Mechanics Institute Chess Club wannabe

The Mechanics Institute Chess Club is the oldest Chess club in America, and one of the oldest in the world.  (It was founded in 1854.)  It is located in downtown San Francisco, half a block from the Montgomery Street BART Station.  The club has hosted many World Chess Champions, including Emanuel Lasker, Jose Raul Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Max Euwe, Bobby Fischer, Vasily Smyslov, Tigran Petrosian, Boris Spassky, and Anatoli Karpov.  When asked in 1929 where he found the strongest Chessplayers in America, then World Champion Alexander Alekhine replied, "In San Francisco, in a place called the Mechanics' Institute." More about the remarkable history of this club may be learned here:  http://www.chessclub.org/History.html  and here: http://www.chessclub.org/hist.html The Club is open for casual play from 11am to 9 pm on weekdays and from 11am to 5pm on weekends. Tournament days excepted.  Please see the main website ( www.chessclub.org ) for more details.Grandmaster Alex Yermolinsky gives free classes on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.  Other classes are also offered (including special classes for women and for children).  More information: http://www.chessclub.org/Calendar.html  The Chess Club is a part of the Mechanics Institute Library ( www.milibrary.org ), a private library founded in 1854 with books on a very broad range of subjects.  Not surprisingly, the Library has an extensive collection of books on Chess, many of historical interest.Click here for a map the the Mechanics Institute Chess Club. (You may also find the Newsletter and the Tournament Archive interesting.  The October 2006 visit of former World Champion Boris Spassky is covered here http://www.chessclub.org/Spassky.html along with a news video about that visit.) Please consider visiting!  57 Post Street4th FloorSan Francisco, CA, 94104(415) 421-2258www.chessclub.orgContact Email: chessroom@milibrary.org