Bay Area Chess · Weekly in-person instruction
Palo Alto Thursday Chess Club
Chess lessons & supervised practice
Regular sessions are drop-in. No advance registration or term commitment required.
Thursdays
6:00–7:30 PM
90 minutes
Players
Under 1100 USCF
Ages 5–16
At-the-door price
$30
per session at the door
Seasonal closure
November 4, 2026–February 18, 2027. Reopens Thursday, February 25, 2027.
This Thursday club pauses during the winter months.
Location & arrival
Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto
505 East Charleston Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Fireside Room.
Please park in the back lot.
Arrival: 6:00 PM.
Pick-up: 7:30 PM. Please be prompt.
Attendance & payment
$30 per session at the door. Cash or check accepted. Payment at the door is encouraged to avoid the additional online transaction fee.
Optional online payment through this page’s registration block applies only to the next available Thursday club session. Missed-session make-ups are not tracked.
New, beginner and intermediate players are welcome. Instruction is adapted to the students attending.
Drop-off and pick-up only; a parent waiting room is not available. Please do not attend if your child is ill or showing symptoms. Masks are not required.
Session format
Activities and timing vary with the group’s level and the coach’s assessment.
Check-in & practice
Sign in, settle into play and meet the coach.
Group instruction
Lessons, demonstrations and discussion appropriate to the players’ levels.
Paired games & application
Practice through organized games, puzzles and related activities.
Buy 8 sessions. Get 2 free.
Purchase a 10-session bundle through the on-site coach and save 20%. Bundles are not available online.
- Valid for 12 months; sessions do not need to be consecutive.
- Attendance is tracked in the on-location binder.
- Students receive an award after completing each bundle, with awards increasing in value for subsequent completed bundles.
No transfers, credits or refunds on bundle purchases.