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Gift Certificates!
$25 | $50 | $100

First Friday Chess Social
Friday, September 4, 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.

HCC Upcoming USCF Tournaments
We host these types of tournaments, usually on a monthly basis
(For a full listing and to register, see the Events page)

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! Entry Deadline (to play all four games on the four Wednesdays is 6:00PM Wed Sept 9 (one hour before Rd 1).

 Sept 11 (Friday) 6:00PM~8:45PM HCC September U1200 Beginner Open 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)

Sept 19 (Saturday) 10:00AM HCC FALL CLASSIC G/75,d5; 3SS (Prizes: $1000 b/24; 70% ($700) Guaranteed; Entry Deadline is Sat 8:00AM (2 hours before Rd 1); Three Sections! Top Section: $200-$100, Top U2100: $60; U1900 Section: $160-$100, Top U1650: $60; U1500 Section: $160-$100, Top U1200: $60; Prizes above guaranteed amount adjusted on pro rata basis based on actual entries. Players with tie score within section share prizes equally

 

Chess Books at HCC

Over 180 books 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):

August 30: HCC August Game-in-45 Challenge: Open: Kushagra Bhargava (1st); Neil Nataranjan, Alex Emmons (tie-2nd); U1600: Vincent Magnaldi (1st); Michael Moon, Kevin Zimmerman, Gabi Rosenstein, Zijun Wang (tie-2nd); Top Female: Lisa Smith; Biggest Upset in Tournament: Felix Allen
August 28: HCC August U1200 Beginner Open: Maceo Regan (1st); Four-way ties for 2nd place: Tarunika Arunachalam, Elliott Kaplan, Avyan Kumar, Rick Hardin; Top Female: Tarunika Arunachalam
August 26: Matt Chan
August 17: HCC August Action Quads: Quad 1: Avinash Shashikala Rajendra (1st); Quad 2 (Sm Swiss): Gabi Rosenstein (1st); Yossi Bogart (2nd)
August 12: Alex Emmons

 As of August 31, 2026 $49,690 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:

Subscribe to our mailing list to find out about chess events, tournaments, chess classes and activities in the Hamden/New Haven area. You will receive our monthly newsletter at the beginning of the month.

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