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Northwest Chess — Chess News from Washington, Oregon and Idaho

Northwest Chess is a non-profit corporation registered in Washington State.
Address: NWC c/o Orlov Chess Academy, 4174 148TH AVE NE BLDG I STE M, REDMOND, WA 98052-5164.
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Northwest Chess Calendar of Events
Weekly Chess Events

Open Events | Scholastic Events

Some meetings listed may no longer be active.
Please send corrections and additions to: Eric Holcomb.
Organizers – please help avoid conflicts by using this calendar!

Open Events

Weekly Chess Events and Casual Chess Gatherings
Please see the club page for info about chess club regular meetings.
Return to the main events calendar (mostly weekend tournaments).

Mondays

  • Vancouver Public Library, 4th floor, 901 C Street, Vancouver, WA. On Mondays there's a group, including a number of tournament players, that meets to play casual chess from 4-7:30 p.m. Sets and clocks are available, but bring your own to be sure.

Tuesdays

  • Portland Chess Club Tuesday Quads, 7:30 p.m., Portland, OR. Please contact the club or see the club's website at www.pdxchess.org for details. Quads will be held the first three Tuesdays of each month except when the club championship or other special events are scheduled for Tuesday evenings.

Wednesdays

  • Bellingham, Wednesday Chess @Zekes (resuming Nov. 2, 2022), 7 p.m., Zekes Pizza, 2416 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA.

  • Tacoma Chess Club, casual chess, from 7:15 p.m. All levels welcome.

  • Seattle - Green Lake, Forza Coffee Company, 6900 E Green Lake Way N, Seattle, WA (map), from 6:30 p.m. Note: link is to The Seattle Chess Meetup group.

  • Seattle – Wednesday night casual chess (all ages and experience levels welcome). Location: Capitol Hill's Cal Anderson Park (Seattle Parks Department), 1635 11th Ave, Seattle, WA. Hours: 4-9 p.m. EF: $2.00 donation suggested to cover expenses. How to find the site: it is the freshly capped reservoir park right behind (East) of Broadway. The chess takes place in the small building between the reservoir and the baseball field, right next to the public bathrooms and children's playground. The entire park is encircled by: 10th (East of), Denny (South of), 11th (West of), and Pine (North of). Parking available on 12th and the surrounding side streets. Thanks to Mark Ryan for organizing this. (Uncertain if this is still active.)

  • Seattle Chess Club, casual chess, from 7:00 p.m. All levels welcome. New address: 7212 Woodlawn Ave NE, Seattle, WA.

  • Port Orchard, WA - Casual Chess, Wednesdays 7-9:30 p.m., Slaughter County Brewing Company, 1307 Bay St, Port Orchard, WA 98366. The West Sound Chess Club meets on Wednesday evenings for chess talk, casual play and blitz games. Delicious pizza and tasty beers on the beautiful Port Orchard Waterfront. All skill levels welcome! westsoundchess@gmail.com.

  • Vancouver, WA - The New Seasons market has game day in their very nice cafe on Wednesdays. A couple of tournament players have stopped by. Come on over from 4-6 p.m. Location: 2100 164th Ave at McGillivray Blvd in Fisher's Landing area. - Susan Koenig.

Thursdays

  • Seattle - Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono Cafe, 8310 Greenwood Ave. North (Greenwood-Phinney neighborhood), Seattle, WA 98103, phone 206-436-2960. Ask for Gerry Lovchik. Chess and Go night every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Fridays

  • Portland Chess Club Casual Chess, 7-10 p.m., Portland, OR. The club is open on Friday evenings for casual play, as of 2020 (moved from Wednesdays). This evening will be reserved for those who just want to play in a relaxed atmosphere. Conversation permitted! Volunteers guarantee that if you show up someone will be there.

  • Seattle Chess Club Fridays. The typical Friday fare is one round of an ongoing tournament (free to SCC members, no prizes) played at a rate of 40/90 followed by 30/60. The exceptions are the G/15 Championship, the Firecracker Quads (G/25), the Workingman’s Quads (G/25), and the SCC Championship (35/100, 25/60). In addition, the two Championships offer prizes and have entry fees. Casual play also possible.

  • Tacoma Chess Club Fridays. Typically one round of an ongoing tournament; see calendar or TCC club website for details.

  • Casual chess and socializing at the "Cafe on The Ave," University Way and 42nd, Seattle, WA. Was scheduled for the first Friday of each month beginning January 2 and February 6, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Contact: Eric Tohni, erict27@gmail.com.

Saturdays

  • Garfield Community Center, 2323 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA, phone (206) 684-4788, chess Saturdays 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

  • Chess Night at Uncle's Games, Saturdays 6-9 p.m., 14700 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane Valley, WA. Manager: Rick Meissner, rick@unclesgames.com, Calendar: http://www.unclesgames.com/locations/spokane-valley-mall/. Free admission.

  • Medford (OR) Teen Library, 3rd Saturday of month only, 1 to 3 p.m. Third Saturday Chess Club and Board Games event, 205 S. Central Ave, Medford, OR. All ages and all skill levels are welcome to attend. Family board games will also be available. For more information, contact the Medford Teen Library at 541-774-8685. Free admission.

  • Portland Chess Meetup Group, Coffee Time, 712 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR. (Also see below.)

  • Ridgefield Washington Chess Club (4th Sat only), monthly 10 a.m. - Noon, the fourth Saturday of each month to Dec. 22, 2012. Ridgefield Community Library, 210 N. Main Ave. Free admission. Info.: www.fvrl.org or 360-887-8281.

Sundays

  • Bellingham, Sunday Chess in Bellingham (resuming Oct. 30, 2022), 2:00 p.m., Haggen's Barkley Market Street Cafe, 2900 Woburn St., Bellingham, WA.

  • Eugene, Fifth Street Market (296 E 5th Ave #300, Eugene, OR 97401), from 1-6 p.m. Contact: Alex Le, email lehungvan43@yahoo.com, phone 971-409-9566. (added 6/27/2017)

  • Gresham Chess, Gresham Library, Sundays 1:00-4:30 p.m., 385 NW Miller Avenue in downtown Gresham, OR.

  • Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA, phone (206) 684-7481, chess Sundays – TBA.

  • P-Town Chess Club at Red Castle Games, FREE COMMUNITY CHESS CLUB, 6416 SE Foster Road, Portland, OR 97206. Weekly Meetings Sundays Noon - 7 p.m. BYO Set & Clock - None Provided.

  • Salem, Taproot Lounge & Cafe Restaurant, 356 State Street, Salem, OR. Casual chess night every Sunday from 7-9 p.m., but some players stay longer. (New - added 7/1/2019)

  • Seattle, Sunday Meetup at Seattle Center ("The Armory"), 10 a.m., Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA (map). Note: link is to The Seattle Chess Meetup group.

Various Days

  • Search for "Seattle CoffeeChesshouse Open 24 Hours" on Facebook.

  • Lots of chess players hang out, evenings (especially weekends), at Coffee Time, 710 NW 21st & Irving, Portland, OR. "Most popular cafe for chess in Portland," according to Rusty Miller.