Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

Popped into here just to take a peek after seeing it was located next door to our brunch location. I was completely blown away by the quality of the setup and the range of options for every chess fan from novice to pro. We had missed the big chess event by just a day or so when we were there, but if you’re a chess fan and looking for that cozy, walnut table place to play, check this place out. There is a $ 10 entry fee if you’re not a member, but the associate who was there when we arrived was kind enough to give us a free tour when we mentioned we were visiting from Chicago and interested in seeing the place.

I took one of my chess-​playing little brothers here on a recent Sunday. If it’s your first time, you can take a beginner’s class or just hang out and use one of their boards and play with another member. The employees were helpful and one even volunteered to play with my LB (I’m more of a Scrabble/​Scattegories person).
The space is clean, bright and modern, with a great windowfront to the busy CWE. The membership price for kids is reasonable, especially since they’re cool with you dropping them off for a bit.

I would never belong to a chess club funded and founded by Rex Sinquefield. His ultra conservative political views and campaign donation motivations are very suspect. Just read this article.
Chess clubs should not look like over glamorized and tacky parlors. I have been involved in chess and chess club management for 30 years. Look up the Marshall Chess Club in NYC if you want to see what a real chess club looks like!

I’m not a member here, so I’m basing this review on the free tour my husband and I took a few weeks ago. Previous to coming here, I didn’t realize there was such as thing as a chess club with a physical location. Walking in, I was very impressed with the building, the décor, and just the overall ambiance. This place is swanky! If it didn’t cost money, I would come here instead of a coffee shop just so I could sit around and read a book or edit pictures on my laptop. :]
If you’re into chess (which I’m not), you’ll probably love it! There’s a classroom in the basement where you can attend seminars about chess, there are chess boards everywhere, and there’s a fancy tournament room upstairs.
The guy at the front desk was friendly and answered our questions about membership and the history of the chess club.
If playing chess is your thing, definitely come check it out!

I had never heard of this place but the 10 foot tall chess piece outside was too much to resist. The gift shop was the first thing that we seen when we entered. It had all things chess, it was interesting. The museum cost $ 10, but you could venture up to the third floor for free. As we made our way up the staircase it was hard not to notice a painting with a man dressed like a woman with a chain and a dog collar around his neck being pulled around by a woman that had a huge penis on her head. Yeah, I got nothing after that visual. The third floor had some cases with papers and the history of the lady that started the museum.

This place has a lot of playing tables for people to practice on. They also have beginner and past beginner lessons downstairs. According to my son, they are very boring and very beginner on both. It was already stuff he knew. Possibly could have used more seating for those not playing.

It is the best chess club in the world. Period.
Insider tip: This (year 2013) September 9 — 15 will be the highest level chess tournament the USA has seen in 50+ years. The two highest rated players in the world are taking on the top two ranked Americans. No chess knowledge is needed — come and appreciate a diamond in the rough.

Awesome spot. Grab some beers next door at dressel’s or bring your own and for $ 3 you can play chess outside on a nice day. Great deal!

Very nice folks– very clean– love the quiet place for such a game. Gift shop. Priced very reasonable. Good area of town– street parking.

(Disclosure: am a card-​carrying member of the club)
Mr. Rex Sinquefeld has very generously spearheaded the founding of this location of the US Chess Championship 3 years running. In addition, the Chess Hall of Fame is moving in across the street and opening this Fall.
There are programs for schools, kids, adults, beginners, advanced people. There are day passes for those who aren’t sure that they want to join. (but you will. These are the droids you are looking for!)
Play in tournaments, with whoever is there when you are, but most importantly, go!
PS Be prepared for tasteful and customized interior decoration, right down to restrooms being for «queens» or «kings»

You know what’s cool about St. Louis? People take it upon themselves to just put something here that they know will add unique value to the town. At first, it doesn’t seem like it may be popular, or profitable, or even if it will catch on.
Sometimes, it does – like a wildfire. And St. Louis becomes a cooler place for it.
One such place is the CCSCSTL, an establishment designed for nothing other than the playing of chess and education thereof.
It sits, unassumingly, in the CWE, just That Place Next to Brennan’s With the TV Chess Games in their windows. But look inside! (Your first tour is free, anyway.)
You’ll find an extremely well-​appointed room in which to pull up a chair and play chess with any one of many enthusiasts, some more casual than others. The basement houses more playing area, a classroom, and a library – that’s right, curl up in a chair with your cup of coffee and work on mastering your Sicilian Defense. Move up to the third floor and find more space to play games – this is where tournaments are usually held.
Did I mention the tournaments? Because they hold many: blitzes, cash tournaments, kids’ tournaments, round-​robins, and then they bring out the big dogs: the U.S. Mens’ Championship. The U.S. Women’s Championship. The U.S. Junior Closed Championship.
This is due in no small part to the fact that the CCSCSTL is beautiful – whoever designed this place did an amazing job. As a former member, it was always funny to watch a group take their first tour of the place: the men were geeking over the chess sets; the women, the décor. It’s just cool.
Classes for players at all levels are held; they offer a monthly calendar with a ton of events and learning opportunities. My favorite experience is taking a set outside and playing on one of their concrete tables. Having the passersby stop and get involved in the game you’re playing is fun and makes you feel like part of the community.
That’s definitely what this place is all about: the CCSCSTL has single-​handedly, and very successfully, brought the world chess universe to the greater STL community. A few Grandmasters have moved to the area to be closer to the place. The block parties and events the the Center holds show no signs of letting up – they’re here to stay.
That’s an amazing thing, and a great service to the city. No matter your gender or skill level, you should stop in and take a look. Chess has something to offer everyone, and the CCSCSTL is a great place to explore that.

When you step into the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center, you wonder if you’ve suddenly entered the equivalent of a modern-​day castle or palace. The white, black, and green décor; the huge windows; the televisions and computer monitors all over– I’m sure you’ll agree that this place can best be described as luxurious.
Founded recently by notable St. Louis figure Rex Sinquefeld, the Chess Club is your one-​stop shop for lessons, casual games, competitions and exhibitions, and more. Membership for students is a mere $ 5 a month, and as Nowell G. notes, regular membership isn’t much more expensive.
The location features three floors. The main floor contains a bunch of chess tables for free, casual play. In the basement is a little member lounge replete with mini-​kitchen and chess library.
Upstairs, however, is the grand tournament room, and if entering the first floor didn’t make you gasp, the second floor certainly will. Seriously: even if you don’t care a lick about chess, pretend you do and ask to see the second floor. You’ll thank me later. You can even find green, black, and white knight-​embroidered PILLOWS lying on comfortable-​looking chairs here. Televisions galore.
You can tell the owners of the St. Louis Chess Club take a lot of pride in the place. The employees are all friendly and know their stuff, the facility is spotless, and the value is great. If you have any interest in chess whatsoever, definitely check this place OUT.
(The cynic in me wonders how long it’ll be open. If Companion, which used to be next door, hemorrhaged two million dollars in two years operating there, how can a niche offering like a chess club survive?)

So I got on Unilocal™ tonight, PUMPED about unveiling the secret of the STL Chess Club, only to find that it was just reviewed (Damn you Nowell!). Now, I look over every review that comes through this one-​horse town that is STL Unilocal™, and I didn’t even remember Nowell’s review. That’s not saying anything bad about the review, its saying something about how people perceive chess.
THIS PLACE IS REDONKULOUS. I’ve lived here for a few years now, and I can honestly say that this is the first thing that’s ever really impressed the shit out of me. Arch? Eh. Botanical Garden? Its nice, but I’ve seen botanical gardens before. Even my girlfriend, who doesn’t care/​know how to play chess, loved it. You can even go next door to Brennan’s, get some booze, and kick it outside and play chess like some bad ass drunk Bobby Fischer.
Nowell’s review covered pretty much everything that I would say, so go read that. All I know is that this place is amazing. When I was given a tour of the place, I asked the guy how the place was funded, and he responded with «its [I forget his name], who lives in Chicago but grew up in St. Louis; he’s a billionaire, obviously.»
Word.
Oh, and for those keeping score at home, this is the only five star review I’ve given on this biotch.

Simply AMAZING. It’s great to see a business dedicate itself to the game of chess in St. Louis. Who would have thought?
It’s spacious and classy and CLEAN. It feels like a library without the smell of worn books. In fact, there is a small library with a wealth of chess strategy books available to members for checkout that want to sharpen their game. It’s on the bottm floor, near the classroom set aside for chess lectures and lessons.
The main floor houses an «open play» room where players of all ages and skill levels can play. When I visited, there were several pairs clearly intent on their boards. This was a Friday night in one of the busiest nightlife neighborhoods in town… And there are people playing chess.
I scoped the top floor, which looks like the parlor in a chic boutique hotel. Apparently, there was a tournament going on so I felt inclined to hold my awe to myself.
The staff member I talked to was very friendly and helpful. I have to admit, I was a little indimidated with the idea of a chess venue. But he sold the place as if it were just another community for those interested in the game. I felt like I could sit down and play a rusty game of chess with one of the many members present. The staff member offered a tour as soon as I walked in and pointed out the many large flat-​screen televisions that showed famous chess matches, and noted that the screens serve to display tournament games, and have the ability to show multiple matches through one of their many chess programs.
Famous chess players also visit this place for lectures, and also play club members. Membership here is surprisingly inexpensive as well, going for around $ 80 a year for non-​student members.
They don’t serve food here, or sell drinks. However, there were a few coffee pots available for patrons. However, you can bring food here from one of the nearby restaurants.
Time to brush up on my chess game. I’m certain I’ll be back.