Over Thanksgiving, I went to a coffee house chess club that my dad runs in Ohio. It was an amazing experience--people of all ages and skill levels observing, talking about, giving impromptu lessons in and playing chess. The social energy at a club like this creates an environment where we can improve our chess skills in a way that is often more difficult (and less fun) in an online-only practice. This is a very welcoming group, and anyone who likes to play chess is invited. Ideally, this group …