We’ve been playing chess in Oxford since 1879. Join us!
The 2023/24 season started on 4th September and we’re excited to have moved into a new venue at the Oxford Bridge Club, giving us more space and newer facilities.
We meet each week for friendly games. We also enter teams in the local Oxfordshire Chess League, with one team in each division so we can offer lots of opportunities to enjoy competitive chess.
New members and guests of any strength are very welcome to come along for free.
Oxford City Chess Club 
Hello.
i am interested in learning chess, particularly playing face to face.
i have learned through online chess app and am stuck around the 500-700 rating on chess.com and therefore not a great player.
Would it be possible to join at such a low rank?
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Hi Adam
You are welcome to come along to the club. We have players of all strengths and several members have started at chess.com. We are closed over Easter and our next club night is Monday 8 April from 7.30pm. Do introduce yourself then or another Monday that suits you.
Thanks
Jon
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Hi Jon, thank you very much for this! I am about 2000 ECF, 1900 ELO. Grad student at Oxford. Courses finally relaxed and would love to join. Are you guys meeting on Monday next week then? If so, where will we all meet? Looking forward to it!
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Hi Ollie, you’d be very welcome to come. We’re meeting on 8th April so do come try and it out. Our venue is Oxford Bridge Club, 147 Banbury Rd, Oxford OX2 7AN.
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Hi
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Hi im a 1400 clasical on chess.com and are intrested in joining if spaces are avaliable
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Hi i am intrested in playing chess and would like to join a club im 1400 clasical on chess.com and a 2000? Otb so far is there any open spots
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Hi Corran, yes you’re very welcome to join us, just come along one Monday when we’re back in September and give it a try.
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Hi! I am an intermediate ( around 1300 blitz on chess.com). I would like to join the club, and I was wondering if the club is still open. Looking forward to hearing from you.
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Hi Pietro,
We’ve just closed for the summer I’m afraid, we’ll be back in September, you’d be very welcome to join us then
Thanks,
Phil
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Hi there! I’m an incoming postgrad student and an experienced chess player. (I’m 2250 in Lichess, and used to be around 175-180 ECF when I was active). I’d like to start playing again when my term starts in September (2023). How would the process work? Thanks so much for your help!
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Hi Onat, sorry for the delay responding. You’d be very welcome to join us. When you’re free in September just come down to the club one Monday and try it out. We’ll have friendly games each week and if you’re interested in playing competitive chess then we’d be able to get you in one of the squads for the local league.
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Can I join if i’m not an oxford uni student?
I’m 18 years old and have played chess for more than a year, want to joice cause I’m really interested in chess.
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Absolutely! Most of our members aren’t students so you’d be very welcome, do come along and try it out
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Thanks a lot. Then how can I join? Is there any information?
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Hi Sherry, best is just to come along and try it out – from 7:30pm on a Monday. You’re welcome to try it for free and if you decide you’re interested I can give you some more details on membership.
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Hi,
What days do you play?
Thanks,
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We play each Monday from 7:30-10:00
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Hello there!
Are you running tonight (16th or May)? Will this be the last session? If so, when will you be coming back?
Thanks!
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Hi Charlie,
Yes we’ll be running tonight, it’s the last session of the year and we’ve got a friendly blitz tournament if you’d like to join us for that.
Then we’ll be back in September
Thanks,
Phil
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Hi there, I see the season goes from Sept to April. Does that mean there is no chess running until then or are you still meeting?
Thanks!
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Hi John, yes we’re still meeting for the next couple of weeks, you’d be welcome to come join us. Phil
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Hello, would you please inform about next meeting’s time and venue.
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Hi Dinara,
The next club night is tonight, 9th May from 7:30. We meet at the St Margaret’s Institute – OX2 6TN. You’re very welcome to join us, I’ll be at the club tonight to say hello if you are.
Thanks,
Phil
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Hello Phil,
How much is the fee?
Is it running next Monday?
Thanks
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Hi Nico,
Yes we’re running on Monday. Normally the fee is £30 for adults and £15 for juniors for the year. Given where we are in the season we’d be charging half fees at the moment for the remainder of the year. You’re very welcome to come and try it out free a couple of times before committing
Thanks,
Phil
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Hi, I want to get my two kids into the game. They are 7 and 10. Are clubs close that have games for this age? Thanks!
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Hi Tiffaney,
We don’t usually take children of primary school age – we don’t really have the set up to look after them or teach them when they are very new to the game. There are a lot of school clubs in Oxford, Cowley chess club are also an open club with a good junior section that might be worth a try https://sites.google.com/site/cowleychessclub
Thanks,
Phil
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Dear Phil,
Are you meeting this evening and would it be OK to bring my 15-year-old son along? He’s become a keen online chess player over lockdown (and wants to develop his chess for the skills element of his Silver Duke of Edinburgh) but is a bit short of people to play against offline…
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Hi Hazel, yes he’d be very welcome to join. I’ll be at the club tonight and am happy to introduce him to some players who’ll give him a game.
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Thank you for your welcome, he had a great time!
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Hello,
Is the club going to be running today?
Thanks
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Hi Michael, we’re closed for the bank holiday today but we’ll be reopening on the 10th Jan, hope to see you there.
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Hi, my 12 years old boy and 13 years old girl would like to join a chess club, is yours open now? Is it suitable for that age?
They played a lots of chess before the pandemic and stopped since then.
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Hi Yanling, yes they’d be welcome to play with us. We have a few children of that age. Feel free to come along one Monday and try it out.
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Hi there,
Am keen to come and play but wondered whether you required players to wear a mask?
Thanks in advance
Martin
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Hi Martin,
You’d be very welcome to come join us. We don’t require masks at the moment, it’s individual discretion whether people choose to wear them or not
Thanks,
Phil
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Dear Phil,
I am looking for a chess tutor for 14 years old boy (ELO 1300)
Could you please let me know if you are able to help us with this matter?
We live in the Headington OX3.
Thank you in advance.
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Hi Mingle,
I’m afraid we don’t offering any individual chess tutoring within the club. My suggestion would be to take a look at the list of ECF registered coaches here: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/list-of-ecf-registered-coaches/
Thanks,
Phil
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Hi Mingle,
I am a 2100 ECF rated player and I also worked part-time as a chess instructor in London the last couple of years (in schools, clubs, camps and also privately). Now I have moved permanently in to Oxford for work, so if you are still interested in tutoring lessons I would be very happy to have a chat. My number is 07732565558.
Regards,
Apostolos
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Thanks for volunteering Apostolos, you’re very welcome to try out the club too if you’d like. Mingle just to clarify that this wouldn’t be a club organised or recommended tutoring set up, so will leave to your judgement.
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I’m looking for a club for my 16y old son so I just wanted to check, times mentioned are pm hopefully?
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Hi Stella, yes that’s right the times are pm, your son is very welcome to come and try the club out.
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Hello
I would like to join a chess club, I enjoy playing , but would consider myself very much a beginner- enthusiastic but untaught.
I would love to learn more about strategy.
Would your club be open to an enthusiastic beginner ?
Anne Marie
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Hi Anne Marie, you’d be very welcome to join us, we have players of all standards. The club is reopening again on 13th September so feel free to join! Phil
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That’s wonderful
Where do you meet?
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We meet at the St Margaret’s Institute in Jericho, OX2 6TN, starting from 7:30. Look forward to meeting you
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Hi , just wondering if anyone in your club knows how to play ‘Chinese chess’ , or knows a club in Oxfordshire I can learn Chinese chess ? Thanks . Matt
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Hi Matt, afraid i’m not too sure sorry, I’ll ask around the club though and see.
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Dear Phil,
I am looking for a club and chess tutor for 10 years old boy.
Could you please let me know if your club is able to help us with this matter?
Thank you in advance.
Vitalija
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HI Vatalija,
There might be something we can do, can you send me a message via the contact form (on find us tab), we can speak by email and see what we can work out
Thanks
Phil
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Hello
I am part of a care team working in South Oxfordshire
We have just started to support a gent with an interest in Chess.
Are all ability players welcome?
Is there wheelchair access to your club?
Is there parking?
Are there any fees?
Thank you so much for your help
Laura
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Hi Laura,
He’d be very welcome, all abilities are. There is wheelchair access and parking on the streets out front, the spots directly outside may not always be free but you can reliably find a space on the same street. Fees are £25/year if I remember right but he’s welcome to try for free for a couple of weeks.
However, we’re on summer break at the moment, we’ll reopen on 10th September, hopefully see him there
Phil
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I am looking for a seasoned chess player who also knows Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There and can follow the moves through the story.
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Martin Gardner’s book The Annotated Alice, on pages 170 & 172 and in subsequent notes to the text, shows how the chess problem underlying the action in Through the Looking Glass is accurately described by Carroll as “strictly in accordance with the laws of the game.”
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I want to play chess with my grandchildren but do not have anyone to practise with and do not find I learn on apps. Do you have games for older enthusiastic amateurs please? I live in North Oxford.
Thank you for any suggestions.
Polly Holbrook
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Hi Polly,
We have quite a few older players at the club who enjoy their chess and you’d be most welcome to join for a few games. The club re-opens after the Christmas break on the 4th Jan at 7:30 and there’ll be people around to play against there
Phil
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