The library will be closed on Monday, 10/14 – Our next meeting will be 10/21.

St. Louis Chess Club Visit

As many are already aware, I’m a chess tourist. The family joined me for some work at Ft. Knox over the weekend and with Fall Break taking place this week, we were just too close to NOT visit the St. Louis Chess Club.

World Chess Hall of Fame

St. Louis is home to the World Chess Hall of Fame! It’s free to enter and you can leave a donation if you feel so inclined. The World’s largest chess piece is a prominent entry feature.

The gift shop is inside of the Hall of Fame building and has a wide variety of chess sets, clothing, etc. There was something for everyone.

Unfortunately, 2 of the 3 floors were closed until 10/10 while they completed a couple of new exhibits. Spontaneity is not always the best way to make sure you get the most out of a trip somewhere!

A few of the exhibits on the top floor were interactive.

Kingside Diner

Across the street from the WCHOF, there is a restaurant (serves breakfast AND beer) with a chess theme.

I got way too much of a kick out of the chess themed bathroom sign…

Chess Club

In a separate building, there is an actual chess club where actual chess takes place on a mass scale. On any given day, there are multiple chess lectures and/or tournaments taking place. There is a GM “in-residence”. We got to say hi to GM Pepe Cuenca on this particular visit, who seemed to be editing an online chess lecture. We probably should have asked for a game, but didn’t want to intrude.

If outdoor chess is more your style, there were a couple of games taking place on the sidewalk in front of the club.

There were not 1, not 2, but 3 people waiting to greet us at the entrance to the club. When we mentioned that we had never visited before, they took us on a tour, which included the “Staff Only” section where chess commentary frequently takes place.

Technology was prevalent throughout the club. Interactive, giant touchscreens, exhibit information on big screen TVs, etc. It was a site to behold.

I returned that evening for some blitz chess and went 2.5/7. The club hours advertise a 5pm closing time, but I left well after 9pm and games were still going strong. The guy I played was good, but not anywhere near the best player participating, so there seemed to be a challenge for everybody, regardless of skill level. It was a lot of fun and I would highly recommend it!

National Chess Day Tournament

Don’t forget, the National Chess Day Tournament is this Saturday, 10/12 and limited to 50 participants. This tournament is NOT just for kids, but anyone U1200 or Unrated. There are a few spots available. Register here now! Even if you are not playing, please come out and check it out.