How to Join Norths Chess Club

Updated

Norths Chess Club is a Sydney chess club that has operated since 1908, originally founded as Chatswood Chess Club. To join, start at the club website, northsydneychess.org, and use the join link on the site. The site's About section includes a "CLICK HERE TO JOIN US" link, which is the entry point for membership. The site does not publish membership fees, tiers, or a detailed joining process, so those details need to be confirmed with the club directly.

Where to find the join link

The club's About page introduces the club's history and then presents the join call to action. From the homepage:

  1. Open northsydneychess.org.
  2. Go to the About section (the page describing the club since 1908).
  3. Select the "CLICK HERE TO JOIN US" link.

The link is the only membership pathway described on the site. The site does not state what form appears after clicking, whether an online payment is required, or whether joining is free, so treat those points as unknown until the club responds.

What the club offers members

The site's news items show the kind of activity members can expect:

Event Date shown Notes
GM Mitrabha Guha simul Mon, 6 Apr 2026 Special night of chess with a grandmaster
Junior Coaching & Tournament Sun, 19 Apr 2026 (news posted 22 Mar 2026) Held at Norths Club, Auditorium
An Evening with GM Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand Mon, 23 Feb 2026, 7.30pm start Talk and appearance by a former world champion

The club also notes a long competitive history. Members have included Australian chess names such as Lajos Steiner, John Purdy, Terrey Shaw and Phillip Viner, and the club has been home to star players Max Illingworth and Anton Smirnov. The first Club Champion was H. Edmunds and the first President was C. N. Backhouse. This context matters for a prospective member choosing a club: it signals an established club with competitive and social chess, plus junior coaching.

What to expect after expressing interest

The site does not describe a confirmation email, trial period, or onboarding steps. A practical approach:

  • Use the join link first, since that is the club's stated route.
  • If the link does not produce clear instructions, ask about fees, meeting nights, and whether juniors need a guardian present. The junior coaching event suggests the club runs youth activities, but eligibility and supervision rules are not published.
  • Check the Latest News section before attending, because events such as the Anand evening and the Guha simul have fixed dates and times.

Common sticking points

  • No published pricing. The site lists no fees or payment platforms, so do not assume membership is free or that payment is handled online.
  • Join link is the only documented step. There is no separate membership page with tiers or forms described in the site content.
  • Event dates are specific. The news items carry 2026 dates; confirm current dates on the site before planning attendance.

For anyone deciding whether to join, the club's history and its grandmaster events are the strongest signals of an active chess community. The next step is simply the join link on the About page, followed by direct contact with the club for fees and meeting details.