Play More Chess Academy | Chess Classes, Lessons, Tournaments, Gifts | Home of the Hamden Chess Club in Hamden, CT

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Classes

Events

Hamden Chess Club

2025-2026 Kids Team

2026 Summer Program

College
Scholarship Program

Gift Certificates!
$25 | $50 | $100

HCC Upcoming USCF Tournaments
(For a full listing, see the Events page)

April 20 (Mon) 6:30PM~9:15PM HCC April Action Quads Tournament G/25, d5; 3RR Quads; (Prizes $300 b/24; Winner of each quad: $50

May 9 (Sat) 1:00PM~ 4:00PM HCC May 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

May 30 (Sat) 1:00PM~5:45PM HCC May Game-in-45 Challenge G/45,d5; 3SS (Prizes: $600 b/24; Open Section: $150-100, Top Female $50; U1600 Section: $125-75, Top Female $50; Biggest Upset in tournament $50. Prizes adjusted on pro rata basis based on actual entries. Players with tie score within section share prizes equally

First Friday Chess Social

Friday, May 1, 2026 5:00-6:30PM

Enjoy chess with fellow enthusiasts. Rousing game replays on the big screen, music,
free cookies.. 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.
.

Come join the fun!

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

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. New team year starts in July.

Online Sign Up

National Master Jordan Groff (Coach Jordan) has several
new lesson time slots available (posted 04-13-26)

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

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

Winter/Spring 2026 Courses:

*Chess for Beginners
*Chess Tactics and Calculation
*Chess Endgames
*Chess Openings

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 Winter/Spring 2026):

WINTER/SPRING 2026(Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30PM)
Taught by NM Jordan Groff

*Chess for Beginners (Feb 4, 11, 18; 6:30-8:30PM)
*Chess Tactics and Calculation (Mar 4, 11, 18; 6:30-8:30PM)
*Chess Endgames (Apr 8, 15, 22; 6:30-8:30PM)
*Chess Openings (May 6, 13, 20; 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):

April 18: HCC April Game-in-45 Challenge Open: 1st/2nd (3-way tie): Jordan Groff, David Bernat, Rees Thomas; U1600: 1st: Niranjan Sivakumar; 2nd Tucker Charles Henry; Top Female: Elizabeth Smith; Biggest upset in tournament: Atharv Agarwal
April 15: Omkar Maralappanavar
April 13: Gabi Rosenstein
April 11: HCC April U1200 Rated Beginner Open: 1st/2nd (3-way tie): Christopher Corneau, Rohin Turaga, Chase Watrous; Top Female: Gopichandana Tatiguntla; Trophy Top U900: Nicholas Read; Trophy Top U600: Timur Tuktaymyshov; Trophy Top Unrated: Jorge Cuero
April 8: Todd Kearns
Mar 26: Todd Kearns
Mar 23: Al Watrous
Mar 21: 2026 Hamden Chess Club Championship! $1370 in Prizes! Trophy winners: Open Section Club Champion: Alex Emmons; U1600 Section Club Champion: Niranjan Sivakumar
Place winners Open: Alex Emmons, Jordan Groff (Tie-1st/2nd); 3rd place (Tie) Michael Uwakwe and Jasmine Su; Place winners U1600: Niranjan Sivakumar (1st); Five-way tie (2nd/3rd): Roberto Frunzio, Dan Knowles, John Twombley, Daniel Deshpande, Masymilian Orzolek; Ad hoc prizes: Book prizes: Martin Svolik (Youngest); Larry Price (Oldest) and Niranjan Sivakumar (Traveled greatest distance (56 mi from MA). Biggest Upset Prize: Pablo Bastida
Mar 16: HCC March Action Quads: Quad 1: David Bernat, Rees Thomas Tie 1st (2.0/3.0); Quad 2 (Sm Swiss): Niranjan Sivakumar 1st (3.0/3.0); 2nd: Gabi Rosenstein, Nicholas Read (2.0/3.0)

As of April 19, 2026 $46,740 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:

2025-11-4 Mini-documentary (5 min) about PMCA and Hamden Chess Club
2025-09-08 HCC Family membership option added
2025-09-05 Inaugural First Friday Chess Social
2025-05-31 2024-2025 Year-in-Review (PMCA and HCC)
2025-05-12 Congrats to HCC Club member Alex Emmons for earning USCF National Master title at the HCC May Action Quads tournament
2025-01-01 Annual College Scholarship program
2024-11-10 HCC Member Benefit can now borrow books from the HCC Library for up to 30 days
2024-05-31 2023-2024 Year-in-Review (PMCA and HCC)
2024-05-22 College Scholarship Winners Announced by PMCA/HCC
2024-05-14 Hamden Chess Club named Connecticut Chess Club of the Year for 2023 by Connecticut State Chess Association

Newsletter:

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

*Play* More Chess! Home About Classes Events Hamden Chess Club 2025-2026 Kids Team Lessons Live Games 2026 Summer Program College Scholarship Program Gift Certificates! $25 \| $50 \| $100
	HCC Upcoming USCF Tournaments (For a full listing, see the Events page) April 20 (Mon) 6:30PM~9:15PM HCC April Action Quads Tournament* G/25, d5; 3RR Quads; (Prizes $300 b/24; Winner of each quad: $50* May 9 (Sat) 1:00PM~ 4:00PM HCC May 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 May 30 (Sat) 1:00PM~5:45PM HCC May Game-in-45 Challenge G/45,d5; 3SS (Prizes: $600 b/24; Open Section: $150-100, Top Female $50; U1600 Section: $125-75, Top Female $50; Biggest Upset in tournament $50. Prizes adjusted on pro rata basis based on actual entries. Players with tie score within section share prizes equally First Friday Chess Social Friday, May 1, 2026 5:00-6:30PM Enjoy chess with fellow enthusiasts. Rousing game replays on the big screen, music, free cookies.. 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. . Come join the fun! 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 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. New team year starts in July. Online Sign Up National Master Jordan Groff (Coach Jordan) has several new lesson time slots available (posted 04-13-26) 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
	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 Winter/Spring 2026 Courses: *Chess for Beginners Chess Tactics and Calculation Chess Endgames *Chess Openings 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 Winter/Spring 2026): WINTER/SPRING 2026(Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30PM) Taught by NM Jordan Groff *Chess for Beginners (Feb 4, 11, 18; 6:30-8:30PM) Chess Tactics and Calculation (Mar 4, 11, 18; 6:30-8:30PM) Chess Endgames (Apr 8, 15, 22; 6:30-8:30PM) *Chess Openings (May 6, 13, 20; 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): April 18: HCC April Game-in-45 Challenge Open: 1st/2nd (3-way tie): Jordan Groff, David Bernat, Rees Thomas; U1600: 1st: Niranjan Sivakumar; 2nd Tucker Charles Henry; Top Female: Elizabeth Smith; Biggest upset in tournament: Atharv Agarwal April 15: Omkar Maralappanavar April 13: Gabi Rosenstein April 11: HCC April U1200 Rated Beginner Open: 1st/2nd (3-way tie): Christopher Corneau, Rohin Turaga, Chase Watrous; Top Female: Gopichandana Tatiguntla; Trophy Top U900: Nicholas Read; Trophy Top U600: Timur Tuktaymyshov; Trophy Top Unrated: Jorge Cuero April 8: Todd Kearns Mar 26: Todd Kearns Mar 23: Al Watrous Mar 21: 2026 Hamden Chess Club Championship! $1370 in Prizes! Trophy winners: Open Section Club Champion: Alex Emmons; U1600 Section Club Champion: Niranjan Sivakumar Place winners Open: Alex Emmons, Jordan Groff (Tie-1st/2nd); 3rd place (Tie) Michael Uwakwe and Jasmine Su; Place winners U1600: Niranjan Sivakumar (1st); Five-way tie (2nd/3rd): Roberto Frunzio, Dan Knowles, John Twombley, Daniel Deshpande, Masymilian Orzolek; Ad hoc prizes: Book prizes: Martin Svolik (Youngest); Larry Price (Oldest) and Niranjan Sivakumar (Traveled greatest distance (56 mi from MA). Biggest Upset Prize: Pablo Bastida Mar 16: HCC March Action Quads: Quad 1: David Bernat, Rees Thomas Tie 1st (2.0/3.0); Quad 2 (Sm Swiss): Niranjan Sivakumar 1st (3.0/3.0); 2nd: Gabi Rosenstein, Nicholas Read (2.0/3.0) As of April 19, 2026 $46,740 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: 2025-11-4 Mini-documentary (5 min) about PMCA and Hamden Chess Club 2025-09-08 HCC Family membership option added 2025-09-05 Inaugural First Friday Chess Social 2025-05-31 2024-2025 Year-in-Review (PMCA and HCC) 2025-05-12 Congrats to HCC Club member Alex Emmons for earning USCF National Master title at the HCC May Action Quads tournament 2025-01-01 Annual College Scholarship program 2024-11-10 HCC Member Benefit can now borrow books from the HCC Library for up to 30 days 2024-05-31 2023-2024 Year-in-Review (PMCA and HCC) 2024-05-22 College Scholarship Winners Announced by PMCA/HCC 2024-05-14 Hamden Chess Club named Connecticut Chess Club of the Year for 2023 by Connecticut State Chess Association

	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. Stay updated on local chess meetups and events by following us on Instagram and Facebook and choosing to Like our page.
	Play More Chess Academy 1227 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT 06517 Email: info@PlayMoreChess.com \| Phone: 203.680.8456