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Gift Certificates!
$25 | $50 | $100

First Friday Chess Social
Friday, August 7, 2026 5:00-6:30PM
Open to public. No rsvp necessary - just show up. Unwind from the week with fellow chess enthusiasts. Free cookies, tea, coffee. Sodas/water/juice available for $1. Rousing game replays on the Big Screen, music. Open to all ages and abilities - whether a casual player or serious competitor this a great space to meet people, test your skills and enjoy a shared love of the game. (Doors open at 4:30PM as HCC is closed earlier in observance of Independence day).


 

HCC Upcoming USCF Tournaments
We host these types of tournaments, usually on a monthly basis
(For a full listing, see the Events page)
July 31 (Friday) 6:00PM~8:45PM HCC July Beginner Open (U1200) G/25,d5; 3SS (Prizes: $300 b/20): $150-$100; Top Female: $50; Trophies: Top U900, Top U600, Top Unrated; or choice of chess medals for those not receiving the above. Entry Deadline is Friday 4:00PM (2 hours before Rd 1)

August 17 (Monday) 6:30PM~9:15PM HCC August Action Quads Tournament G/25, d5; 3RR Quads; (Prizes $300 b/24; Winner of each quad: $50; Entry Deadline is Monday, 6:00PM (2 hours before Rd 1)

Aug 30 (Sunday) 1:00PM~5:45PM HCC August Game-in-45 Challenge G/45,d5; 3SS (Prizes: $600 b/24; 70% ($420) Guaranteed; Entry Deadline is Sat 11:00AM (2 hours before Rd 1); Open Section: $150-100, Top Female $50; U1600 Section: $125-75, Top Female $50; Biggest Upset in tournament $50). Prizes above guaranteed amount adjusted on pro rata basis based on actual entries. Players with tie score within section share prizes equally

Sept 9, 16, 23, 30 (Wednesdays) 7:00PM NEW! HCC September Wednesday Classical Three Sections, 4-SS, One game per week! Top Section (G/75, d5); U1700 (G/60, d5); U1300 (G/45, d5); Only $25 for HCC Club members (non-members $20 extra); up to two half point byes available for schedule conflicts!

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 larger USCF tournaments in the region during the course of the year. Full team year runs July 1-Jun 30. A half-year signup option is also now available. Discounts: $100 for current HCC club members and/or PMCA students; Also $100 discount for full year. Team memberships include team t-shirt and trainings with pizza before each tournament!

Online Sign Up

National Master Jordan Groff (Coach Jordan) has several
new lesson time slots available (posted 06-27-26)

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

GM Maxim Dlugy
 Date TBA
(This event is being rescheduled from its original date)
Lecture, Book signing, Simul
acclaimed chess author and 2025 CT State Champion
Sign up for Lecture (1:00PM), book signing (free - but must rsvp your name to info@playmorechess.com

Sign up for Simul (~2:15PM - Play a game with GM Dlugy) Registration: $30, by one week prior), $40 by Tues prior; $50 thereafter

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 2026 Courses (TUESDAYS):

*Chess for Beginners
*Chess Tactics
*Chess Openings
*Chess Endgames

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 2026):

Fall 2026 (TUESDAYS, 6:30-8:30PM)
Taught by NM Jordan Groff

*Chess for Beginners (Sept 15, 22, 29; 6:30-8:30PM)
*Chess Tactics and Calculation (Oct 6, 13, 20; 6:30-8:30PM)
*Chess Openings (Nov 10, 17, 24; 6:30-8:30PM)
*Chess Endgames (Dec 1, 8, 15; 6:30-8:30PM)
  • Sign up for Adult Chess Classes at Hamden Adult Education web site at the respective course links or in-person at PMCA. The entire course catalog of Enrichment courses will be listed 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):

July 20: HCC July Action Quads Quad 1: Alex Emmons, Dennis Jin (Tie-1st); Quad 2 (Sm Swiss): Chase Watrous (1st), Zijun Wang, Yossi Bogart (Tie-2nd)
July 18: HCC July Game-in-45 Challenge Open: Alex Emmons 1st; Brian Dai and Michael Uwakwe 2nd (tie); U1600: Lisa Smith/ Zijun Wang 1st/2nd (tie); Lisa Smith Top Female U1600; Chase Watrous: Biggest Upset in Tournament
July 8: Alex Emmons
June 27: HCC June Game-in-45 Challenge Open: Alexander Emmons 1st; Jeff Granda-Arias 2nd; U1600: Elizabeth Smith, 1st; Emmet Zane Ryan, 2nd; Elizabeth Smith, Top Female U1600; Nicholas Rad, Biggest Upset in Tournament
June 20: HCC June Beginner Open (U1200) Zijun Wang (1st); Wesley Hunter, Nicholas Read (tie-2nd); Trophies: Top U900: Dixon Phillip Yee; Top U600: Ian Chester; Top Unrated: Varun Selvaganesh
June 17: Praharsh Varada


 As of July 21, 2026 $48,675 has been distributed in cash and prizes at the adult and kids tournaments (OTB and online) since our first tournament. See USCF cross tables for HCC tournaments and HCC Online tournaments on Lichess for cross-tables and lists of past tournaments.

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