Author: Laura Nyström

(via @chess_social) — Today the Los Angeles Chess Social announced the July event will be held at Griffins of Kinsale in South Pasadena! “As usual, there will be ooooodles of chess, some new live music acts, adult liquids and food!” the announcement, which was sent via email explained. “Chess games will be held on the lower floor, but we may be able to grab some tables outside as well! This may be the last meet at Griffin’s for a while as a remodel is coming, so don’t miss out!”

• Griffins of Kinsale  [1007 Mission St. South Pasadena 91030]
• July 30th, 2022
• 8:00pm-12:30am
• 18+
• $10 Suggested Donation

Please bring a mask!

Below are some after school and weekend youth chess programs in the San Gabriel Valley & adjacent areas. All information is current as of May 2022.

Arcadia Parks and Recreation – Even if you see a message about how the Summer / Spring classes are “full” still go ahead and click on the catalogue icon on upper left and filter by keyword “chess” to see the “Introduction to Chess” class offered by the Arcadia Community Center:

https://secure.rec1.com/CA/city-of-arcadia/catalog/item/4268/119413/1729541

Diamond Bar – Wings Chess Academy

https://www.wingchess.com/

La Canada/Flintridge Community Center – Click on catalogue icon on upper left and filter by keyword “chess” to find the “Chess Nuts” class led by Clint Cooper in La Cañada Flintridge:

https://secure.rec1.com/CA/community-center-la-canada-flintridge-ca/catalog/group/11398/183323/4b7d44f7e49f1a08d1825aed99012967 

Rowland Heights – Beyond Chess – Founded by IM Ben Deng and WIM Sarah Lu, both professional chess players and former members of China’s national team:

https://www.beyondchess.net/english

ChessKids 1-on-1 Virtual Chess Coaching

https://www.chesskid.com/chess-coaching

The grand return of the LA Chess Social last month was spectacular! It was great to see everyone after so long! This month’s event will be at Griffins of Kinsale in South Pasadena, where the original Chess Social was established in 2017. There will be live music on both floors throughout the night! 

• 1007 Mission St. South Pasadena CA 91030
• 8:00pm-12:00am
• Free & Plentiful Parking
• Very close / half-block from South Pasadena station (Gold Line)
• $10
• 18+

See you there!!!!

(courtesy @chess_social)

(via @chess_social) — Ready to show off your chess ability and make some friends?
Get ready for the grand return of Los Angeles Chess Social. An incredible live music lineup at Old Towne Pub, located at 66 N Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena. For those unfamiliar, Old Towne Pub is located in a courtyard within the block between Fair Oaks and Raymond Street, accessible from an ally off Holly Street. Event starts at 8pm; $10 at the door; 21+

An incredible live music lineup!

8-9pm Squid and the Elephant (IG @squidandtheelephant)
9-10pm Sugar Rum Tantrum (IG @sugarrumtantrum)
10-12am The Flamenco Souls (IG @theflamencosouls)

Additionally, there will be a Philly Cheesesteak stand with food available for purchase in the courtyard.

Please bring proof of vaccination and a mask!

For those looking for casual and a social atmosphere, come to Odyssey Games Sat. night in Pasadena — 1795 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106 (formerly Game Empire). All ages welcome. This is unrated, social play, no membership required. Meetups are planned for Sat. Feb. 26th, March 5th, March 12th, March 19th and March 26th. Bring your board and clock. Hosted courtesy of Odyssey Games and administered by Jimmy D via Meetup.com at: https://www.meetup.com/odyssey-games/events/283784823 I went Saturday Feb. 19th and it was pretty fun. Come meet new friends!

New Site – New Night!

We are very pleased to announce that we will hold “The Altadena Open,” a five round Swiss starting Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at the Altadena Community Church located at 943 East Altadena Drive in Altadena, CA 91001, our new meeting site. All existing Club memberships will be honored and reset anew. You may register in advance here:
https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/1214

It has been 17 months since our last event at the Sierra Madre YMCA, a site we truly loved but unable to reopen for our needs since the pandemic.  We also know that Friday night chess has a long tradition in our area, but it is not a night where we can find an available site.  So, like the Arcadia Chess Club–which met on a work/school night for years with great success–we will do the same. 

Play will take place at the Church’s Heicher Hall, a large building that can seat 200 people with a stage, kitchen and private parking lot. Heicher Hall sits to the back and the right of the Church building. 

The Church has two parking lots. The closest to the playing site entrance is the upper lot that you access by the driveway on the right. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN ANY NUMBERED SPACE AS THEY ARE RESERVED FOR TENANTS. There is also a lower level lot off the street and street parking is available.

src=”https://sgvchess.club/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SGVCC-Parking-Lot-A-2-rotated.jpeg” alt=””> src=”https://sgvchess.club/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SGVCC-Parking-Lot-B-rotated.jpeg” alt=”Alta Dena Church Parking”>

Doors will open at 6:30 pm. and will close by 10:00pm.  As a result, we will have a single time control game each round like Game/85 with 5-second delay.  Games will start around 6:50.  Again, we understand this is not the time control some are used to, but we we either adapt to the situation or remain closed—something we have endured far too long. Register for the tournament here: https://caissachess.net/online-registration/index/1214

In Los Angeles County, everyone must still wear a mask in all indoor public settings, venues, gatherings, public and private businesses and at outdoor Mega Events, regardless of their vaccination status. When people wear a mask correctly, they protect others as well as themselves. Don’t make us ask, wear a mask.

So this is a new chapter in San Gabriel Valley Chess Club’s young story and one we hope you will share with us. 

Who could have known when we had our grand opening in March of 2020 what was forthcoming. Nor can anyone predict what is still in store. But as chess players, we do best in our games when we can adapt and respond to the unexpected. And so it is here.  We have found an opportunity to meet and play again in person during a most challenging time and that says a lot.

We are pleased to announce that SGVCC will once again participate in Club match play on the Chess.com site. This is your chance to show your club pride and share in the thrill of team match play.

Each match consist of two segments: a Rapid game at 15 plus 2 second increment followed by a Blitz game at  3/2. All games count the same and you can play in both segments or just one if you prefer.

The event will consist of seven matches played over  seven Saturdays starting June 12 thru July 31. July 10 is set aside for a makeup day if necessary. The match starts at 10:00 a.m. PST and generally ends by 11:30. Registration is open 1 hour before the start time and you can play as few or many matches as you like. We are asked to let the other team know how many players we expect each week and you can send that message to Team Administrator John Wright at JRWright on the Chess.com site. Again, it is fine if you can’t play at the last minute and this is just a way to let the team captains organize things so everyone hopefully gets a game.

Our first two seasons in Club League have been great fun and it is one of Chess.com’s most popular events. We have played clubs from all across the U.S., Mexico and South America. We hope to see many of you there!