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Hamden Chess Club

2025-2026 Kids Team

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2025 Summer Program

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Gift Certificates!
$25 | $50 | $100

New mini-documentary (5 min) about PMCA and Hamden Chess Club!
This class project for a Field Production Class exemplifies some of the great work being done at SCSU. Thanks to Oliver Barber, Mirtha F. Calderon-Gutierrez, Corey R. Hall and Phoebe J. Deriu-Crowley for all your hard work in pulling this together in less than a month!

HCC Upcoming Events & Tournaments


HCC First Friday Chess Social Fri., Nov 7, 2025 5:00PM


HCC November Beginner Open (U1200) Sat., Nov 15, 2025 1:00PM


HCC November Action Quads Mon., Nov 17, 2025 6:30PM


November Game-in-45 Challenge Sat., Nov 22, 2025 1:00PM


The Playwright Irish Pub & Restaurant (across street) offers a free beverage for with entree or burger purchase (show copy of tournament flyer)


Upcoming Adult Class: How to Analyze your Games (NEW Class)

 Class dates: Wednesdays, Dec 3, 10, 17 (6:30-8:30PM). Instructor: National Master Jordan Groff

Adult Chess Classes meet one evening
(two hours) per week

Sign up online at Hamden Adult Education or at PMCA for Adult Chess Classes

FIRST FRIDAY CHESS SOCIAL
Friday, Nov 7, 2025 5:00-6:30PM

Unwind from the week with fellow chess enthusiasts. Rousing game replays on the big screen, music, free cookies; and sodas/water/juice: $1

Open to all ages and chess levels - Whether a casual player or serious competitor this is a great space to meet new people, test your skills, and enjoy a shared love of the game

FREE - Just show up - no registration needed

Scenes from our first two First Friday Chess Socials in Sept and Oct:



Come join the fun!

2025-2026 Hamden Chess Team
Flyer and Schedule

For kids of all rating levels, organized by National Master Jordan Groff (Coach Jordan). This team is for Scholastic chess players who wish to play in regional USCF tournaments in CT and nearby states during the course of the year.

Online Sign Up

National Master Jordan Groff (Coach Jordan) has several
new lesson time slots available (posted 11-06-25)

Reserve yours today

New HCC Membership Benefit:

The books listed are available for purchase, and HCC Members may borrow up to two books at a time for up to
30 days. from the HCC Chess book collection.
https://www.librarycat.org/lib/HamdenChessClub

Hamden Chess Club named Connecticut Chess Club of the Year for 2023 (and 2021) by Connecticut State Chess Association
Upcoming USCF and weekly online Tournaments, Adult Casual Play are listed on Events page

Chess Classes
for Kids (Year-Round)


*Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Classes - Eight class times offered each week

*Engaging learning, tournament play within each week's group

*Online and In-Person Options

*Includes option to participate tournaments at reduced rate; free online chess club participation

Sign Up

Hamden Chess Club

*Casual Play and USCF Tournaments


*In-Person Activities:
Casual Play Mondays & Thursdays; Monthly USCF- Rated tournaments for kids and adults
*Online Activities: 10+ tournaments each month with prizes
*HCC library borrowing access
*151 HCC members


 Sign Up

Chess Classes for Adults
(Fall, Winter, Spring)


Classes meet one evening
(two hours) per week

Fall 2025 Courses:

*Chess for Beginners
*Chess Tactics and Calculation
*NEW! Chess Middlegames: Plans and Strategy
*NEW! Chess: How to Analyze Your Games
Sign up online at Hamden Adult Education or at PMCA for Adult Chess Classes

Upcoming Adult Chess Classes in partnership with Hamden Adult Education
(Offered in Fall, Winter and Spring):

FALL 2025 (Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30PM)
Taught by NM Jordan Groff

*Chess for Beginners (Sept 17, 24, Oct 1)
*Chess Tactics and Calculation (Oct 8, 15, 22)
*NEW! Chess Middlegames: Plans and Strategy (Nov 5, 12, 19)
*NEW! Chess: How to Analyze Your Games (Dec 3, 10, 17)

  • Sign up for Adult Chess Classes at Hamden Adult Education web site at the course links above or in-person at PMCA. The entire course catalog of Enrichment courses is at: www.hamdenadulted.com.

Class Location: Play More Chess Academy, 1227 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT 06517

Congratulations:

Congratulations to our recent winners of HCC online and OTB tournaments (in Bold):

Nov 5: Omkar Maralappanavar
Oct 29: Todd Kearns
Oct 25: HCC October U1200 Beginner Open: Andrew Stietzel and Daniel Svolik (Tie-1st/2nd); Trophies-Best U900: Daniel Svolik; Best U600: Michael Ledner
Oct 22: Omkar Maralappanavar
Oct 20: HCC October Action Quads: Kwabena Adu-Poku (1st - Quad 1); Adeyinka Lesi (1st-Quad 2/Sm Swiss); Kevin Tae (2nd-Quad 2/Sm Swiss); Gabi Rosenstein (1st - Quad 3)
Oct 19: Hamden Chess Team vs DIG Chess team Match: Owen Anatra (1st), Roberto Frunzio (2nd), Olivia Stortz (3rd) US Chess cross table
Oct 18: HCC October Game-in-45 Challenge: Rick Hardin (1st); Adeyinka Lesi, Roger Weiler (2nd-Tie); Biggest Upset: Rick Hardin
Oct 15: Omkar Maralappanavar
Oct 13: Fred Kamp
Oct 8: Arthur Xu
Oct 1: Asher Luszcz
Sept 27-28: HCC Hamden Chess Fall Classic: Open: Jordan Groff (1st), Neil Natarajan, Owen Anatra (Tie-2nd/3rd); U1600: Roberto Frunzio (1st) Grady Pompa, Haley Cope (Tie-2nd/3rd); Biggest Upset of Tournament: Daniel Svolik

As of Nov 6, 2025 $40,055 has been distributed in cash and prizes at the adult and kids tournaments (OTB and online) since our first tournament was held in Fall of 2017. All USCF cross tables for HCC tournaments are listed here. Recent results of Completed HCC Online tournaments on Lichess are listed here.

Join the HCC, participate in our next tournament, and win a prize!

Recent News:

Newsletter:

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Play More Chess Academy
1227 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT 06517
Email: info@PlayMoreChess.com | Phone: 203.680.8456