Hello Chess Show, I love to play chess, but I can't find any opponents. Are there any chess clubs in the Portland area?
If you have any suggestions or updates on where to play chess in Portland, please email them to ChessShow et ChessShow dawt com and I will add them to this list.
My current favorite place to play chess is "Coffee Time" 710 NW 21st. The atmosphere is nice and in the summer the chess players seem to come out of the woodwork to hang out there. Thurday, Friday and Saturday evenings seem to be the most chess populated times. Sometimes you find up to 8 different games going on. Some of the better players around town have started frequenting the place, but there still seems to be plenty of mediocre players who enjoy a casual game. If you want to play, but don't know anybody, ask the baristas. They can frequently point out other chess players who are hanging around. There are some sets available on site, (along with Jenga and scrabble) if you didn't want to look like a geek by carrying yours with you. You can usually just put out a set and someone will eventually come by, wanting to play. Probably the nicest thing about Coffee time is that there's usually an interesting mix of people hanging out there, and of course, you can get some good coffee too.
Pioneer Courthouse square has become a thriving place to play in the summers. For the last couple years, a group of regulars has been playing on the faux fallen columns outside Starbucks, near the North-West corner of the square. Be sure to bring your own board. Soon to be a chess haven...
If you really want to play at a serious level:
The Portland Chess Club http://www.aboutchess.org 8205 SW 24th Ave. 503/246-2978 The Portland Chess Club now meets Tue, Thur at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 2:00 PM. Serious chess - Tuesday QUADs - Tuesdays at 7:30 PM USCF Rated tournament 40/90 G/60 - Game/60 - Last Saturday of the month USCF rated - See web for details Blitz tournament - Every Thursday at 7:30 PM - All levels welcome Causal Play - First and third Saturdays 2:00 PM Kid's - Scholastic tournaments monthly - See web for details
For school programs, check out http://www.chessodyssey.com
The Chess Club at PSU - meets every friday from 2:00pm till whenever,
in the first floor of science building 2 (or in the park blocks if it's nice)
at PSU for some ragingly mediocre chess. Everyone is welcome, although non-PSU
students will be ridiculed.
For more info, e-mail Mike at
psu14860@odin.cc.pdx.edu
The Lucky Labrador SE 9th and Hawthorne 7:30pm Tuesday evenings. Some fairly strong players tend to meet for games.
Holgate Library, SE 74th & Holgate (Sat 1pm - 5:30)
Hanson's Books, 814 NW 23rd. The propietor likes to play blitz with customers. (Not there anymore)
Border's Books, Tigard: 1st Wed night of each month, 7-10pm
Border's Books, Beaverton: 2nd & last Thurs nights of each month
Anne Hughes Coffee Room in Powell's Books downtown on Burnside. More of a place for 'Go' but there's also some chess action.
Pub at the End of the Universe, SE 28th and Gladstone. The sign just says "Pub". I think college students meet there on Saturday night and play chess.
The Tug boat Brew Pub, downtown at 711 SW Ankeny: Used to be a real chess hotspot when it was the Cafe Omega, but I think the scene has kind of died out now. If not, email me.
In some Portland schools: Chess For Success
Here's an interesting article from the Portland Tribune (Summer 2002) on Chess in the Park
Clatskanie Chess Club
(60 miles NW of Portland)
555 SW Bryant Street
Clatskanie OR 97016
Boulder, CO: Penny Lane Coffe House, 1795 Perl Street, Boulder Co. Seems to be a good place for chess in this trendy locale.
Eugene, OR: Cafe Paradiso, Eugene, OR at Broadway and Olive. Generally Saturdays, starting around 1 P.M. Also, there are some chess tables at Theo's Coffee house across the street. 128 Broadway.
Seattle WA: The Last Exit on Brooklyn, 5211 University near U. of Wash.
San Francisco, CA: Horse Shoe Coffee House, 566 Haight St.
Cafe Mocondo, 3159 16th & Guerrero
Berkeley, CA: Cafe Milano, 2522 Bancroft & Telegraph
New York, NY: Chess Forum, 219 Thompson St. Lots of chess on the block and in the nearby Washington Square Park famous for the chess hustlers that populate the chess tables. Nearby Thompkins Square Park, also has tables and is a good place to find players when the weather is nice. Vancouver, British Columbia: When the weather is nice, chess players congregate outside at the corner of Hornby & Robson St. in the UBC Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. There is also a games store in Gastown that has sets and stuff. "The Games People" 604.685.5825. They were helpful in telling me about Robson Square.