Find Your People Over a Chessboard in San Diego
Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone gets a lot easier when there’s a board between you and one of the strangers. That is the whole premise of San Diego Chess & Social, and roughly 300 people a week have decided it holds up.
From a Reddit Post to 500 Paid Members
In 2023, two San Diegans who had never met found each other on Reddit for a simple reason: they wanted more people to play chess with. A few casual games turned into a weekly meetup, the meetup turned into a community, and less than three years later it is a countywide club with recurring nights in Pacific Beach, North Park, Encinitas, and Chula Vista.
The membership program launched in January 2026. By late May it had around 280 paid members. Less than four months after that, it passed 500
“What started as a way to find a few more people to play chess with has become something much bigger,” said co-founder and CEO Mark Laturno. “Chess gives people an unusually easy way to meet. You can walk into a room where you don’t know anyone, sit down across from a stranger and immediately have something to do together.”
Sit Down Across From a Grandmaster or a Total Beginner
The rooms run the full range, from people learning how the knight moves to tournament players. Grandmaster Samy Shoker has become a regular.
Chess is the center of it, but it is not the whole thing. Backgammon, Uno, and a growing pile of board and card games are all in rotation, so you are never stuck waiting for a match to open up.
Most people show up alone. The hosts are there to fix that, handling introductions and pulling newcomers into games rather than just running the clock.
Vista Joins the Map at CoLab Public House
The club is still spreading out. A Vista night launches October 15 at CoLab Public House, and a second weekly North Park gathering is being added on top of the existing one. More neighborhoods are in the plans.
What $20 a Month Gets Members
Memberships start at $20 per month and cover admission to the regular weekly events. You don’t need one to come, though. Hundreds of drop-in visits happen every month from people who just wanted to see what a night over a chessboard feels like.
See you there!
Bring a friend or come alone, because most people do. Find a night that fits your week, pick a neighborhood, and let the board handle the introductions.
🎟️ Become a member here
ℹ️ Find more info here
See you there, San Diego!
