The Tacoma Chess Club

DTI Sports Building
409 Puyallup Avenue Rm #11 (2nd Floor)
Tacoma, WA. 98401
Phone: (253) 306-7135
Open: Fridays, 7:15PM until closing

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Map of Club's Location

Question: Where Is the Club Located?

Answer: The club is located a few blocks north of the Tacoma Dome at the DTI Sports Supply Store. Club access is via the west door of this building on Puyallup Avenue. Unlimited free parking is possible at the Tacoma Dome Station (two blocks east of the club) and between 6PM and 8AM on the street. Unlimited street parking is also available on Sundays and holidays. Limited street parking (usually from one to two hours) is possible Mondays through Saturdays from 8AM to 6PM. For public transportation, please visit Pierce Transit for more information. You may visit Mapquest and enter in the destination address of 409 Puyallup Ave, Tacoma, Washington, and your address of departure to obtain exact driving instructions and distance, etc.

Question: How Do I Join?

Answer: How To Join

Annual Half-year Quarter First 3 Visits Subsequent Visits
Adult1 $60.00 $35.00 $20.00 Free $3.00
Seniors $40 $25 $15 Free $2.00
Military $25.00 N/A N/A Free $3.00
Junior $30.00 $20.00 $10.00 Free $1.00
Children $15.00 $10.00 $5.00 Free $1.00
1Adults are considered persons age 20 and older; seniors age 65+; juniors are ages 13-19; children, through age 12. Families and active military personnel may qualify for discounted annual rates: please see How to Join for more information.

Question: When Are You Open?

Answer: The club is currently opened on Wednesdays and Fridays, 7:15PM until closing. The club closes usually around midnight, although sometimes it may remain open after midnight if sufficient members want to continue playing. The club is also open on scheduled weekends for rated tournaments open to the public.

Question: What Activities Does the Club Provide?

Answer: Both casual and rated tournament games are played in the club. Members often meet simply to socialize and play a friendly game of chess. These same members may also play in tournaments which are rated. In addition to both casual and rated games, members have access to an extensive chess library, which includes some books over 100 years old, and the latest editions of Northwest Chess and Chess Life, the regional and national chess magazines, respectively.

Question: What Are Rated Games?

Answer: Ratings are determined by mathematical formula and approximate a player's skill at chess. The rating is determined by comparing the two players' established ratings to calculate the number of points gained or lost for a win, draw, or loss. Although both players gain points for winning, the higher rated player will gain less points for winning than if the lower rated player had won. In fact, the higher rated player will lose some points for even drawing a game. Playing a rated game, therefore, is playing a game of chess that will affect both players' ratings. It should also be noted that rated games are played under tournament conditions, meaning that the game must conform to all of the rules of chess.
As an aside, club ratings are valid within the club only; games rated by the United States Chess Federation (USCF) establish a rating that may be used in any state.

Question: Where Can I Buy Chess Equipment?

Answer: Economically, your finest quality chess equipment costs less if purchased directly from the manufacturer. An exception is when vendors, such as The United States Chess Federation (USCF), broker with the manufacturer so that the product can be purchased for less than the manufacturer sells the item. (This usually occurs because the vendor is offered a discount for purchasing in bulk.) For example, the House of Staunton (HOS) offers some of their sets via the USCF for less than HOS sells them online. However, only members of the USCF can profit from this since non-USCF members do not get the discounted price. Although shopping at the local mall is convenient, the selection of goods is significantly limited. Moreover, the customer pays for the store's overhead. The best option is shopping online. The quality and selection is almost limitless, there are often no taxes, and many manufacturers today sell their products directly to the consumer. In addition, some manufacturers auction their quality sets online for less than retail. For more information, please see Chess Stores under Favorites.

Question: How Can I Improve My Chess Performance?

Answer: Study and practice, including tournament experience, will improve your performance. How much progress will be determined by your passion for the game, your innate genius, and study and practice. As reading and writing can improve the intellect, so too can studying chess literature and playing rated games improve your chess performance. Moreover, you must understand that usually one of the two players will lose the game. Chess grandmasters gained their titles by learning how to win chess games, and sometimes how not to lose chess games. At the same time, they did not give up on chess because of a devastating loss or series of losses.

Question: What Books Are Recommended?

Answer: The game of chess is divided into three parts: the opening, middle game, and ending. Grandmasters recommend learning should begin with mastering the endgame, for if one cannot understand the part of the game with the fewest opposing forces, comprehending the interplay between 32 pieces is impossible. Most all-purpose books cover all three phases of the game, starting with the endgame. Although not determined by a poll, the following five books are recommended, listed in order of priority:
My System
Written by Grandmaster Aron Nimzowitsch first in 1925, this book discusses all phases of the game and is recommended for beginner to advanced.
Logical Chess Move by Move
Written by Irving Chernev in 1957, this book literally discusses 33 grandmaster games move-by-move from the perspective of a grandmaster. After two or three games alone you no longer question why White opens with 1.e4 (P-K4) or 1.d4 (P-Q4). After a few games you, too, will be playing chess based on proven principles of force and space and time. Recommended for beginner to intermediate.
Winning Chess Series
Written by Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan in the 1990's, there are six books which cover every phase of the game, for beginner to intermediate. The six books are prioritized as follows:
  • Winning Chess Endings
  • Play Winning Chess
  • Winning Chess Tactics
  • Winning Chess Strategies
  • Winning Chess Brilliancies
  • Winning Chess Openings
How To Reassess Your Chess
Written by International Master Jeremy Silman in 1993, the book covers all phases of the game and is recommended for beginner to advanced. As quoted by International Grandmaster Nick deFirmian, this book is "the most fundamentally important middlegame book since Nimzovich's My System."
My Best Games of Chess 1908-1937
Written by Grandmaster and World Champion Alexander Alekhine, this book details 220 of his games with his personal commentary. Although there are many grandmasters to emulate, few wrote books of their games with such detail and personal analysis. This book is recommended for intermediate to advanced.

Question: What Chess Playing Software is Recommended?

Answer: Chessmaster offers more per dollar in one program than its competition. Chessmaster, for example, offers extensive audio and text tutorials and exercises for beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. It also has a database, its own proprietary notation, multiple personalities/opponents, true-3D chess boards and sets, and an online site for internet play. Its chess engine recently outplayed Grandmaster Larry Christensen. Although some justify buying two or three chess playing engines, the difference between an engine rated 2600 and 2800 is insignificant even for the advanced player. Some other great chess playing programs are Fritz and Junior by ChessBase.

Question: Who Do I Contact Regarding Scholastic Chess?

Answer: For information regarding local and regional scholastic chess tournaments and clubs, it is recommended you rely on the coordinators found on the web site for Northwest Chess. Currently (7/28/04) this web site has a Scholastic web page with contact phone numbers and/or e-mails for the scholastic coordinators. Moreover, the web site for Northwest Chess and its monthly magazine provide scholastic tournament results, commentary from the students in annotated games, and a calendar of events for students.

Question: Who Do I Contact For More Information?

Answer: You may contact the webmaster and current treasurer of the club, Mike MacGregor, at ms5macgregor@q.com. Morover, you may also contact the tournament director, Gary Dorfner, at GGarychess@aol.com. The phone number for the club is also one of Gary's numbers, (253) 535-2536.

Last Updated: January 28, 2008
Webmaster: Mike MacGregor
© Copyright 2008 Tacoma Chess Club

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