The online chess playing space is fantastic, but some chess players feel that they are impersonal because they extract the real excitement from chess. The setback these players face after leaving the chess room is that it is difficult to find other players who are equally interested in chess and have had time to devote themselves to playing chess as a whole.
The virtual chess community is great, but on the downside, they lack the warmth of personal interaction. One of the biggest hurdles in non-virtual communities is meeting fellow chess fans who have enough time for a game or two. One way to solve this dilemma is to find fellow chess fans at the chess club.
Chess Club
Chess clubs are organizations that share a passion for chess. As well as playing chess, members share strategy tips, hold scrimmages, and compete in chess competitions.
Early Chess Clubs
Chess is a primitive game, but started to catch people’s attention sometime in the 70s. The defining moment came when someone named Bobby Fischer defeated his opponent Boris Spasky. Fischer’s victory analyzes fanaticism for chess. With so many people openly playing chess, setting up a chess club is logical. No city block existed without an active chess club in that decade.
Compared to 30 years ago, chess today is no longer a hot item. Many people think that this is because, while he is considered to be one of the best chess players ever, Gary Kasparov lacks the boisterous personality that made Bobby Fischer make chess so popular. Chess clubs and populations are both shrinking. Although, just because chess clubs aren’t common doesn’t mean that they don’t exist anymore, you just have to look harder to find them.
Hunting Chess Club
The phone book is an excellent place to start looking for chess clubs. You will undoubtedly find a number of ad “come, join the club” on the phonebook pages. Alternately, you may see advertisements online or on your city’s bulletin board. When all else fails, you can build your own chess club.
Starting a Chess Club
Preparing one is a piece of cake. Initially, not much was needed: site, chess set and members. The challenge comes in spreading the awareness that your chess club already exists. The easiest way to do this is by placing an ad on Craigslist, posting some announcements on a local bulletin board, and advertising through the local newspaper. Another great idea to advertise your recent creation is to have small talk in the chess playroom.
Be prepared with your guidelines, which can touch on membership fees and regular meeting schedules. If you choose to require a membership fee, you must ensure that it is transparent on where the money will be entertained.
Without a doubt, chess clubs offer the best of both worlds: friendship and the opportunity to play chess.