Chess is a part of culture and if a culture is declining then chess too will decline."
Below are casual places to play; chess clubs, meet-ups, and chess hot spots. Most are open and free.
GM. Grandmaster Games And IM. International Master Games
The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum, 3738 Eastern Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45226
Enjoy Sunday playing causal chess or play in the Sunday Chess Tournament.
Held on the First Sunday of the Month. 10am-4pm. Liberty Green organizes and hosts this event. In-door and out-door chess. Great food, a nice bar and big TV screens for sports. Great up-close view of Ohio River.
1:00pm. Free meal provided to chess players. It’s worth the drive. Best Wings and Pizza. Limit one large pizza per person. NFL and Bengals on the TV. Organized by Bob Unruh.
Our community chess club welcomes adults, kids, and veteran chess players. The Kid’s Chess Club is a popular destination for the Cincinnati chess community.
Casual Play, great music, good coffee and beer, and Tim Lake; we’ve been playing chess here for over 25 years and still going strong.
It’s a great meet-up for local chess. Indoor and outdoors. Play chess with the neighborhood. A good crowd every Tuesday.
6:30pm to 8:30pm. Third Tuesday of the Month. People of any age drop in to play casual games, get some coaching from more experienced players or learn the game from scratch. Third Tuesday of the Month
Members develop new chess skills, sharpen their memory and improve social skills with a great group of guys, the chess is good too.
Our weekly chess club is fun, friendly and open to all skill levels. Each meeting consists of enlightening lessons from a certified chess instructor.
Play or learn chess in a welcoming group environment while sipping free coffee. Any experience level is welcome.
The Cincinnati Chess Club is the city’s most active (30-50 people on Thursdays) and oldest Cincinnati club going back to 1950.
Great for seniors, retired, and players who love morning chess. A good turnout every Friday morning and a popular chess gathering for the chess community.
Saturdays 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Play chess with an instructor from the Cris Collinsworth ProScan Fund. Kids will build self-esteem, nurture sportsmanship, and foster critical thinking skills
Chess and Scrabble is offered on Saturdays from 2 pm – 4 pm. All experience levels and ages are welcome to play and have fun.
Play or learn chess in a welcoming group environment while sipping free coffee. Any experience level is welcome.
4-Rounds/Play 4 games. G/5 – Game in 5 minutes. Free Entry Fee
Organizes chess tournaments in the greater Cincinnati area for scholastic players (grades K through 12). The annual CSC Series offers one tournament per month from October through March. CSC Website
The 59th Cincinnati Open is being planned for April 11-13, 2025; organized and ran by CSC. Cincinnati most popular chess tournament.
Chess Earth is returning as the tournament vendor; selling chess supplies and creating a new tournament T-shirt design.
Our Community Chess Club is open to adults and kids. Connect to the local Cincinnati chess community. Chess Teacher are available if you are learning the game for the first time.
Chess Earth has brought back the popular chess breakfast at a new Panera Bread. A good turnout every Friday morning.
We analyze games from recent tournaments, play bughouse, and enjoy chess. Organized and hosted by Chess Earth, LLC.
