Chess matches at Someone House

[John Reyes]

Hi there

I just wondering if there any clubs that is playing at someone home for league chess and the reason why?

[Matt Mackenzie]

This has certainly happened in the past, indeed there were a few "Circle" chess clubs which met at members houses in a rotation system.

[J T Melsom]

Wycombe and Hazlemere played a 4 board National Club match at a member's home. I think it fitted in with the logistics for a junior football tournament which impacted the team. Obviously when I say 'fitted in' the events weren't at the same venue.

[Roger de Coverly]

Wycombe and Hazlemere played a 4 board National Club match at a member's home.

The only telephone match I ever witnessed was a National Club match, five boards at someone's house. It's marginally easier for a telephone match as you only have to fit in five players plus arbiter and stewards. This was well before even the earliest days of mobile phones, so moves were received or sent using a phone in the kitchen, while players sat in the lounge and dining room.

[Joey Stewart]

I have seen it done in houses on multiple occasions because of lack of a weekend venue (national club being a standout issue, since getting Saturday afternoon rooms isn't cheap and players aren't going to want to pay £25 each for a single game of chess) or for smaller league clubs in with a single team and no suitable venues.
You need a decent sized house, well behaved teams and fairly understanding host family for it to not be a disaster - I never had any issue with playing in people's houses but I can easily see it being a big potential problem if things go wrong so probably why it is not generally done.

[John Upham]

Camberley Chess Club played many home matches at the home of WIM Anne Sunnucks at 28, Brackendale Close, Camberley, Surrey in the late 1970s.

[JustinHorton]

Did the late Richard Boxall hold one-day tournaments in his house, or am I mangling an old memory? And if so were any club matches held at the same venue?

[John Upham]

Did the late Richard Boxall hold one-day tournaments in his house, or am I mangling an old memory? And if so were any club matches held at the same venue?

Dick Boxall held many Basingstoke Quickplays (they were RPs in fact of 40 minutes dead per player) at a house in Richmond Road / Sherbourne Road, Basingstoke.

This was the home of Basingstoke Bridge Club which was rented/leased to Basingstoke Chess Club. One of the very few UK clubs to "own" its venue.

[LawrenceCooper]

Did the late Richard Boxall hold one-day tournaments in his house, or am I mangling an old memory? And if so were any club matches held at the same venue?

Dick Boxall held many Basingstoke Quickplays (they were RPs in fact of 40 minutes dead per player) at a house in Richmond Road / Sherbourne Road, Basingstoke.

This was the home of Basingstoke Bridge Club which was rented/leased to Basingstoke Chess Club. One of the very few UK clubs to "own" its venue.

I've also held blitz tournaments at my house, outside when the weather is okay, but inside when not. On occasion, I can recall playing league chess at someone's house.

[John Reyes]

I have seen it done in houses on multiple occasions because of lack of a weekend venue (national club being a standout issue, since getting Saturday afternoon rooms isn't cheap and players aren't going to want to pay £25 each for a single game of chess) or for smaller league clubs in with a single team and no suitable venues.
You need a decent sized house, well behaved teams and fairly understanding host family for it to not be a disaster - I never had any issue with playing in people's houses but I can easily see it being a big potential problem if things go wrong so probably why it is not generally done.

can you explain about things going wrong? it because there a club who plays in a house and only wanted to play at one place, and have asked for funding? they said it is temporary but it been over 6-9 months and they been serving alcoholic and hot food after the evening games? but other stuff?

and was told that there clubs who play league chess and just though i asked

[MJMcCready]

The Hertfordshire League had several about 10 years ago. One of them, I think, was Potters Bar but perhaps those affiliated to that league are better placed to speak about that.