The New Britain Chess Club is currently open on Tuesday evenings at the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection. If you are fully vaccinated for the coronavirus, you do not have to wear a mask. If you are not fully vaccinated for the coronavirus, or are feeling sick, you will need to wear a mask.
The New Britain Chess Club is the largest and most historic chess club in Connecticut. We meet every Tuesday from 6:30 pm until 11:30 p.m. for casual and tournament play. Our tournaments typically draw between thirty to forty players, adults and children, ranging in strength from amateur to master level. Between three to seven players usually come for casual play only. Club activities usually start at 7:00 p.m. We meet at the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, 1910 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06053.
Details on tournaments (date, sections, entry fee, prizes, etc.) are published on the calendar on this website.
Click on any event on the calendar for further details. Please note that the weekly e-mail may contain changes to the published details of an event.
Most tournaments do not require club membership. Non-member entry fee varies by tournament.
Ask to be put on our weekly e-mail list for the latest tournament information at newbritainchessclub@gmail.comWe send out typically only one e-mail per week and promise to use your e-mail only for club business.
ANNUAL CLUB BUSINESS MEETING OF 2021
STRAZDINS CUP/STEIN WINNERS OF 2021 John Twombley, Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Michael Smith, Mack Elder (Andris Stein winner), FM Richard Bauer (Arkadijs Cup winner), Elizabeth Smith, Joseph Bihlmeyer, FM Nelson Castaneda, NM Suhas Kodali
STRAZDINS CUP 2021 (TOP BOARD ROUND 3) Joe Bihlmeyer vs. FM Richard Bauer
OKTOBERFEST 2020 WINNERS From left to right - Bill Graham, Rick Schnitzler, Abhijit Mondal, Suhas Kodali, and Mario Guevara-Rodriguez
OKTOBERFEST LUNCH PARTY AT THE WOOD 'N TAP RESTAURANT IN FARMINGTON
The attendees!
We ate lunch outside and had a beautiful view of the Farmington River.
SUMMER OPEN 2020 WINNERS
Michael Pascetta (2nd place), Gaetano Bompastore (first place), Norman Burtness (TD), Nicholas Brinkmann (Top U1920)
Apart from Lisa Smith (Under 1620 winner) and Norman Burtness (TD), on the left is Arnav Kamineni. Three out of the other four are the Shemo kids, and second from right is Max Wang.
2020 NBCC CHAMPIONS (with NBCC PRESIDENT NORMAN BURTNESS) Left to right: Suhas Kodali, Punyavrat Upadhyay, Yogahari Jegadeeswaran, Rick Schnitzler, Roger Bessette, Norman Burtness, Shriniket Sivakumar, Dave Herscovici, Nelson Castaneda, and Mackenzie Furman.
GM LENDERMAN MASTER TRAINING CLASS From left to right: Jithu Sajeevan, Nelson Castaneda, Harold Blanchard, Nakul Ramaswamy, Daniel Zhao, Nathan Zhao, Alexandr Lenderman, Peter Wolfe, Mike Smith, Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Norman Burtness, Doug Fiske, Mike Boisselle, Ted McHugh, Richard Bauer WINNERS OF THE BEST GIMMICK/COSTUME AT USATE 2019: PRAWN SACRAFICE Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Norman Burtness, Mike Pascetta, and Suhas Kodali Oktoberfest 2018 Dinner at East Side Restaurant - Click to enlarge. November 2018: Players analyze the 11th round World Chess Championship match. Aug 2018: Players in deep thought at the 2018 NBCC Summer Open. Aug 2018: Bob Cyr (middle) plays Carter Clayton on two boards simultaneously using two clocks - one game with white, one with black (Bilbao/Basque system). June 2018: President Norman Burtness and Planet Earth Chess Champions Nelson Castaneda and Rajesh Shanmugasundaram. Rajesh won the trophy on tie-breaks. Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst. Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament" Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room. 11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program. 10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate" 8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open. 8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park. 1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
From left to right: Jithu Sajeevan, Nelson Castaneda, Harold Blanchard, Nakul Ramaswamy, Daniel Zhao, Nathan Zhao, Alexandr Lenderman, Peter Wolfe, Mike Smith, Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Norman Burtness, Doug Fiske, Mike Boisselle, Ted McHugh, Richard Bauer
WINNERS OF THE BEST GIMMICK/COSTUME AT USATE 2019: PRAWN SACRAFICE Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Norman Burtness, Mike Pascetta, and Suhas Kodali Oktoberfest 2018 Dinner at East Side Restaurant - Click to enlarge. November 2018: Players analyze the 11th round World Chess Championship match. Aug 2018: Players in deep thought at the 2018 NBCC Summer Open. Aug 2018: Bob Cyr (middle) plays Carter Clayton on two boards simultaneously using two clocks - one game with white, one with black (Bilbao/Basque system). June 2018: President Norman Burtness and Planet Earth Chess Champions Nelson Castaneda and Rajesh Shanmugasundaram. Rajesh won the trophy on tie-breaks. Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst. Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament" Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room. 11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program. 10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate" 8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open. 8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park. 1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
Mario Guevara-Rodriguez, Norman Burtness, Mike Pascetta, and Suhas Kodali
Oktoberfest 2018 Dinner at East Side Restaurant - Click to enlarge.
November 2018: Players analyze the 11th round World Chess Championship match. Aug 2018: Players in deep thought at the 2018 NBCC Summer Open. Aug 2018: Bob Cyr (middle) plays Carter Clayton on two boards simultaneously using two clocks - one game with white, one with black (Bilbao/Basque system). June 2018: President Norman Burtness and Planet Earth Chess Champions Nelson Castaneda and Rajesh Shanmugasundaram. Rajesh won the trophy on tie-breaks. Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst. Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament" Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room. 11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program. 10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate" 8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open. 8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park. 1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
Aug 2018: Players in deep thought at the 2018 NBCC Summer Open. Aug 2018: Bob Cyr (middle) plays Carter Clayton on two boards simultaneously using two clocks - one game with white, one with black (Bilbao/Basque system). June 2018: President Norman Burtness and Planet Earth Chess Champions Nelson Castaneda and Rajesh Shanmugasundaram. Rajesh won the trophy on tie-breaks. Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst. Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament" Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room. 11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program. 10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate" 8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open. 8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park. 1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
Aug 2018: Bob Cyr (middle) plays Carter Clayton on two boards simultaneously using two clocks - one game with white, one with black (Bilbao/Basque system). June 2018: President Norman Burtness and Planet Earth Chess Champions Nelson Castaneda and Rajesh Shanmugasundaram. Rajesh won the trophy on tie-breaks. Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst. Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament" Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room. 11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program. 10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate" 8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open. 8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park. 1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
June 2018: President Norman Burtness and Planet Earth Chess Champions Nelson Castaneda and Rajesh Shanmugasundaram. Rajesh won the trophy on tie-breaks. Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst. Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament" Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room. 11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program. 10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate" 8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open. 8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park. 1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
Feb. 2018: USATE 2018 Board 1 Final Round: Team Very People on Both Sides: IM Jan van del Mortel, NM Derek Meredith, Doug Fiske, and Gert Hilhorst.
Feb. 2018: GM Aleksandr Lenderman Lecture and Simul
Feb. 2018: GM Alexandsr Lenderman Master Class
Jan. 2018: Eight-year old Raghav Arun wins 2018 "What are the Odds Tournament"
Dec. 2017: Blitz in the back room.
11/21/2017: Coach Joe Bihlmeyer in action for the club's training program.
10/17/2017: NBCC's First-Ever Movie Night: Featured Movie: "Queen of Kwate"
8/27/2017: Chefs Mario and Joyce at the Summer Open.
8/27/2017: 2017 NB Summer Open in Wickham Park.
1/3/2017 2017 "What are the Odds" event where beginning players play with 9 minutes versus 1 minute for our senior players.
