A visit gives you the chance to see whether the club suits you and gives us the chance to make sure we can give you a proper welcome and the chess you're looking for.
Chess at the club
We're a competitive club. Club nights and league matches assume you already know the rules and are comfortable playing a full game with a clock.
New players are always welcome to come and visit us, and we're happy to point you in the right direction so you get the most out of joining the club.
If you're just starting out
Learning the game is genuinely worth doing first, and it costs nothing: Chess.com, Lichess and ChessKid (for younger players) will all get you playing regular games. Come back to us once you've some games behind you — you'll get far more from the club, and you'd be welcome to get in touch again then.
How joining works
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Send us an enquiry
Fill in the enquiry form. It takes a couple of minutes and asks only who you are, whether you're asking for yourself or for your child, and roughly how much chess you've played. You'll get an email straight away confirming we have it.
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We'll arrange a visit
Visits are by prior arrangement rather than turning up on the night and with juniors on site every week, it matters that we know in advance who is in the building. You will be notified of an evening when a committee member or coach is free to meet you properly.
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Come and play, as our guest
Your first visit is free and without obligation. Play a game, meet people, ask whatever you want to ask.
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Membership application
Join the club and play regularly at the club as well as league matches. Applications for memberships are confirmed by the club committee and you will receive a registration link - rates are on the fee table.
Junior places
Our junior programme is an English Chess Federation Centre of Excellence, and what limits it is coaching capacity rather than enthusiasm. We keep the ratio of coaches to young players where it needs to be, which means junior places are limited and there is sometimes a waiting list.
Adult places are more readily available.
A note on ratings
You don't need English Chess Federation membership to visit or to play socially on a club night. You will however need it before playing in ECF-rated games, which covers most of our league chess.
Most players opt for Bronze for county and league chess, or Gold if they also compete in congresses. You can sign up for a free 1st year membership with the English Chess Federation if you are a new junior, student, or eligible participant.
Ready to start?
Send us an enquiry and we'll take it from there. We aim to reply within a few days and arrange an evening for you to come and visit.
If you'd rather write to us directly, inquiries@watfordchessclub.org reaches the same people. The form is quicker, and it means your enquiry can't be missed.
Once you have been accepted
The committee confirms your membership you will receive a registration link by email including payment details.