Coquille Chess Club

Free chess classes/open play for all ages in multiple locations to start in July and go through August. No classes Fair week July 23rd through July 27th and fourth of July. Register/questions with [email protected] or text 541 290-8479 or just show up!

TUESDAYS:
Coos Bay Public Library small meeting room
Advanced lessons 10 am to 11 am,
Intermediate lessons 11 am to 12 pm
Novice lessons 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Myrtle Point First Christian Church (enter doors from large parking lot)
Novice lessons 2:30 pm to 3 pm
Advances lessons 3 pm to 4 pm
Intermediate lessons 4 pm to 5 pm

WEDNESDAYS:
Coquille High School
Advanced lessons 1 pm to 2 pm
Intermediate lesson 2 pm to 3 pm
Novice lessons 3 pm to 3:30 pm

THURSDAYS:
Bandon Public Coquille Public Library
Adults: 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Intermeidate Lessons: 3:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m.
Novice lessons 4:30 pm to 5 p.m.

Have fun solving the chess problem: mate in 3 moves for white, white to move!

Final results at Nationals:
Frank won 4 out of 7 games and got a $50 gift certificate for chess merchandise.
Jordan won 3.5 out of 7 games
Jeremiah won 2.5 out of 7 games
The main thing is all the learning they did and I am proud that they spent time thinking. Their games lasted up to four hours!

Send a message to learn more

The RiverDays Kid Zone moved to the plaza between the pool and the community building but kids found it and there was constant activity for the afternoon. The Coquille Chess Club ran their yearly sq**rt gun zone with generous donation from Roseburg Forest Products of new sq**rt guns and inflatable barriers that did not melt like the cardboard furniture boxes did in previous years. While setting up, a compressor died but a phone call to Coquille Les Schwab brought a truck and helpful attendent to fill all the inflatable barriers and saved the day. The" Knight in a Les Schwab Uniform" was baptized afterwards with a friendly quick sq**rt gun fight. Bubbles filled the air, novelty chess boards were played all afternoon, chalk art decorated the concrete and CREATE Center’s artists face painted many joyous faces. Thanks to the many volunteers who helped make this a successful part of the RiverDays festival: Anita, Ian and Jeremiah Thompson, Cristy, Harlan and Frank Morse, Ish, Mike, Shelly and Artists Iosha Reed, Nikki Keller, Rebecca, Claire and chess kids!

Meanwhile Eliana Valencia, a North Bend Senior was the Oregon Representative in the Susan Polgar Foundation Girl’s Invitational played online and she had a blast managing a win against a 1571 rated player. She placed 63rd but she enjoyed watching the commentary on the streamed chess tournament games. It was a honor to end her scholastic chess years.

June 1st Gay 90's/Riverfest! The kid zone has moved to the plaza between the Community Building and the Pool. We will have a FREE sq**rt gun zone thanks to Roseburg Forest Products donating barriers and sq**rt guns but the Coquille Chess Club volunteers would appreciate donations. CREATE Center Facepainting (does have a fee) is a fundraiser to support dance, theater, cheer, music and art in Coquille! There will be free bubbles, hula hoops and sidewalk chalk art. Come check us out!

We want to thank the Judith Ann Morgan Foundation for their generous grants that allowed our chess club to expand to Bandon, Myrtle Point and soon to expand further into Coos Bay this summer. Their grants helped chess club players throughout Coos County to compete at State Competitions and soon the top three players will be competing in Nationals at the Las Vegas International Chess Festival. We have been able to get more chess equipment for all the locations and helped kids (and adults) get a little smarter while having fun. Chess teams are being developed in all the areas to promote sportsmanship and collegiality. THANK YOU!

Donate to Empower Coquille Chess Club's Young Champions, organized by Anita Thompson Want to join me in making a difference? We are raising money to benefit C… Anita Thompson needs your support for Empower Coquille Chess Club's Young Champions

Car Wash and Bottle Drive today, May 11th, for the Coquille Chess Club at Coquille's Les Schwab! Starts 10 a.m. and goes to 2 p.m. (longer if more people keep coming). Support our amazing scholastic chess players!!

CREATE Center and Coquille Chess Club will have a KID ZONE during Riverfest/Gay 90s'. We will be in the space between the pool and the Community Building. Expect Face painting, Sq**rt Gun Zone and play a chess kid for a $1, beat them and get $5. Anyone want to join us and set up some more kid activities? Please contact me at [email protected] or 541 290-8479. Ideas: Hula hoops, dancing, chalk art, bubbles, etc!

Coquille Chess Club Car Wash and bottle/can drive Saturday May 4th and May 11th at Les Schwab in Coquille. Support the best three Coos County Chess Players trip to the Las Vegas International Chess Festival and National Tournament in June! Time to clean that car for the summer! Get rid of all those bags of bottles and cans and put them towards a good cause.

CHESS TOURNAMENT
May 18th Chess Tournament–USCF rated–at Coquille High School Library.
$10 registration, note additional fee: USCF scholastic membership $10, adult membership $45 --if not current or do not have.
Please preregister via e-mail to [email protected] that you are coming.
Arrive 9:30 a.m. play 10 a.m.
Prizes: Cash for Elite, dragons and medals for Intermediate and Novice (I have some new dragons!)
CHESS TOURNAMENT
May 18th Chess Tournament–USCF rated–at Coquille High School Library.
$10 registration
USCF membership required. If don't have one or not current, scholastic membership $10, adult membership $45
Please preregister via e-mail to [email protected] that you are coming.
Arrive 9:30 a.m. play 10 a.m.
Prizes: Cash for Elite, dragons and medals for Intermediate and Novice (I have some new dragons!)

The Coquille Elementary and Coquille Middle School Chess Teams are in Portland tonight in preparation to battle in the Chess For Success State Championship all day tomorrow! GO COQUILLE!! (picture of middle school team, will get one of elementary team soon!)

Chess Tournament this Saturday April 6th. Sections: Elite, intermediate and novice. Last chance to get USCF rated games for Seaside State Tournament. Please preregister with [email protected] if you can. Arrive by 9:30 a.m. $10 registration fee. Prizes are cash for elite, dragons and medals for Intermediate and novice. Need USCF membership. Can buy scholastic year long membership for $10 if don't have one yet.

Tomorrow at the Coquille High School, Sunday March 10th, Quads to start at 1 p.m. Please e-mail [email protected] an RSVP. $5.00 registration fee. Must have a USCF membership. Scholastic players can bring $10 and I can get your year long membership for you. G30/D5.

Chess teams from Coos County braved the forecast of snow to travel to Oregon Episcopal School in Portland to compete in the Oregon High School Chess Team State Championships two day event March 1st and 2nd. Saturday morning the large windows of the tournament room showed the gentle snow fall while chess games in the tournament hall were blazing with battle.

The Coquille Varsity Team was handicapped from the beginning as one team member became ill the day before so the team played with four board, taking an automatic loss on their fifth board. Coquille was paired to play Westview, a 6A school in the first round and took a beating as first board Frank Morse had to play National Master and Oregon State Champion Zoey Tang. The team put up a good fight with games lasting nearly the full two hours but ultimately Westview won. Coquille Varsity did beat Churchhill 5A, Sherman 1A and Junction City 4A but lost to Oregon Episcopal 3A. Ultimately, Coquille won 2nd place in the 1-3A division with Oregon Episcopal getting first. Jesuit High School won the 2024 State Championship overall.

Individually there were awards. Frank Morse won Most Valuable Player 1st board in the 1-3A division and Jordan Florez won Most Valuable Player 3rd board in the 1-3A division.

The Coquille Junior Varsity Team was beaten by Oregon Episcopal A and Oregon Episcopal B teams to place third in the 1-3A Junior Varsity Division.

Meanwhile, the Coos Open team made up of players from North Bend, Coos Bay and Myrtle Point won two and half rounds to tie with the only other Open team. The Coos Open team played in a combined JV/Open section.

We have Coquille Varsity, Coquille JV and Coos County Open team in Portland playing in the Oregon High School Chess Team Championships. Yesterday, each team won one and lost won. Coquille Varsity had to play Westview first round who has some of the top players in Oregon but we made the fight for their win. We are back at it today as snow is falling and the Coach (me) has to nervously watch trip cams for our return trip late afternoon. But it is hot chess inside as the competition is fierce.

Sunday Chess Quads at Coquille

February 25th
March 10th

Coquille High School Library
For all ages scholastic and adult, all levels of playing skills
PREREGISTER with [email protected]
Registration: $5.00. $10.00 prize if you win your quad.
Need current USCF membership, $10 scholastic, $45 adult.
First round at 1 p.m. Register on site before 12:30, Preregistrants, show up by 12:45.
Three rounds of chess, no elimination
Qualifier for the Seaside OSCF State Championships
(Need 15 USCF rated games in lifetime--not tournaments--with at least 8 games in the last year)

South Coast Chess Players prepare for State Competitions playing in the Eugene Spring Fling

Eleven South Coast chess players woke up at 5 in the morning on Saturday February 17th to travel to Eugene to compete against 90 other chess players to develop their skills. Ari Ish-Shalom in the primary division ended in a four way tie for first place and during an exciting Blitz play off with each player only having five minutes to complete the game, Ari barreled into first place. His brother Noah Ish-Shalom got honorable mention in the elementary division. Jeremiah Thompson also ended up in a four way tie for first place and during the Blitz playoffs suffered a single loss to end up in second place. Frank Morse and Riley Jones had the unfortunate luck to play each other in the first round and both ended up with 2.5 wins out of 4 games against very strong competitio.

Coquille will be hosting Sunday Quads February 25th and March 10th at 1 p.m. at the Coquille High School Library. All players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to play and test the skills of our qualified state competitors. A USCF membership is required. Scholastic membership is $10 and Adults are $45. Tournament is three rounds no elimination. $5.00 registration fee.