Adults Only: Evanston Chess Club

Laid-back tournament this Saturday

Let’s face it, there just aren’t enough places around Chicago for grown-ups to play chess. But thanks to a handful of woodpushers up in Evanston, including chess supermom Maret Thorpe and veteran trainer Tom Sprandel, there’s now one more than there use to be. The Evanston Chess Club has been meeting on Tuesday nights since early last winter, and their watchwords are friendly and relaxed. Doesn’t that sound nice? Don’t you wish we had a place like that in Hyde Park? Me too. But until that day comes, you may want to check out the scene in Evanston.

This Saturday, May 12, wouldn’t be a bad time to start, because Evanston Chess is planning its first rated tournament, from 9:00 to 4:00. Don’t let “rated tournament” scare you away. This isn’t a bunch of grandmasters; these are regular people like you and me. Remember: friendly and relaxed. That’s Evanston Chess. And it’s only five bucks to enter. Details here.