid theoretical base you will find his videos interesting and educational.

Chessexplained

​(32k subscribers, 6324 videos, 14 million views)

The channel is administered by IM ChristofSielicki. Although he has dozens of educational videos, the overwhelming majority of his uploads are entertaining blitz games and tournaments for all levels of players.

If you are interested in rapid and blitz chess games his videos will be of great help since he almost always tries to provide you with new tools and tactics that can make you victorious in your next match. If you are interested in chess theory his channel will not be much useful for you.

kingscrusher

​(102k subscribers, 9041 videos, 56 million views)

It goes without saying that this channel is the oldest and covered the widest range of chess history. He has thousands of chess games uploaded to his channel and analyzed to his best extent.

To make you imagine the mass of his curriculum I want to note that he has 400+ videos dedicated just to the games of Karpov and Kasparov. Ergo, this channel is recommended to everyone interested in chess since it is more of an encyclopedia that includes opening and opening trap videos and chess games of AI chess engines.

The channel is administered by TryfonGavriel, who runs the website chessworld.net and is a FIDE Candidate Master(CM).

Hikaru Nakamura

(57k subscribers, 176 videos, 6 million views)

As you have probably guessed the channel belongs to the famous chess grandmaster. His videos are mainly entertaining: most of them being bullet chess and blitz bingers.

It is organized for all kinds of chess players since Hikaru presents just the entertaining part of his game. The bad part about this channel is that the amount of videos is low; however, Hikaru has started uploading videos daily recently.

chessbrah

​(77k subscribers, 948 videos, 18 million videos)

Chessbrah is a thoroughly entertaining chess channel that includes three grandmasters as its hosts. They upload videos three times a week including blindfold events which makes them unique on the internet.

It is widely available for any kinds of chess players since they even mention about their content being entertaining in their YouTube channel description.

MatoJelic

​(132k subscribers, 2683 videos, 78 million views)

Mato is the best debut assistant you can have. Moreover, he explains tactical as well as positional aspects of well-known games. He is not a great option if you are a beginner, but if you have the minimum gist of the 64-boarded game he will probably turn into your best guide.

Does Chess Increase IQ?

One of the biggest claims is that playing chess can increase your intelligence quotient (IQ).

IQ is a measure of how intelligent you are relative to others in the population.

Two intelligence researchers, Herrnstein & Murray, have said that IQ is:

The best single predictor of virtually all criteria considered necessary for success in the Western part of the developed world

That’s a pretty bold claim.

It’s easy to imagine then, that if something as simple as playing chess could improve your IQ, then it would be something that everyone should partake in.

After all, if we’re to believe Herrnstein & Murray, then it’s the single best predictor of success in our world.

But does chess actually make you smarter?

Firstly, we need to establish that chess and intelligence have some kind of relationship.

One study in Belgium suggests there is a link.

33 tournament level players were given IQ tests and found to have average IQs of 121, putting them in the top 8% of the population.

Interestingly, on the verbal part of the test, the participants scored only slightly above average, but on the mathematical part, the average score put them in the top 2% of the wider population.

This seems to suggest that intelligence (and particularly skills like spatial awareness) are indeed related to high level of chess play.

But were these players more intelligent because they played chess?

Or did they become tournament level players because they had high IQs?

A study involving 4,000 British schoolchildren suggests it’s the latter.

In this study, the students were given 30 hours of chess training in the hope that the skills learned there would result in greater scholastic achievement; a process psychologists call transfer.

Unfortunately, there was no evidence that the training had any effect on mathematics, literacy or science.

Other studies confirm these findings.

This suggests that highly intelligent people are more likely to become masters (partly), because of their superior intelligence and that it’s unlikely that playing chess can actually make you smarter.

Ok, so that’s a bit of a downer if you were expecting chess to turn you into a genius, but what about some other claims, such as chess helping to prevent dementia?

Does Chess Prevent Dementia?

Dementia is a terrifying condition, so if there was something that could be done to lessen the likelihood of it, chances are you’d want to know about it.

Chess is often purported to help reduce the risk of dementia (a quick Google search will confirm this for you), but is it true?

Or is it merely wishful thinking in the face of a juggernaut?

The unfortunate truth is that there seems to be no clear evidence that playing chess (or any games similar to it) can help stave off dementia.

The reason why you see so many claims to the contrary is because too few people don’t understand the difference between correlation and causation.

Here’s a video that explains the difference:

​If you’re unsure of this distinction, but don’t have the time to watch the above video, allow me to use one study in particular to illustrate the point.

In this observational study, almost 4,000 people were selected and followed up on over 20 years to see if there was anything that stood out in terms of rates of dementia.

About a third of them played board games and it was found that this group had a 15% lower chance of acquiring dementia compared with those who didn’t play board games.

Reading this, journalists then print that playing board games like chess can lower your risk for dementia.

The truth, however, is not so simple.

What they’re confusing is correlation and causation. The people who played board games chose to play those games of their own volition.

It could be that chess lowers your risk for dementia, but it could be that something else was responsible; that something that caused people to play board games in the first place is the actual factor we’re looking for.

We just don’t know. Further research is required.

So, if you’re playing chess purely as a way to decrease the chance of getting dementia, then you’re probably wasting your time.

But what about other mental abilities like memory?

Could chess influence how well your memory works?

Does Chess Improve Your Memory?

Having a better memory is something we’d all like to achieve and chess is thought by many to improve it.

And it makes some sense when you think about it.

After all, being good at chess requires a good memory.

If memory works like a muscle then it would also make sense that playing lots of chess would improve it.

But does it work like that in reality?

Let’s have a look.

One study from Iran suggests that chess players do have better memories than non-players.

The authors of the paper state:

It seems that increased auditory memory function is related to strengthening cognitive performances due to playing chess for a long time.

However, this wasn’t an experiment, it was an observational study.

That is, they didn’t grab a group of people and split them into two groups; they just compared people who chose to play chess, with people who didn’t play chess.

Just like with IQ, it could very well be that people who like to play chess like it because they have better memories.

We have to dig a bit deeper to find the truth.

It’s hard to find good studies of chess players, but one article on the Conversation looked at the body of evidence for whether working memory can be improved.

Instead of looking at a single study, they evaluated a body of literature on chess players.

Their findings?

The results were crystal clear. Working memory training did not show any effects on children’s fluid intelligence, academic achievement or other cognitive abilities. 

Ouch.

This suggests that playing chess won’t improve your memory, but if you’re someone with a good memory already, then you’re probably more likely to play chess.

So far the evidence isn’t looking great, but we’ve mostly been looking at hard, rational things like intelligence and memory.

What about something a bit different, like, say, creativity?

Can Chess Increase Creativity?

With all the negativity thus far you might think that there are no benefits to chess other than the enjoyment one gets from playing.

But one study from India suggests that there may be more to it than meets the eye.

In this study, a group of children were split into two groups; one given a year of chess training, the other not.

At the end the researchers wanted to see if gains in creativity were seen.

And there were!

The researchers said:

It is evident that systematic chess intervention increases creativity in children. The child thinks beyond the usual solutions – using divergent thinking, thinking abstractly, weighing options, evaluating outcomes and making decisions. 

So maybe it’s not all doom and gloom after all?

Perhaps transfer is possible in certain areas closely related to the key skills of chess.

So what about chess and improving concentration?

Can Chess Improve your Concentration?

Another benefit frequently touted is that it can improve your concentration.

Again, this makes sense because chess requires high levels of concentration, particularly at the level of tournament play.

But what does the literature suggest?

Unfortunately, the news isn’t great here either.

William Bart from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, conducted a review of the research on the effects of chess training.

In it, he says:

 …that educational benefits of chess instruction are likely “low-level gains” such as improvements in attention and concentration and interest in learning, rather than “high-level gains” such as improvements in intelligence, scholastic achievement and creativity. 

There’s nothing to suggest that these low-level gains are permanent either. It’s entirely possible that these increases in attention and concentration while chess training is conducted.

After all chess is quite mentally strenuous.

Could it help with easing the symptoms of mental illness?

Does Chess Help with Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a terrible condition that has negative outcomes for most patients, but can chess help these people at all?

One team of researchers thought it might be possible for chess to help restore executive function (they’re the things that help you get things done) in schizophrenics.

They split a group of sufferers into two and gave one group 10 hours of chess practice, the other group got treatment as normal.

They were given several cognitive exercises, such as the Tower of London.

They found that:

Playing chess for a mere ten hours can restore (at least partially), executive function of patients with schizophrenia. 

This is interesting stuff that suggests that chess does have some power to it, at least for schizophrenics.

Conclusion

In this guide we’ve looked at a lot of the common claims made about the benefits of chess.

While it might be nice to think that a game you enjoy conveys additional benefits, it seems that the truth is a little more complicated.

While there are probably benefits to the game beyond enjoyment, it doesn’t seem that you’ll improve your IQ, maths skills or memory by playing chess.

It’s more likely that people who are good in these areas to begin with are more likely to play chess though.

If you enjoy chess, keep playing, but if you’re playing the game as a way to improve your mind, then you’re probably better off spending your time on other activities.

Do you agree with the findings of this article?

Has chess benefited you some how?

Let us know in the comments!

The World’s Best Chess Clubs by Country

Chess is everywhere. From the winding paths of remote villages to the halls of leafy cities, enthusiasts play in all manner of venues. Who wouldn’t want to play or learn the game of wits in an organized setup? Now you are about to dip your hand into the cookie jar of the best chess club in the world.

The Best Chess Clubs in Australia

Melbourne Chess Club

In the heart of the City of Melbourne is the Melbourne Chess Club. It is located in 62-66 Leicester Street. It takes in players with all range of skills from newbies to pros. There are learning programs for all ages and tournaments in different categories. Are you new to chess and live in the city Melbourne and largely the eastern suburbs? This club will teach you the basics till you become a chess rockstar.

Metropolitan Chess Club

Those in Perth and largely in Western Australia, this is the go-to chess club. It has training programs, tournaments, and an affiliation to the biggest chess bodies in Australia. You can decide to be a member through an annual subscription. The members are in all ranks of skills pooled from both adults and juniors. It is the club for those who are not playing for fun, but want to become chess brand names.

Southern Suburbs Chess Club

For the People of Perth, residents, and visitors, Southern Suburbs Chess Club is the place to learn and play the world’s most renowned game. The club takes in members from all age groups and often organizes tournaments.

Hobson’s Bay Chess Club

In western suburbs of Melbourne, chess enthusiasts can play and learn the game at the prestigious Hobsons Bay Chess Club. The club takes in members as young as 8 years to beyond 60. With a vibrant community boasting of rich chess culture, you do not have to be a master player to fit in here.

The Best Chess Clubs in Belgium

Europchess

Brussels is Europe’s headquarters. The city houses many professionals and staff for continental institutions. To make the feel at home, Europchess club is there to help them flex their cerebral imaginations. This is a select club for all family and members of those working with European institutions.

The Best Chess Clubs in Canada

Mississauga Chess Club

Canada is not left out of the train of chess. They have Mississauga Chess Club in Ontario, the biggest in the country and with a foothold in the global chess arena. There are segments for each age group. There is no question of your skills in playing chess; everyone is welcome.

Scarborough Chess Club

The community of Scarborough, Toronto, does not have to look far to play chess. In their midst is the Scarborough Chess Club. It is run by volunteers from within the community. There is a seat at the table for adults and kids regardless of their skills level. There are casual games as well as tournaments run by the Chess Federation of Canada.

The Best Chess Clubs in China

The Shanghai Chess Club

The Shanghai Chess Club organizes tournaments every week. It is not only a place to compete but also where you can have fun. Every Thursday a weekly Blitz tournament goes down. You can be a winning challenger, and take home a befitting reward.

The Best Chess Clubs in UAE

Dubai Chess Club

After seeing the wonders of Dubai, what better way to relax than a game of chess? Dubai Chess Club is your gymnasium to flex your brainpower. The club helps nurture local talent and also plays host to global tournaments.

Signature Chess Club

Initiating your kid into chess at an early age is what many parents would want. Thankfully, Signature Chess Club in Dubai is the place your kid can be shaped into a champion. Unfortunately, adults will have to look elsewhere for a game with their equals.

The Best Chess Clubs in India

Alekhine Chess Club

Kolkata, India is a hotbed of chess talent. At the center of the action is Alekhine Chess Club, which has and continues to produce junior champs every year. You can come here to relax, learn, or challenge someone for a game.

The Best Chess Clubs in Germany

Baden-Baden Chess Centre

German is not all about high-end cars; there is also love for chess. Representing the Deutschland to the world of chess is the Baden-Baden Chess Center though it is listed in New Zealand. The center is flying high with success after hosting its first big tournament in 1870. Since then it has hosted mega tournaments that features chess who-is-who names like Karpov, Kasparov, Alekhine, and Anand.

The Best Chess Clubs in New Zealand

Canterbury Chess Club

In New Zealand, the game is on for 2019 and Canterbury Chess Club is where it is going down. If you are in Christchurch or generally south of the island, drop by any time and challenge someone to a game. There is special dedication to junior category, but doesn’t mean you are at the wrong place as a pro. There is a grading system and you get membership/skill badge.

Auckland Chess Center

Are you tired of the fast-moving life of Auckland’s CBD? Auckland Chess Center is just outside the city’s CBD. There you can kick it in with a game of chess. The center organizes a series of tournaments every day of the week and during holidays. The club is the biggest chess venue for all those from north of the island.

The Best Chess Clubs in Russia

World Chess Club Moscow

Who said drinks and chess do not mix? World Chess Club Moscow goes against the grain. As you sip the bar’s cocktails named after global chess champions, you can relax enjoying playing chess the Russia way. Do not leave Moscow without a game of chess because you have no excuse at all.

The Best Chess Clubs in South Africa

African Chess Lounge

The African Chess Lounge is dedicated to spreading the love for chess. Are you in Cape Town and want to play or learn the game of kings? Head to Cape Town City Centre and be part of the action. You will sure get a hell of competition since there are pros in its membership.

The Best Chess Clubs in Thailand

Bangkok Chess Club

The Bangkok Chess Club opens its doors to everyone. Residents, visitors, master chess players, and newbies are welcome. The club is diverse, and the vibrant environment keeps people coming. It is the Bangkok Chess Club Open that places the club’s name on global recognition.

The Best Chess Clubs in the UK

Greater London Chess Club

Central London is home to Greater London Chess Club with a friendly playing environment. It welcomes people in all levels of play. Tournaments are at the city, national and international levels. If you are down to meet equally passionate folks and jog your brain’s muscles; check out GLCC.

Exeter Chess Club

When you are in Devon, and you can’t shake off the itch to play chess, Exeter Chess Club is where you should go. It is a vibrant environment in a chess-loving city. The club has a junior program to help bring up youngsters into playing chess at the highest level.

Metropolitan Chess Club

Metropolitan Chess Club is another reason why London features dominantly in the list of top chess cities. The club nurtures talents as wells as organizing global tournaments. Matches go down at homes and public venues. Newbies can join for free and get training from top coaches.

Battersea Chess Club

London may boast of some of the oldest chess clubs, but it is Battersea Chess Club that cements the city’s spot in the global top chess destinations. For those who love the heat of the game and a drink to put things into perspective; this is the club for you. The club hosts dozens of events and tournament throughout the year.

The Best Chess Clubs in the US

Denver Chess Club

Denver is quite the place to catch fresh air, hike, ski, and climb mountains. That’s great for nature lovers. How about those who prefer exercising- as Blaise Pascal would put it- in their gymnasium of mind? Denver Chess Club is the place for bare-knuckle chess wars. You will meet members in their tender age to those who know the craft like the back of their palms. As you admire the city, so will you nourish your brain muscles.

Louis Chess Club

The US is a chess powerhouse. Leading the charges is the St. Louis Chess Club at the beautiful city of St. Louis and the state of Missouri. It is the best club in the federation and a top contender for the global best chess club medal. The club sponsors a chain of school competitions as well as many national and international tournaments.

San Diego Chess Club

How about a blend of sand, sun, and chess? San Diego Chess Club is the capital of chess on the west coast. Its primary focus is on pro tournaments. Sorry newbies, this is not your club. If you feel that your game is up there with the best, this is the club for you.

Marshall Chess Club

Popularly abbreviated as MCC, Marshall Chess Club is the second oldest in the US. After opening its doors in 1915, it has hosted the high and mighty of the chess world. Nestled in Greenwich Village of New York City, MCC prides itself in hosting what is dubbed as the game of the 20th century in 1956. The game featured Donald Byrne and Bobby Fischer. With such a rich history and passion for chess, this is where you can learn and hone your chess skills.

Chess Club Basics

We have talked about the best chess clubs in the world. But what really constitutes a chess club? How is one club better than the other? What considerations should you make before joining a certain club? If you decide to start your own club, how do you do it? Well, I will be answering all these questions in this section. When we are done here, you will have all you need to tell a good chess club, how to vet each of them, and most importantly the nuts and bolts of starting your club.

A Chess Club: What is it?

I would be lying to tell you we can define a chess club in one way. I will give you the best definition of would-be meanings of a chess club.

If you are a bunch of friends who come together and decide to play chess over the weekend or in the evenings, yours is an informal chess club. Schools also teach kids how to play chess as part of their co-curricular activities.

They form clubs where interested kids can join. On a formal definition, there are those who form membership-driven chess clubs. Such a club would expect prospects to meet certain prerequisites before becoming members. As long as it is a group of individuals who regularly meet for a game, then that qualifies to be a chess club.

How to Choose the Right Chess Club for you

At whatever playing level, you would like to join a chess club that fits into your needs. If you are a newbie, you want an opportunity to learn. If you are a pro, you would like to join a club where you meet your equals. So, what makes a chess club right for you?

Adequate Playtime

You are here to play. A club that gives the opportunity to play is right for you. You want to face your peers, play in domestic games, and tournaments. You want to belong to a family, and playing often is a guarantee for that.

Chance to grow

When you join as a newbie, your expectations are to go up the rating ladder and become a great player. Chess clubs with training programs help you sharpen your tactics, and it is not only good for newbies but also for the pros.

Player Rating

You join a club to play and get better at beating opponents. You need a way to rate your abilities. It motivates you to work hard and possibly get the highest rating. Besides, players can brag being the best.

Diversification of membership

Does all your family play chess? You need a club that can take in you, your kids, wife, and grandparents. A good chess club will draw membership from all genders, age, and all skill levels. Everyone should feel welcome at the tables.

Starting a Club of your own

Do not drop your head when you can’t find a chess club near you. There is always a first for everything. Even the biggest chess clubs were once an idea in someone’s mind. Look how far they have come. The ball is in your court. Start your local club and be part of history. The million-dollar question is: where do you get started with all these?

Talk to like-minded friends

Do your friends share a passion for chess? That is a good starting point. Talk to them about the idea of a chess club. I’m sure they will receive it warmly. If you can get a few of them to buy into the idea, you just beat the first hurdle.

Set and define the rules

Nothing works without rules even among friends. You need a constitution comprising of all the rules, exemptions, and how everything runs. Will you be charging a membership fee? What are the criteria for choosing members? Will you provide all the playing equipment? All the questions and many more should be dealt with before taking any other step forward.

Settle on Venue and Meeting Time

Where will members meet to play? How often will you meet? For starters, games can be played at homes. However, this will not be sustainable as the numbers grow. You can approach your local library or a restaurant for a venue. Schools and bookstores are also potential venues. Go for whatever will be comfortable for most members.

Get the talk out and keep it going

Word is powerful, and you can use it to win members in their droves. Pin posters on public places like bars, libraries, and restaurants. Talk to random people you meet on the way. Tell them about the club and how it is the right place for them to be. You can use social media as well, but it’s the word of mouth that can easily sell your idea.

Keep it lively and entertaining

It is one battle to win members, but totally a different ball game to keep them entertained. Register the club with a relevant chess body to obtain ratings. Organize tournaments as often as possible. Invite big names in chess to motivate your members. Give incentives to those who would like to join. Godspeed, your train to a famous chess club just left the station.

Wrap-Up

There are loads of benefits for joining a chess club. You meet people as passionate as you. You expand your social circle.

Who knows? You may meet your chess idols and inspire you to become great in your own way. Again, this is a place for the whole family to learn chess basics. To kids, this is an invaluable experience.

 For adults, it is like the adage of iron sharpens iron because you are able to play with people at your level or even better.

Join a club near you and help spread the true gospel of chess. If you have to build a club from square one, we have given you the literary building blocks and tips to be successful.

With an organized club behind your back, your star of becoming a chess master will shine all the way. You can now make a bold step to join or build your own chess club. The ground under you will hold; this article has made sure of that. Go champ, let nothing stop you!