HCC Information HCC Information


The Harvard Chess Club is one of the oldest college chess clubs in the country and one of the most active. All chessplayers, from beginners to grandmasters, are welcome at the twice-weekly meetings. During the 1995-1996 academic year, the meetings were held at Adams House, 26 Plympton Street (near Harvard Square), in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Friday and Sunday evenings starting at 8:00 PM. Directions to Adams House are given below.

Since the 1995-1996 year, meetings have been held regularly in Loker Commons (located right below Annenburg Dining Hall, and next to Sanders Theater). In the 1997-1998 year, meetings were held three times a week in Loker on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday nights at 8PM. This year, meetings are held on Sunday evenings at 8PM in Loker. While the HCC is primarily a Harvard University organization, all chessplayers of the surrounding Cambridge and Boston communities are invited to take advantage of its unique atmosphere. With regular members ranging in strength from beginner to master, suitable opponents are easy to find; moreover, strong players are always available for informal instruction.

Besides the weekly meetings, the HCC sponsors several events during each academic year. A traditional match with the Yale Chess Club is contested on the morning of the Harvard-Yale football game each year, and matches with teams from MIT, Boston University, Brandeis and other local chess clubs take place throughout the year. HCC-sponsored teams representing Harvard compete annually in the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championships, the U.S. Amateur Team East, and other team events. In addition, the HCC holds special events such as simultaneous exhibitions and lectures (the most recent being lectures by internationally renowned chess teacher IM Mark Dvoretsky, and 2-time United States Champion GM Patrick Wolff, who is a Harvard alum). Finally, the HCC holds a Grand Prix open tournament, the Harvard Open, each fall (although it used to be held in the spring); the 2000 event will be the 28th edition of this historic tournament.

The HCC was also a principal sponsor of the annual Harvard Cup, a match pitting computers against human grandmasters (organized by three former HCC presidents), until the competition was removed from Harvard's campus in 1996.

Contacting the Harvard Chess Club:

Our mailing address:

c/o Professor Noam Elkies
Department of Mathematics
Science Center, 1 Oxford Street
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA 02138

By e-mail:

hcc@hcs.harvard.edu

Directions to Adams House:

From Harvard Square (accessible on the Red Line of the T or by various buses), walk down Massachusetts Avenue toward Central Square (so that Harvard Yard is on your left.) The cross streets, in order, are Dunster, Holyoke, Linden and Plympton. Turn right at Plympton Street (the Harvard Book Store is at the corner.) Adams House will be on your left. Look for the wrought-iron gate, stone steps down, and fire-engine-red front door. The private dining room is to the left.

Here is a hypertext map of Harvard Square and the surrounding area.


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