What CalChess Members Get, Including the CalChess Journal

CalChess members receive a free electronic copy of the CalChess Journal once issues are published, delivered by email to members whose membership is current. To receive it, your name must appear on the CalChess Membership List; back issues are also posted on calchess.org. The Journal is one benefit among several — the site also connects members to clubs, tournaments, and other chess resources across Northern California.

The CalChess Journal

The Journal is CalChess's publication covering chess in Northern California. Chris Torres is the new editor, and the organization describes plans to publish an electronic version on a more regular basis. According to the site, once that schedule is established, issues will be free and emailed to all current CalChess members.

How to make sure you receive it

1. Check your membership status. Look for your name on the Membership List linked from the calchess.org home page.
2. Renew if you're not listed. The site states that only members with up-to-date membership receive the emailed issues.
3. Watch your email. Issues are sent electronically to current members once published.
4. Use the back-issue archive. Past issues are published on the website, so you can read earlier content even before the next issue arrives.

The site does not state a fixed publication schedule — it describes regular publication as a goal rather than a confirmed cadence. Treat delivery timing as dependent on when each issue is completed.

Other Things the Site Offers Members and Visitors

The Journal is the membership-specific benefit highlighted on the homepage, but calchess.org is mainly a hub for playing and competing in Northern California:

• Club directory — a list of dozens of local chess clubs you can drop in on for casual games. The Mechanics' Institute Chess Club in downtown San Francisco is noted as the oldest chess club in the U.S.
• Tournament listings — quick lists for regular (open) and scholastic tournaments. The site says there is a tournament almost every weekend of the year.
• CalChess Live — a section linked from the main navigation.
• Daily puzzle — a chess puzzle featured on the site.
• Organization news and meetings — for example, the 2024 CalChess Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors was scheduled for December 15 at the Sonesta Silicon Valley Convention Center in Milpitas, with President Tom Langland listed as the contact.

Membership Context

The site notes that Northern California is one of the most active chess regions in the United States and ranks among the top five states by U.S. Chess Federation membership (the USCF counts Northern and Southern California as separate states). It also highlights strong scholastic players, some at world-champion level for their age groups. This context explains why the Journal focuses on chess in Northern California specifically.

Quick Reference

If your main interest is the Journal, the practical step is confirming your membership is current and watching for the emailed issue; if you want to play or compete, the club and tournament pages are the place to start.