Beers by the Bay Chess Club a popular gambit in Pacific Beach
PACIFIC BEACH Two strangers walked into a bar and now they re in a chess club together The co-founders met on Reddit a year ago looking for chess partners They started meeting weekly at local bars Soon others joined in The group now known as Beers by the Bay Chess Club was co-founded by Mark Laturno Aidan Ryan and Julia Gale Its purpose was to create a casual friendly space for people to connect through games and conversation In its first year the club held more than weekly meetups and welcomed nearly unique participants Over the past year Beers by the Bay has become a third place not home or work but a welcoming social conditions where people gather to relax connect and unplug The club just celebrated its first anniversary on Oct at Tavern at the Beach in Pacific Beach The three co-founders reflected on the somewhat surprising enhancement of their new chess and social club A lot of people love chess but don t want the pressure of a tournament setting announced Ryan Here it s about having fun You can grab a beer play a minimal games and meet new people That s the whole idea We ve built something that feels relaxed and inclusive explained Gale Whether you re playing chess or another contest everyone s welcome It s a night where people authentically talk laugh and connect I have been obsessed with chess and got seriously into it my freshman year in college announced Laturno a speed chess player This was my procrastination tool of choice where I would play hours of online chess he added But I didn t have any chess buddies or anybody to play with What Laturno Ryan and Gale did has worked Their club now draws up to players each week with a mix of ages backgrounds and skill levels A few are seasoned players others total beginners but multiple come purely to enjoy the vibe While chess is at the center tables often fill with Connect Jenga Uno and Yahtzee adding to the inclusive lighthearted atmosphere More information about the Beers by the Bay can be ascertained here
