State of The Columbia Chess Club 2023

The Columbia Chess Club has made great strides over the past year. Starting out with just a handful of casual meetings, the club has now grown to regularly host tournaments with over 30 players, and even organized the largest open chess tournament in South Carolina history, the Columbia Open 2022. 

In addition to rated tournaments, the club has also welcomed guests such as National Masters and a Grandmaster to give lectures and simuls, and even hosted a lecture from a sports psychologist to help players prepare for the state championship.

To accommodate the growing membership, the club has expanded to meeting twice a week at different locations, and has even become an LLC and established a treasury. The club has also acquired enough equipment for 70 players to use.

Looking to the future, the Columbia Chess Club has ambitious goals, including developing a curriculum for group lessons, hosting larger tournaments at the state championship level, turning the Columbia Open into a full weekend event, and establishing a permanent location for the club. 

With the continued support of the community, the club hopes to see the growth of chess in Columbia rise to the level of professionalism and respect seen in other sports.