Menlo Park Chess Club

Second Menlo Park Chess Club Championship, Round 5
2023-11-30 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Menlo Park Chess Club will hold our second annual club championship beginning Thursday, October 26th, at 7pm, a five-round USCF-rated Swiss system event using the dual-rated G/60;d5 time control over five weeks . Our championship is aimed at players with at least some tournament experience (one or two rated events, say) and may not be suitable for children under the age of 10, given games could last past 9pm on a school night. Additionally, if your child has trouble sitting still or remaining quiet for an hour or two then we would humbly request that you consider registering him or her in one of our other rated events and forego the club championship (we love our junior players but there are a few who truly struggle to remain quiet during even the shorter time controls). Details follow:

Format: Five-round Swiss-system tournament in one section, one game per evening
Rounds: October 26th, November 2nd, 9th, 16th and 30th—games begin promptly at 7:00pm (there is no round on November 23rd, Thanksgiving)
Control: G/60;d5 (dual-rated game of 60 minutes for each player plus a 5-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $15 (the entire entry fee will be returned in prizes)

Payment: PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12, Zelle: 6504006393
Prizes: Four prize groups based upon ratings with roughly 8 players per prize group (Group 1: $100, $60, $40; Group 2: $80, $60, $40; Group 3: $60, $40, $20; Group 4: $60, $40, $20, with adjustments as needed based on group size)
Byes: One half-point bye is available for any round save the last
Boards, sets, clocks, score sheets and pens will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a clock if you own one)
All tournament participants must be current US Chess members
Our tournament chess rules summary is worth perusing if you’re new to tournament play
For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club or tweet @MenloParkChess
Join our Facebook group to stay abreast of future club tournaments and events

Casual, Blitz, Bughouse, Ladder Chess Evening
2023-12-07 18:00 - 21:45, 2023-12-14 18:00 - 21:45 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Our regular weekly club meeting occurs Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:45pm in the Oak Room of the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Casual, blitz, bughouse and ladder chess games are in the offing and we may also play another impromptu blitz tournament (free, no prizes), given there appears to be an appetite for same.

No Chess Due to the Holidays
2023-12-21, 2023-12-28, 2024-01-04 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
There will be no chess meeting December 21st, 28th and January 4th due to the Holidays and the fact that the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center will be closed during that time. The club will meet again on January 11th–see you then!

Casual, Blitz, Bughouse, Ladder Chess Evening
2024-01-11 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-02-08 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Our regular weekly club meeting occurs Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00pm in the Oak Room of the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Casual, blitz, bughouse and ladder chess games are in the offing and we may also play another impromptu blitz tournament (free, no prizes), given there appears to be an appetite for same.

January Double-Round Quick-Rated Quads, Round 1
2024-01-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Menlo Park Chess Club will hold USCF Quick-rated double-round quads over three consecutive weeks beginning Thursday, January 18th, using the G/15;d5 time control and playing two games against each opponent during the same evening, one as white and one as black. No byes will be available for this event so if you are unable to play all three weeks (18th, 25th, February 1st) please do not register for the tournament. These quads are suitable for experienced players as well as newer US Chess members seeking to establish an over-the-board rating. Details follow:

Format: Double-round quad tournament over three weeks, two games per evening against the same opponent, one as white and one as black
Rounds: January 18th, 25th, February 1st—games begin promptly at 7:00pm
Control: G/15;d5 (Quick-rated game of 15 minutes per player plus a 5-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $10 (PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12); entire entry fee goes to the prize fund.
Prizes: First place in each quad receives $25, second place receives $15, any ties will split the cash prize(s)
Byes: No byes are available for this event
Register: Please sign up in advance using the ‘Register’ button, above
Boards, sets and clocks will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a clock if you own one)
All tournament participants must be current US Chess members
Our tournament chess rules summary is mandatory reading if you’re new to tournament play
For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club or tweet @MenloParkChess
Join our Facebook group or email list to stay abreast of future club tournaments and events

January Double-Round Quick-Rated Quads, Round 2
2024-01-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States

January Double-Round Quick-Rated Quads, Round 3
2024-02-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States

A4c Variant Tournament
2024-02-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
“A4c” or “The Clock (Almost) Never Stops” Variant

Background: One of the strongest blitz players in our club came up with this variant and, after hearing it described, we couldn’t resist holding an informal tournament to give it a try. It involves a good deal of fast chess plus a game within a game (a metagame) centered around how best to manage one’s fixed time allotment over several games.

Concept: Players will play best of 3 games against the same opponent in each round with 10 minutes on their clocks, with no increment or delay. When a game ends, players pause the clock but do not reset the time. They reset the pieces then restart the clock for the next game with the times remaining from the prior game(s). If a player runs out of time they lose the match. If a player wins the majority of the points possible in the 3 games, they win the match (so if a player wins two games and still has time remaining on their clock they win the match). One player gets two games with the white pieces (first and third games) and the other gets preferred clock side for all games.

Oddities: Clock location does not change so one player always keeps it on their preferred side. Typically the players start the game by drawing for colors then whomever wins the draw chooses White or Clockside, but given we’ll be holding a Swiss system tournament the player assigned White in any round gets two whites and the player assigned Black gets to choose clockside. (We could also allow the player who is assigned White by the pairing software to choose color preference or clockside to further complicate the metagame).

Comments: I like the metagame aspect of this format because it incentivizes players to manage their clock across multiple games with tactical decisions (whether it is burning down an opponent’s time when they are ahead on time or resigning quickly to preserve more time for subsequent games). It also allows a stronger slower player to manage their time differently and take more time to win the majority of games (though this is risky if they go into a third game after budgeting time poorly).

Format: As mentioned above, we will play 3 games at Gs/10 over three or possibly four rounds, depending upon when we get started, and we may split players into groups of 8-12 by rating if the tournament doesn’t start very near 7pm (leaving time for just three rounds), so please arrive a little earlier if at all possible.

Chess960 Draft Tournament
2024-02-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
On the heels of our very successful A4c Variant Tournament, we’ll hold another Chess960 variant tournament, this time using a piece placement draft with the following format and rules:

There will likely be 4 or 5 Swiss rounds at G/7;d3 in one or two sections
The games will be played with the normal Chess960 rules except for the use of a draft, wherein white starts black’s clock then black places the first piece on the back rank and starts white’s clock, white copies that move then places another piece of their own, black copies that placement then places a second piece, etc., until black places a final piece and white makes the first chess move of the game
It’s important to note that the draft phase covered above occurs while players’ clocks are running, just as in normal moves for the game
The king must be placed between the two rooks as in normal Chess960
The bishops must be placed on opposite-colored squares
We will use clock move rather than touch move, as in our blitz tournaments
An illegal move pointed out by an opponent (no one else) immediately ends the game as a loss for the player who made the illegal move

Casual, Blitz, Bughouse, Ladder Chess Evening
2024-02-29 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-03-14 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Our regular weekly club meeting occurs Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00pm in the Oak Room of the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Casual, blitz, bughouse and ladder chess games are in the offing and we will also play another impromptu blitz tournament (free, no prizes), given there appears to be an appetite for same.

No Chess Meeting March 7th, 2024
2024-03-07 18:00 - 21:00 | CA
There will be no chess meeting March 7th, 2024, due to club director’s out-of-town business but meetings will continue the following Thursday, March 14th, at the regularly-scheduled time.

Casual, Blitz, Bughouse, Ladder Chess Evening
2024-03-21 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-03-28 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-05-02 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-05-09 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-05-16 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Our regular weekly club meeting occurs Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00pm in the Oak Room of the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Casual, blitz, bughouse and ladder chess games are in the offing and we will also play another impromptu blitz tournament beginning at 7pm (free, no prizes), given there appears to be an appetite for same.

April Petite Swiss, Round 1
2024-04-04 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Menlo Park Chess Club will hold a US Chess dual-rated Swiss-system event over three weeks beginning Thursday, April 4th, and concluding April 25th (there will be no chess club meeting April 18th). Players will be divided into groups of 6 or 8 based on rating and will play one game at G/45;d5 each week. No byes will be available for this event so if you are unable to play all three weeks (April 4th, 11th, 25th) please do not register for the tournament. This event is suitable for experienced players as well as newer US Chess members seeking to establish an over-the-board rating. Details follow:

Format: Swiss-system tournament over three weeks, one game per evening
Rounds: April 4th, 11th, 25th—games begin promptly at 7:00pm
Control: G/45;d5 (Dual-rated game of 45 minutes per player plus a 5-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $10 (PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12); entire entry fee goes to the prize fund
Prizes: Dependent upon group size but for 8 players first receives $40, second $25 and third $15.
Byes: No byes are available for this event
Register: Please sign up in advance using the ‘Register’ button, above
Equipment: Boards, sets, clocks, score sheets and pens will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a clock if you own one)
Membership: All tournament participants must be current US Chess members
Rules: Our tournament chess rules summary is mandatory reading if you’re new to tournament play
Info: For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club
Social: Join our Facebook group or email list to stay abreast of future club tournaments and events

April Petite Swiss, Round 2
2024-04-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States

No Chess Meeting April 18th, 2024
2024-04-18 18:00 - 21:00 | CA
There will be no chess meeting April 18th, 2024, due to the club director’s 25th wedding anniversary occurring on this date. We will resume normal operations the following week, of course.

April Petite Swiss, Round 3
2024-04-25 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States

Casual, Blitz, Lecture, Ladder Chess Evening
2024-05-23 18:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Our regular weekly club meeting occurs Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00pm in the Oak Room of the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Casual, blitz, bughouse and ladder chess games as well as a possible lecture are in the offing and we will also play another impromptu blitz tournament beginning at 7pm (free, no prizes), given there appears to be an appetite for same.

A4c Variant Tournament #2
2024-05-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
Background: This will be our second foray into A4c Chess and it’s long overdue, given how well our first such event was received. One of the strongest blitz players in our club came up with this variant and, after hearing it described, we couldn’t resist holding an informal tournament to give it a try. It involves a good deal of fast chess plus a game within a game (a metagame) centered around how best to manage one’s fixed time allotment over several games.

Concept: Players will play best of 3 games against the same opponent in each round with 10 minutes on their clocks, with no increment or delay. When a game ends, players pause the clock but do not reset the time. They reset the pieces then restart the clock for the next game with the times remaining from the prior game(s). If a player runs out of time they lose the match. If a player wins the majority of the points possible in the 3 games, they win the match (so if a player wins two games and still has time remaining on their clock they win the match). One player gets two games with the white pieces (first and third games) and the other gets preferred clock side for all games.

Oddities: Clock location does not change so one player always keeps it on their preferred side. Typically the players start the game by drawing for colors then whomever wins the draw chooses White or Clockside, but given we’ll be holding a Swiss system tournament the player assigned White in any round gets two whites and the player assigned Black gets to choose clockside. (We could also allow the player who is assigned White by the pairing software to choose color preference or clockside to further complicate the metagame).

Comments: I like the metagame aspect of this format because it incentivizes players to manage their clock across multiple games with tactical decisions (whether it is burning down an opponent’s time when they are ahead on time or resigning quickly to preserve more time for subsequent games). It also allows a stronger slower player to manage their time differently and take more time to win the majority of games (though this is risky if they go into a third game after budgeting time poorly).

Format: As mentioned above, we will play best of 3 games at Gs/10 over three or possibly four rounds (no increment or delay), depending upon when we get started, and we may split players into groups of 4-8 by rating if the tournament doesn’t start very near 7pm (leaving time for just three rounds), so please arrive a little earlier if at all possible.

June Double-Round Quick-Rated Quads, Round 1
2024-06-06 07:00 - 20:30 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Menlo Park Chess Club will hold US Chess quick-rated double-round quads and/or 6- or 8-person 3-round Swiss sections over three consecutive weeks beginning Thursday, June 6th, using the G/15;d5 time control and playing two games against each opponent during the same evening, one as white and one as black. Players will be grouped into quads or small Swiss sections based upon rating to keep things as even as possible. No byes will be available for this event so if you are unable to play all three weeks (June 6th, 13th, 20th) please do not register. These quads are suitable for experienced players as well as newer US Chess members seeking to establish an over-the-board rating. Details follow:

Format: Double-round quads and/or small Swiss tournaments over three weeks, two games per evening against the same opponent, one as white and one as black
Rounds: June 6th, 13th and 20th—games begin promptly at 7:00pm
Control: G/15;d5 (quick-rated game of 15 minutes per player plus a 5-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $10 (PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12); entire entry fee goes to the prize fund.
Prizes: First place in each quad receives $25, second place receives $15, any ties will split the cash prize(s)—Swiss sections will offer three prizes
Byes: No byes are available for this event
Register: Please sign up in advance using the ‘Register’ button, above
Equipment: Boards, sets, clocks, score sheets and pens will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a digital clock if you own one)
Membership: All tournament participants must be current US Chess members
Rules: Our tournament chess rules summary is mandatory reading if you’re new to tournament play
Info: For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club
Social: Join our Facebook group or email list to stay abreast of future club tournaments and events

June Double-Round Quick-Rated Quads, Round 2
2024-06-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
The Menlo Park Chess Club will hold US Chess quick-rated double-round quads and/or 6- or 8-person 3-round Swiss sections over three consecutive weeks beginning Thursday, June 6th, using the G/15;d5 time control and playing two games against each opponent during the same evening, one as white and one as black. Players will be grouped into quads or small Swiss sections based upon rating to keep things as even as possible. No byes will be available for this event so if you are unable to play all three weeks (June 6th, 13th, 20th) please do not register. These quads are suitable for experienced players as well as newer US Chess members seeking to establish an over-the-board rating. Details follow:

Format: Double-round quads and/or small Swiss tournaments over three weeks, two games per evening against the same opponent, one as white and one as black
Rounds: June 6th, 13th and 20th—games begin promptly at 7:00pm
Control: G/15;d5 (quick-rated game of 15 minutes per player plus a 5-second delay per move)
Entry Fee: $10 (PayPal: mark@drury.com; Venmo: @Mark-Drury-12); entire entry fee goes to the prize fund.
Prizes: First place in each quad receives $25, second place receives $15, any ties will split the cash prize(s)—Swiss sections will offer three prizes
Byes: No byes are available for this event
Equipment: Boards, sets, clocks, score sheets and pens will be provided by the Menlo Park Chess Club (bring a digital clock if you own one)
Membership: All tournament participants must be current US Chess members
Rules: Our tournament chess rules summary is mandatory reading if you’re new to tournament play
Info: For more information please send email to info@menloparkchess.club
Social: Join our Facebook group or email list to stay abreast of future club tournaments and events

June Double-Round Quick-Rated Quads, Round 3
2024-06-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, United States
