Mechanics' Institute Chess Club

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The Mechanics' Institute Chess Club in San Francisco is the oldest existing chess club in the United States .

The association was founded in 1855 at a time when San Francisco was still considered part of the Wild West . Only seven years earlier, the California gold rush had started the city's growth.

The San Francisco Mechanics' Institute has had a library and the Chess Room at 57 Post Street. There are a number of other Mechanics Institutes around the world , particularly in the United Kingdom and Australia . Originally, these facilities were designed as libraries and educational institutions for members of the working class . The institution in San Francisco was also involved in the preliminary phase of founding the University of Berkeley .

The first world-class player to visit the chess club was Johannes Zukertort , who in July 1884 spent almost a month in the city. As early as 1851 and 1852, the famous master Pierre Saint-Amant was a French consul in San Francisco. Apparently, however, he was no longer involved in founding the club.

Up to the present day, numerous prominent masters have played games in the traditional club or have given simultaneous performances . Among them were several world chess champions , starting with Emanuel Lasker and José Raúl Capablanca .

International Master John W. Donaldson is currently head of the Chess Room . The San Francisco Mechanics players also met in the club rooms to play their Internet team fights in the United States Chess League . This only national US chess league, which existed from 2005 to 2015, was won by the Mechanics in 2006 .

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