Chess. Games. Social.

Fun first. No experience needed.

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Event Calendar

Join Us!

  • People playing chess in a dimly lit bar or pub with drinks on the table.

    Weekly Meetups

    Chess | Uno | Jenga | More

    🕖 Thursdays from 7:00PM - 10:00PM

    You don’t need any experience to feel comfortable here. Most people come to meet others, hang out, and play at their own pace. Come solo or bring a friend - you’ll fit in right away.

    View Schedule
  • A young man deeply focused on a chess game in a bar, with glasses of beer on the table and other patrons in the background.

    Once-A-Month Beginner Class & Social


    New to chess? Perfect.

    This class is designed to teach you the basics of chess while making friends and having fun along the way.

    View Schedule
  • Man with a beard smiling and holding a pint glass of beer, wearing a green hoodie with a name tag.

    Membership Perks!


    Enjoy $6 beers (up to 40%-off) with a Beers by the Bay Chess Club Members. Also includes exclusive discounts to local Beers by the Bay partner orgs.

    Become a Member - Starts at $15/monthly

Community Partners

  • SeaWorld San Diego

  • Chess.com

  • Tavern at the Beach

    Tavern at the Beach

  • Wonderland Ocean Pub

  • A sign for La Jolla The Comedy Store with red and white text on a black background.

    La Jolla Comedy Store

  • Mainly Mozart logo with a dark blue background, featuring a stylized white circle with the number 11 and the words 'Mainly Mozart' and 'Music Director Michael Francis'.

    Mainly Mozart

  • TaxGlobal

  • Belmont Park San Diego

  • San Diego Gaming

Follow Us

We had a blast at the @collectivebar last night for our weekly social! 🍻♟️ See you all next Thursday at @tavernpb 🫶🏻 we will be rolling out new drink deals for members, so don’t forget to sign up and make the most of your Thursday night sh
Our first-ever women’s beginner chess class was a HUGE success 🥂🎉💕 We had some amazing women come out to play fun mini games, learn the basics of chess, and play some games together! We can’t wait to keep rolling out these classes to
Kicking off February with some epic events🍻♟️ And to those ending dry January…. Congrats on surviving and welcome back to the wild side 👏🌟 Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly membership to gain free access to our weekly social ev
Great interview with co-founder Julia Gale in today’s issue of the @sandiegouniontribune, all about our club’s efforts to address the chess gender gap. Full article linked in bio! Don’t miss our monthly all women’s “new

INSIDE OUR WORLD

A sign with a glass of beer and chess pieces on a chessboard, promoting staying updated via a QR code and social media.

What started as a casual Reddit meetup between two strangers - Aidan Ryan and Mark Laturno - has grown into one of San Diego’s most vibrant and welcoming chess communities.

Beers by the Bay now hosts open chess nights most Thursdays at Tavern at the Beach in Pacific Beach.

With weekly turnouts of 70-100 players, and an atmosphere built on connection, we've become a Thursday-night staple for San Diegans looking for something fun and connective social. Come as you are.

Check Out Other Local Chess Clubs

Beers & Blunders
Tuesday | 7—10PM

Learn more

San Diego Pub Chess
Wednesday | 7—10PM

Learn more

MQ Chess Club
Friday & Saturday | 10PM—4AM

Learn more