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Our Story: Humble Origins
Our Story: Humble Origins
Running a chess club can be a very expensive enterprise. However, through careful planning and dedication - it is possible to build your club into a successful enterprise that serves the general public for many years to come.
Chess Club at UCR began with humble origins. Over the last few years, our organization has won several grants and has accumulated one of the largest collections of chess sets among college campuses in the state of California!
Running a chess club can be a very expensive enterprise. However, through careful planning and dedication - it is possible to build your club into a successful enterprise that serves the general public for many years to come.
Chess Club at UCR began with humble origins. Over the last few years, our organization has won several grants and has accumulated one of the largest collections of chess sets among college campuses in the state of California!
Equipment
Equipment
Chess Sets
Chess Sets
Every club has to start somewhere. First thing is getting your hands on some 20" vinyl chess sets. It doesn't matter whether the pieces are single weighted or triple weighted - the important thing is to make sure you have enough sets to facilitate general events for the public.
Next - be on the lookout for Club Set Combos and Club Starter Kits. Thoroughly check each package and assess what your club needs for its immediate and long-term plans of growth.
Chess warehouses like Chess House typically host sales during the holiday season. Biggest discounts usually happen on Black Friday & Cyber Monday - but you can also get great deals on President's Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.
In the Fall of 2025, Jeremy Alexander and Samuel Jones made a significant overhaul to the club equipment.
Together, they raised enough funds to replace the club's single-weighted sets and acquire 25 new triple weighted chess sets.
In 2017, we had six sets. Eventually the pieces and boards started multiplying after winning grants and researching bargain deals on outlet stores.
Chess Clocks
Chess Clocks
Chess clocks are an expensive commodity to invest in. In fact, some high-end models cost more than $100 each! Most are usually between $25-50. However, they are crucial to have in order to partake in a a chess tournament.
At the start of 2017, Chess Club at UCR didn't have enough clocks to host a tournament. During the 2017-18 academic year, Chess Club at UCR won their first grant for equipment and purchased 10 DGT North American Chess Clocks.
Michael Tang & Jeremy Alexander make the final touches for the Halloween Intercollegiate Tournament (Oct. 2018).
Together, they set up twenty stations for one of the largest turnouts for Chess Club at UCR.
Supplemental Chess Materials
Supplemental Chess Materials
Through donations and planning, we have also acquired lots of educational tools and chess variants that we like to employ with newcomers and advanced players alike.
Some of the equipment that we have includes the following:
Magnetic Pocket Set
Magnetic Pocket Set
Demo Board
Demo Board
Score Sheets
Score Sheets
Solitaire Chess
Solitaire Chess
4-Way Chess
4-Way Chess
No Stress Chess
No Stress Chess
3-Way Chess
3-Way Chess
4-Way Chess
4-Way Chess
Shogi
Shogi
Books
Books
Many of our books have been either donated by community members or purchased through used bookstores (e.g. eBay).
Awards
Awards
At every tournament - we issue awards to winners!
Marketing
Marketing
Over the years, we have found it helpful to invest in some gear to help carry our equipment to many places across campus and SoCal.
8' x 2' Banner
8' x 2' Banner
Michael & Ramiro unveil our brand-new banner sponsored by ASUCR featuring our logo and contact information.
Sit down, play, and learn with us!
Sit down, play, and learn with us!
As Kevin helps set up our weekly tabling sessions, our banner hangs suspended from the trees to make us stand out while we play.
This foldable A-frame sign is great for advertising upcoming events.
This sidewalk sign also has a tray that can be used for storing flyers.
As our club has grown, we have found it helpful to invest in some gear - like this foldable blue wagon to help carry our equipment to the many places we play.
Jeremy likes to carry 20" vinyl chess boards using 24" mailing tubes. These tubes also fit neatly in the backpacks that he has donated to the club. This helps each officer have a designated set of club equipment for emergency meet-ups in a compact manner.
... and so, this where our story has led us ...
... and so, this where our story has led us ...
If you like what you see and would like to be a part of our rich history, please reach out to us.
We're always looking for new ideas and people to collaborate with!
If you like what you see and would like to be a part of our rich history, please reach out to us.
We're always looking for new ideas and people to collaborate with!
Big Dream Wishlist
Big Dream Wishlist
As our club continues to grow - we aspire to continue to deliver upon our mission statement: providing more opportunities for Highlanders to play Chess!
Some of our Big Dream wish list items include the following:
As our club continues to grow - we aspire to continue to deliver upon our mission statement: providing more opportunities for Highlanders to play Chess!
Some of our Big Dream wish list items include the following:
Electronic Chess Board
Electronic Chess Board
These computer-assisted chess boards are unique for their ability to record in-game moves as well as physically move the pieces with a remote opponent.
Computer Chess Clocks
Computer Chess Clocks
High-end clocks like the DGT Pi can record the timestamp for each move made on an electronic chess board - as well as a built-in chess engine for analysis.
Lawn Set
Lawn Set
Sizes vary from model to model - but one day, we could have our very lawn chess set to play beside Bell Tower!
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