🎲 Games & hobbies
Chess
Two chairs, a board, complete concentration: chess is a quiet pleasure for anyone who likes to think. At a chess meet-up you will find opponents at every level.
The royal game
Two chairs, a board, complete concentration: chess is a quiet pleasure for anyone who likes to think, and it has held people for centuries. It combines logic, forward planning and patience – and you never finish learning it. Every game is different, every opponent a new challenge. That inexhaustible depth is exactly where the appeal lies.
Opponents at every level
You need not be a grandmaster to enjoy chess. At a chess meet-up or club there is a suitable opponent for every standard, and many players are glad to help a beginner along. The best way to learn is playing someone slightly stronger – you grow with every game. Online play is fine for practice in between, but the game face to face has an atmosphere of its own.
Quiet and company at once
Chess looks solitary but is a deeply social game. You share the concentration, go through the game together afterwards, learn from one another. At a club or an open games meet-up in a café, real acquaintances form across the board. Thinking about a move together creates a bond in a quiet but lasting way.
From the online board to the real table
Many rediscovered chess in apps – the step to the real board is the nicer part: park chess in summer, open evenings in cafés and clubs, simultaneous exhibitions. At the board, conversation belongs to the game; the post-mortem of a match often outlasts the match itself. Clubs are more open than their reputation: taster evenings are common, and playing strength sorts itself into groups – nobody has to face the club champion.
Tips for getting started
- Learn the principles behind the openings rather than memorising moves – understanding takes you further.
- Play slightly stronger opponents; that is where you improve fastest.
- Go through your games afterwards – in chess you learn most from your own mistakes.
- An open chess meet-up in a café is a pleasant, low-pressure way in.
Frequently asked questions
Am I good enough for a chess club?
Yes. Clubs and open meet-ups are there for every standard, and beginners in particular are welcome. There is always an opponent at your own level.
How do I get better at chess?
By playing regularly, ideally against stronger opponents, and going through your games afterwards. Understanding opening principles helps more than memorising them.
Do I need a rating to join?
No. Open play evenings and park chess never ask for numbers. A rating only comes with official tournaments – and even that is optional.
Chess near you
Find people with the same plan right now – or invite others to a meet-up of your own.
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