Some place called the Chess Club (or something to do with Chess) is opening up next to Brennan's and Companion Bakery in the CWE on Maryland.
Drove by and saw the signs in the window for it.
Drove by and saw the signs in the window for it.
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TB1000 wrote:Some place called the Chess Club (or something to do with Chess) is opening up next to Brennan's and Companion Bakery in the CWE on Maryland.
Drove by and saw the signs in the window for it.
Any news on this?
I don't play chess, but I happened to be in the neighborhood yesterday which I think happened to be their first day of operation. This place is incredible looking. Apparently there is a benefactor supporting the place. I don't think they'll turn a profit there for 20 years given the amount of money that must have gone into the renovation and furniture. Super stylish! I was impressed. I just couldn't figure out why they don't make it a wine bar/chess club or something. Strictly chess doesn't seem like the best business plan. 3 floors of strictly chess seems like an even worse business plan. I certainly wish them the best of luck.
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stellar wrote:Apparently there is a benefactor supporting the place.
SLU grad and founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors Rex Sinquefield put up the money.
Read the story in the St. Louis Beacon for more insight into this venture. In this case, it looks to be more about education than making money. I think that an adult membership is $80/ year and a junior membership is $30, plus you can just walk in and play, or learn to play for a small fee.
This club has uncompromising style and finish, it looks like a high-end club from New York City. I would encourage everyone to at least go in and learn about their mission. St. Louis should consider this a new gem among our wonderful attractions.
http://www.stlbeacon.org/arts_life/neig ... chess_club
This club has uncompromising style and finish, it looks like a high-end club from New York City. I would encourage everyone to at least go in and learn about their mission. St. Louis should consider this a new gem among our wonderful attractions.
http://www.stlbeacon.org/arts_life/neig ... chess_club
Can you bring in a bottle of wine to drink, say from Brennan's next door? I'm thinking the chess tables outside would be great if you could play with a nice drink in hand
Slightly OT: Are there any outdoor chess/checkers tables in the city? I don't recall ever seeing any here anywhere. Many urban parks in other cities have them.
I see people playing chess often both in and around the BreadCo in the Loop. Maybe it's not officially in the city, but it's on the border and in the same metro area.... It'd be nice to see some tables meant for chess in Lucas Park -- something akin to Washington Square Park in NYC.jlblues wrote:Slightly OT: Are there any outdoor chess/checkers tables in the city? I don't recall ever seeing any here anywhere. Many urban parks in other cities have them.
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This place is cool. They have outdoor chess tables and computer monitors in the windows which show you actual matches going on.
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They DO have outdoor chess tables -- they're stone with the chess board imprinted on the top which is really neat. Even if you don't play chess, it's worth stopping by just to see the inside. It's so hot it makes me want to play chess all the time, and I'm not that great at it. It is hands-down the most interesting thing to do in St. Louis now...I think it's a big deal. I know everyone really gets into baseball here and that's always fun, but this is an inexpensive, all-inclusive, any weather or time of the year destination, and I hope it becomes St. Louis' new claim to fame.
For anyone who likes good conversation and a bit of a challenge more than the rowdy bar scenes, it seems like the perfect new spot.
hours and location (Maryland Ave. right next to Brennan's) and lots of fun trivia at http://www.saintlouischessclub.org
For anyone who likes good conversation and a bit of a challenge more than the rowdy bar scenes, it seems like the perfect new spot.
hours and location (Maryland Ave. right next to Brennan's) and lots of fun trivia at http://www.saintlouischessclub.org
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Do they teach people how to play? I've always wanted to learn.
I heard on NPR that members of the Wu-Tang Clan have set up an online chess club called Wu-Chess. Sounds like it's really getting popular.
I heard on NPR that members of the Wu-Tang Clan have set up an online chess club called Wu-Chess. Sounds like it's really getting popular.
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DeBaliviere wrote:Do they teach people how to play? I've always wanted to learn.
I heard an ad on the radio that says they do. I assume it was for this place.
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Sounds like this would be a great forum meet-up place, at least for a small gathering interested in playing chess. 
I haven't played chess in ages, but what I've heard about this place makes me want to get back in the saddle.
I haven't played chess in ages, but what I've heard about this place makes me want to get back in the saddle.
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yeah there was an article on this in the post i believe or bizjournal. I am certainly down to whooping some ass in chess though, I'll try and check it out the pics look great.
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Is going to be in St. Louis this year!
Pretty awesome, if you ask me. This is by far the best thing to happen in St. Louis for...well, a while!
Pretty awesome, if you ask me. This is by far the best thing to happen in St. Louis for...well, a while!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
U.S. chess championships to be held in St. Louis
St. Louis Business Journal
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis has been selected by the U.S. Chess Federation to host the 2009 U.S. Championship.
The championship will be held May 2009.
Invitations to potential tournament participants will be issued to some of the top-rated U.S. players, top-rated women and wild card participants who will be announced later.
It will be a nine-round event, using the Swiss system with one round per day and a rest day between rounds five and six. Games will be played with 40 moves in two hours, with the remaining moves in one hour.
The championship will have a purse of $100,000, with $30,000 awarded to the winner, twice the amount of last year's tournament.
The center, which was founded by retired investment fund manager Rex Sinquefield and opened in July, is located at 4657 Maryland Ave. in the Central West End.
The three-level, 6,000-square-foot facility features DGT chessboards, wooden chess tables, LCD-screen televisions, overhead paging and an adjustable lighting system.
U.S. chess championships to be held in St. Louis
St. Louis Business Journal
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis has been selected by the U.S. Chess Federation to host the 2009 U.S. Championship.
The championship will be held May 2009.
Invitations to potential tournament participants will be issued to some of the top-rated U.S. players, top-rated women and wild card participants who will be announced later.
It will be a nine-round event, using the Swiss system with one round per day and a rest day between rounds five and six. Games will be played with 40 moves in two hours, with the remaining moves in one hour.
The championship will have a purse of $100,000, with $30,000 awarded to the winner, twice the amount of last year's tournament.
The center, which was founded by retired investment fund manager Rex Sinquefield and opened in July, is located at 4657 Maryland Ave. in the Central West End.
The three-level, 6,000-square-foot facility features DGT chessboards, wooden chess tables, LCD-screen televisions, overhead paging and an adjustable lighting system.
PaulUrban wrote:
Invitations to potential tournament participants will be issued to some of the top-rated U.S. players, top-rated women and wild card participants who will be announced later.
Am I missunderstanding, or do chess tournaments actually have seperate competitions for men and women? I mean, this isn't exactly a test of physical strength!
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Framer wrote:PaulUrban wrote:
Invitations to potential tournament participants will be issued to some of the top-rated U.S. players, top-rated women and wild card participants who will be announced later.
Am I missunderstanding, or do chess tournaments actually have seperate competitions for men and women? I mean, this isn't exactly a test of physical strength!
Men are smarter than women.
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when I worked at Borders we had an unofficial Chess night on Sunday nights in our cafe. Many of the people playing were nice, but it was sort of annoying because a lot of them took up tables without ordering anything.
One time there was a dispute over whether one player's move was illegal and they took it out to the parking lot to settle it with their fists. If you've never seen two bespecatcled 98 pound guys talking smack over a chess game it's pretty funny.
One time there was a dispute over whether one player's move was illegal and they took it out to the parking lot to settle it with their fists. If you've never seen two bespecatcled 98 pound guys talking smack over a chess game it's pretty funny.
Carson Minow does her usual great job for MayorSlay.com, profiling the Chess Club:
http://mayorslay.com/stlouistraffic/
http://mayorslay.com/stlouistraffic/
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southsidepride wrote:One time there was a dispute over whether one player's move was illegal and they took it out to the parking lot to settle it with their fists. If you've never seen two bespecatcled 98 pound guys talking smack over a chess game it's pretty funny.
I would have paid money to see that.
southsidepride wrote:
One time there was a dispute over whether one player's move was illegal and they took it out to the parking lot to settle it with their fists. If you've never seen two bespecatcled 98 pound guys talking smack over a chess game it's pretty funny.
Seems like a pretty cut-and-dried argument. There's not a lot of room for debate as to what moves are illegal in chess. They must have been hardcore.
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wow 6,000 sf for a chess club and that's not considering the outside tables! can you imagine how big this would have been had he chosen ping pong?