I like playing drunks myself. the vastly improved results help me stay sober.
Alcohol free OTB venues
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Mar 22, 2012
0
#3
Is there a local church with a cafe that would let you out a room. Most are keen to raise money / get peeps through the doors and the better ones usually have good coffee machines...
Mar 23, 2012
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#5
cookiemonster161140 wrote:
In the USA, you'd be hard pressed to find ANY indoor venue hospitable to chess unless you buy something to eat or drink and even then - they want to turn tables about every hour, not have them occupied all night by chess players.
We don't have pubs.
We do have sports bars - big screen tv's blaring various sporting events from around the world while people run around getting drunk (or should I say pissed) off their butt (or should I say bum). And drunken cheers go up unpredictably if somebody's favorite team does something good.
In the UK probably you want a place with a roof, but what about a public park? Don't you have big chess sets out in the open for the public to play with? I heard they are all the rage in Europe (though probably not so much fun in the snow and rain).
Ours is a winter league, so outside would be out of the question.
cookiemonster161140 wrote:
In the USA, you'd be hard pressed to find ANY indoor venue hospitable to chess unless you buy something to eat or drink and even then - they want to turn tables about every hour, not have them occupied all night by chess players.
We don't have pubs.
We do have sports bars - big screen tv's blaring various sporting events from around the world while people run around getting drunk (or should I say pissed) off their butt (or should I say bum). And drunken cheers go up unpredictably if somebody's favorite team does something good.
In the UK probably you want a place with a roof, but what about a public park? Don't you have big chess sets out in the open for the public to play with? I heard they are all the rage in Europe (though probably not so much fun in the snow and rain).
I totally disagree, a lot of people would be happy with the interest you bring to their site (as long as youre nonprofit and ask them before hand). Ya a coffee shop/cafe is a great place to play.
I guess it depends how big your club is. My town has at most 10 people together and we play at the mall and in a starbucks (two separate clubs, one for blitz one for regular).
Mar 23, 2012
0
#8
The Westport Chess Club here in Kansas City meets in the Flea Market Bar & Grill and collects $2 per adult ($1 for kids) and pays a $25 fee for the night. We also get drink & food specials. Some nights (Tuesdays) we're pretty much the bulk of the customer base after the immediate dinner crowd thins out.
The food & drink comes in handy, since it is after work and a lot of members like to eat and maybe de-stress a bit. Also, it adds amusement to watch the TD (me) try to do 4th round pairings without a computer after having had a few. 
I find a lot of the clubs find themselves in sports centres or the local activity centres or community buildings. If not then a church building/room is also fine. They're not heavy on the alcohol and usually they'll be happy to provide the space at a reasonable price during a week day!
I suppose you could even try a school or a corporate cantine building, though this is getting harder.
I play at a local club that got bounced around for years from place to place. We tried playing in restaurants, coffee houses, and in book stores. A couple times we had to move because a place closed up on us. Some complained that were taking up too many tables or that we didn't spend enough money. The bookstore lacked sufficient space and kicked us out over the holidays when it was busy. I can't say that I blame them as they need to put their business first to survive, but it was hard on the club.
Next we checked around at churches but many said no because we were not members. Others said it might be possible but that their activities took priority so we wouldn't be able to play if anyone at the church needed the space, which could happen on a regular basis. The local school district said we could play if we paid $30 an hour so an employee could be there on site and that we would have to be out before 9pm. Same story from the local community center.
We finally found room in a local senior citizens center, which has worked out well because several of their members now play chess with us. They have a back room they let us use that is away from the center of activity and in return we all contribute a couple dollars each time we play.
Having a home is really helping the club because we always lost a member or two every time we moved, and with the new members from the senior center it is now possible to go for several months without ever playing the same person twice.
I play for a local chess league team, who've lately had venue trouble because of the pubs and bars we play in are closing down, mainly because of high rents and the smoking ban. But what I find infuriating is our clubs fixation with finding venues that sell alcohol. Personally I'd like somewhere that I can have a nice cup of fresh coffee (not that instant muck), and not have to sit opposite some drunk who's reeking of booze. Anyone??