U.S. Chess Mates - Places to play chess around the Bay Area
U.S. Chess Mates
Professional Chess Instruction for Children of all Ages.
South Bay

Santana Row, San Jose, CA

* Daily.
* Casual play, played at the outdoor chess tables.
* Median strip of Santana Row between Olin Avenue and Olsen Drive; San Jose, CA 95128.
* See map at http://www.santanarow.com/concierge/location/santana_row


Sun Chess Club, San Jose, CA

* Periodic meetings; check club web site for news.
* Rated tournament play.
* Century Arts Alliance Foundation; 2146 Ringwood Avenue; San Jose, CA 95131. Web site for
venue is <http://www.centuryarts.org/>.
* Club web site is http://sunchessclub.googlepages.com/


Willows Senior Center Chess Club, San Jose, CA

* Tuesday and Friday afternoons, 12:00-4:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Willows Senior Center; 2175 Lincoln Avenue; San Jose, CA 95125.
* Contact Jerry Marshall at (408) 267-1574


Peninsula

Avenidas Senior Center Chess Club, Palo Alto, CA

* Wednesday afternoons, 1:00-4:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Avenidas Senior Center; 450 Bryant Street; Palo Alto, CA 94301.
* Contact Judith Webb, Manager of Education and Leisure, at jwebb@avenidas.org
* This group usually has 2-4 persons turning out to play.


Peninsula Chess Club, San Mateo, CA

* Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons, 1:00-5:00pm.
* Casual play.
* San Mateo Senior Center, 2645 Alameda de Las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA 94403.
* Contact Sidney Schieber at sid-sd3@sbcglobal.net


San Mateo-Burlingame Chess Club, Burlingame, CA

* Thursday evenings, starting at 7:00pm.
* Rated tournament play, casual play.
* Lions Hall Building; 990 Burlingame Avenue; Burlingame, CA 94010.
* Club web site is http://www.burlingamechessclub.com

Stanford Chess Club, Stanford, CA

* Sunday afternoons, 2:00-4:00pm.
* Casual play.
* At inside tables next to Subway at Tresidder Union. Tresidder Union; 459 Lagunita Drive;
Stanford, CA 94305.
* Club web site is http://www.stanford.edu/group/chess


San Francisco

Cafe La Boheme Chess Group, San Francisco, CA

* Several evenings, though Friday, Thursday, and Wednesday nights may be best. Play may also
take place on weekend evenings. (Formerly: Every evening, though Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday evenings are best, in that order.)
* Casual play.
* Cafe La Boheme; 3318 24th Street (between Valencia Street and Mission Street); San Francisco,
CA 94110.


Mechanics' Chess Club, San Francisco, CA

* Casual play Monday through Friday, 11:00am-9:00pm; and weekends 11:00am-5:00pm;
Tuesday Night Marathon until 10:30pm. Children and beginner's class, Saturdays
10:00am-2:00pm. Women's class, Sundays 2:00-4:00pm.
* Rated tournament play, casual play, classes.
* 57 Post Street; San Francisco, CA 94104.
* Club web site is http://www.chessclub.org.


Royal Ground Coffee, San Francisco, CA

* Monday and Friday evenings, 7:00-11:00pm (formerly 6:00-10:00pm).
* Casual play.
* Royal Ground Coffee; 2216 Polk Street; San Francisco, CA 94109.
* No contact point or web site yet; Royal Ground Coffee telephone number is (415) 474-5957.
* "Royal Ground Coffee at Polk and Vallejo (in SF) has a regular Chess & Scrabble night on
Mondays starting around 8:00pm. [Now 7:00pm.] Plus, impromptu chess can be found most
other days, including a less rigourously attended Friday night session."
"Also, it is important to note that the cafe is at Polk & Vallejo as there is another cafe with the
same name nearby at Polk & Sacramento. People often go the wrong cafe and get disappointed."
--TXY


North Bay

Cotati Chess Club, Cotati, CA

* First and third Tuesdays of the month, any time after 6:00pm. (We close betweeen 9:30 and
10:30pm, depending upon attendance.) Jan-Apr 2009 meeting dates: Jan6+20, Feb3+17,
Mar3+17, Apr7+21.
* Casual play and USCF rated games (by prior arrangement).
* Ray Miller Community Center, Mountain Room; 216 East School Street; Cotati, CA 94931.
* Contact Paul Bishop AlekhinesCat@comcast.net or telephone (707) 588-6081.
Alternatively, telephone Terry Dutra, City of Cotati Recreation Coordinator, at (707) 792-4600,
ext 640. Or email her at tdutra.ci.cotati.ca.us. 8.pdf>.
* The club has a recreational atmosphere, however, we also offer USCF rated games (by prior
arrangement). Note that children must be accompanied by an adult.


Fairfax Chess Club, Fairfax, CA, and San Rafael, CA

* Wednesday evenings, 7:00-10:00pm (formerly 7:00-9:30pm). And first Monday of the month,
6:00-9:00pm (formerly 6:30-9:00pm).
* Casual play.
* Wednesday evenings: Fairfix Cafe; 33 Broadway Boulevard; Fairfax, CA 94930.
First Monday of the month: Gamescape North; 1225 4th Street; San Rafael, CA 94901.
* For Fairfax Wednesdays: Contact Stan R. at vegstan2.ix.netcom.com or (415)
459-4668. Also, Fairfix Cafe may be reached for directions at (415) 459-6404.
* For San Rafael first Mondays: Contact Stan R. at vegstan2.ix.netcom.com> or (415) 459-4668.
* Fairfax Wednesdays: No cost, and all ages and skill levels are welcome. Clocks welcome; sets not
provided: the regulars usually have one. We've been playing in Fairfax since 2001
* San Rafael first Mondays: Any level player is welcome. Bring your own chess set and clock. If
front door is locked (doors close at 7:00pm), simply knock to be let in.


Petaluma Chess Club, Petaluma, CA

* Starting in July, second and last Wednesdays of each month, from 10:00am-noon. Until then,
second and last Tuesdays of each month, from 10:00am-noon. May-Aug 2009 meeting dates:
May12+26, Jun9+30, Jul8+29, Aug12+26.
* Casual play.
* Petaluma Senior Center; 211 Novak Drive; Petaluma, CA 94954.
* Contact Russ Odland at (707) 776-0668, or email him at rojo652@comcast.net>. Also, the
Petaluma Senior Center may be reached for directions at (707) 778-4399.


Redwood Empire Chess Club, Santa Rosa, CA

* Tuesday evenings, 6:00-9:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Starbucks Coffee; 860 Hopper Avenue; Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
* Contact Chuck Brown at <chess AT sonic DOT net>. Also, this Starbucks Coffee location may
be telephoned for directions at (707) 528-3116.


San Rafael Chess Group, San Rafael, CA

* Wednesday evenings, 7:00-9:30pm.
* Casual play.
* Borders Books & Music; 588 Francisco Boulevard West; San Rafael, CA 94901.
* No contact person yet. Borders Books & Music may be telephoned for directions at (415)
454-1400.


Santa Rosa Chess Group, Santa Rosa, CA

* Daily, 1:00-3:00pm (formerly 1:00-4:00pm).
* Casual play.
* Cafe Des Croissants; 1015 4th Street (corner of 4th Street and Brookwood Avenue); Santa Rosa,
CA 95054.
* Contact Peter Proehl at (707) 539-6466 or email degrees@sonic.net>. Also, Cafe Des
Croissants may be reached for directions at (707) 527-7530.
* Half of the players are off the clock, half play fast time controls, several are class A players or
former class A players, there is a sprinkling of expert players in the mix, and attendance numbers
range from 4-10 players.


Santa Rosa Junior College Chess Club, Santa Rosa, CA

* Thursday evenings, 6:00-9:00pm.
* Casual play.
* William B. Race Health Sciences Building; 1501 Elliott Avenue, Third Floor, Conference Room
4061; Santa Rosa, CA 95401. See map at http://www.santarosa.edu/map/race/race.html
* Contact Aaron Crotty, Club President, at acrotty.sonic.net
* Players of all levels welcome. No smoking, food, or drinks allowed, excepting bottled water.


East Bay


U.S. Chess Mates, Chess Learning Center Fremont, CA
*Friday Nights 5:30 - 9:00
* Casual Scholastic Play
* Free
*Contact Steve@uschessmates.com or Steve at (510) 648-2147 if you would like more
information. You can also find them online at www.uschessmates.com. Located at 37161 Suite
A Niles blvd, Fremont, CA 94536.
* First 50 students, blitz, bug house, sac city and casual chess welcome. Deli next door.


Adams Point Chess Salon, Oakland, CA

* Thursday evenings, 7:30-10:30pm (formerly 7:00-10:30pm).
* Casual play.
* "We meet in a private home in the Adams Point neighborhood of Oakland, CA, near Lake
Merritt. We average 8-10 players, and have been meeting since July 2002. Beginners welcome.
No sore losers, no trash talkers and no whiners."
* Contact Richard 'S' Lee at tripkit@aol.com>.


Alameda Chess Group, Alameda, CA

* Sunday afternoons and evenings, 2:00-8:00pm (formerly Sunday, Monday, and Friday
afternoons and evenings). Also, Saturday afternoons, 3:00-6:00pm, at Starbucks Coffee.
* Casual play.
* "Jim's at The Course" Bar & Grill; Chuck Corica Golf Complex; 1 Clubhouse Memorial Drive;
Alameda, CA 94502 (formerly at their winter location of Java Rama Coffee House; 1333 Park
Street; Alameda, CA 94501).
* Jim's may be reached for directions at (510) 337-9950.
* Starbucks Coffee; 1364 Park Street (betweeen Alameda and Central Avenues); Alameda, CA
94501.
* This Starbucks Coffee location may be reached for directions at (510) 521-5815.


Contra Costa Chess Club, Clayton, CA

* Thursday evenings, 7:30-10:30pm.
* Casual play; USCF rated quads coming soon.
* Starbucks Coffee; Clayton Station Shopping Center; 1536 Kirker Pass Road; Clayton, CA 94517.
* Contact John Treshler at JTresBienXXX@aol.com. Also, this Starbucks Coffee location may be
reached for directions at (925) 672-8919.
* USCF Affiliate Club ID#A6024746. All skill levels welcome!
* Reconfirmed 2009.02.03 (JTreshler/EDeMund).


Fremont Informal Chess Group, Fremont, CA

* "Just about every day", starting any time from 5:00-7:00pm, and staying until closing time.
[2009.01.03] Closing times for this Starbucks Coffee location are now Sunday-Thursday:
10:00pm, Friday-Saturday: 11:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Starbucks Coffee; 5034 Mowry Avenue; Fremont, CA 94538.
* No contact person known yet, though this seems to be a group of half a dozen players. This
Starbucks Coffee location may be contacted for directions at (510) 818-9026.
* Updated 2009.01.03 (EDeMund).

Lakeview Chess Club, Oakland, CA

* Tuesday afternoons, 3:30-5:00pm (formerly until 5:30pm). Also see the listing for the MAAT
Science Village Chess Club, Oakland, CA, which has a meeting at this location on the third
Saturday of the month.
* Casual play.
* Lakeview Library; 550 El Embarcadero; Oakland, CA 94610.
* Contact Mary Farrell at (510) 238-7344 for more information.
* "We've been having 4-12 people, children and adults, on Tuesdays. Rod Sanza is the facilitator."  


MAAT Science Village Chess Club, Oakland, CA

* First Saturday of the month at 14th Street location, 1:00-6:00pm.
Third Saturday of the month at Lakeview Library, 1:00-6:00pm.
* Casual play, unrated tournament play, lessons, training, and lectures.
* (first Saturday of the month) Museum of African American Technology (MAAT) Science
Village; 408 14th Street; Oakland, CA 94612.
(third Saturday of the month) Lakeview Library; 550 El Embarcadero; Oakland, CA 94610.
* Contact Marvin Willis, club president, at  (510) 290-7907.

Moraga Chess Club, Moraga, CA

* Saturday and Sunday mornings, 11:00am-1:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Starbucks Coffee; Rheem Valley Shopping Center; 500 Moraga Road; Moraga, CA 94556.
* Contact John Harris at  (925) 383-0222, or phone this Starbucks Coffee location for directions at
(925) 377-0523.
* "We have been meeting for the last two years or so and have about 4-6 regulars and we
occasionally have as many as 8." --John Harris, 2008.11.12


San Leandro Chess Group, San Leandro, CA

* Saturday afternoons, 1:00-7:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Cafe Sorriso; 1501 Washington Avenue; San Leandro, CA 94577.
* Contact Cafe Sorriso for directions at (510) 351-3605.


Walnut Creek Chess Club, Walnut Creek, CA

* Friday afternoons, 1:00-4:00pm.
* Casual play.
* Dollar Clubhouse at Rossmoor Walnut Creek; 1001 Golden Rain Road; Walnut Creek, CA 94595.
* Contact Bob Nace at (925) 939-7937; also, the Dollar Clubhouse telephone number is (925)
988-7881



**If you would like to add your chess playing locai\tion please email Steve@uschessmates.com
We  have  compiled  a  list  of places to play chess throughout the Bay Area. If you
would like outside practice or just a new fun chess playing experience please check
out  one of these places listed below to play. Please call ahead of time to make sure
the chess club will be meeting.

Please  always  use  caution when taking children into adult situations. While playing
chess always make sure to pay attention to your children while they are playing or if
they are out of your site. I do encourage parents to stay with their children if you are
going to play at any of these locations, unless otherwise stated.

**Children may be dropped off at our center Friday Night for Free Chess.
"Bringing Chess
Instruction to as
many Children as
Possible"
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