Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Happy Birthday, ECC

Tonight the Evanston Chess Club celebrates its one-year anniversary, and it’s a milestone not only for them, but for chess in the Chicago area generally. At a time when chess clubs struggle to survive, Evanston Chess is one of the game’s great success stories. Started by a group of local chess players as a place for adults to play in a friendly, laid-back setting, the club has thrived by sticking to that principle and by charging absurdly low entry fees (typically $5) for first-rate tournaments. Nobody’s getting rich off of chess in Evanston, though they are having a lot of fun. ECC’s Tuesday-night meetings and weekend events attract some of the area’s top players, yet they have plenty of room for duffers like you and me. I’m sorry to say I haven’t visited the club yet, but maybe I can manage it before its second anniversary.

Happy birthday, Evanston Chess.

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