The New Britain Chess Club is the largest and most historic chess club in Connecticut. The club was founded by John Kirkham on January 26, 1901.
We meet every Tuesday from 6:15 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. The first few visits are free, so come check us out! Equipment is provided.
We meet at the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, 1910 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06053.
Contact the club by email at newbritainchessclub@gmail.com
Ask to be put on our weekly mailing list for the latest tournament updates, pairings and match results. We promise not to share your email.
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.
NBCC OUTREACH TOURNAMENT OF 2022
NBCC CHAMPIONS OF 2022
Aiden Paradis, David Herscovici, Dennis Himes, Lisa Smith, Nathan Mezheritskiy, Justin Lalor, Damon Bramble
JUSTIN LALOR SIMUL 2022
2021 NEW BRITAIN CHESS CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY
2021 NEW BRITAIN CHESS CLUB QUICK CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP Nelson Castaneda and Dmitriy Leykekhman
2021 NEW BRITAIN CHESS CLUB OKTOBERFEST DINNER 2021
2021 NEW BRITAIN CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONS Sumanyu Jagitani, Joe Bihlmeyer, Eric Hilhorst, Norman Burtness, Shritan Vijay
2021 NEW BRITAIN SUMMER OPEN - Under 1621 WINNERS Lisa Smith, Carter Clayton, Arnav Kamineni, Sumaanyu Jagtiani (upset prize)
2021 NEW BRITAIN SUMMER OPEN - SCHOLASTIC WINNERS Zachary Lacava, Jithya Sajeevan, Ryan Gentes, Michael Fomin
CHEF MARIO GUEVARA-RODRIGUEZ - 2021 NEW BRITAIN SUMMER OPEN
NELSON CASTANEDA SIMUL 2021
2021 NBCC CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF Robert Wooster vs. Eric Hilhorst playoff
2021 NBCC CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF Joseph Bihlmeyer vs. Nelson Castaneda playoff
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.
