Your First Visit

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YOUR FIRST VISIT

Someone to meet. A game to play.

Your first visit should feel straightforward. Start with a conversation, let us arrange a suitable first game, and experience club chess before deciding whether you want to join.Start a Conversation Today →

Arrive ready to play in three simple steps.

  1. Start a conversation today. Tell us a little about your chess and ask anything you would like to know.
  2. We’ll arrange your first game. We’ll reply personally, confirm the practical details and, where practical, pair you with an opponent of suitable playing strength.
  3. Come along and play. We’ll greet you, introduce you to your opponent and help get your first game under way.

Your first visit is a starting point, not an audition.

No rating or previous club experience is required. Playing strength helps us arrange a suitable game; it does not determine the welcome, respect or opportunities a player receives.You do not need to know how your chess compares before arriving. That is something you discover naturally by playing different opponents.

What happens when you arrive?

  • Someone will be ready to welcome you.
  • We will introduce you quietly rather than putting you on display.
  • We will help you find a suitable first game.
  • Boards, pieces and other equipment are supplied.
  • Clocks, notation and post-game analysis are optional unless competition conditions require them.

Club chess without unnecessary pressure.

You can come for worthwhile games, different opponents, conversation around the board, appropriate challenge or future competition. There is no single required level of ambition.Brecks & Valleys is not a formal teaching service. Players develop through regular games, optional analysis, discussion, reflection and the challenge of meeting different playing styles.

When and where

The Crown, Great EllinghamGarden Room to the rearThursdays from 7.00 pm, except the first Thursday of each month.Opening night: Thursday 10 September 2026 at 7.00 pm.Parking is available at the rear of The Crown.

Prefer to decide after you have played?

That is exactly what the first visit is for. Experience the club for yourself before deciding whether membership feels right for you.Start a Conversation Today →

Not ready to visit yet?

Get free access to the Brecks & Valleys Club Chess Kit: a practical seven-step pathway designed to help you identify what to work on next and build useful habits for your games.Get Free Access →