Blog | Novato Chess Club

Chess, Character, and the Reordering of Our Values

By Chris Major President, Novato Chess Club As I get older, I find myself thinking less about success and more about purpose. That may sound strange coming from someone who spent much of his life around competition, athletics, achievement, and performance. But the truth is, somewhere along the way, I realized that what matters most is not what you win — it’s who you become and how you help others along the way. That’s where my heart is right now with the Novato Chess Club. I

Christopher Major

May 284 min read

Miles, Memory, and the Moments We Almost Miss

By Chris Major President, Novato Chess Club #11 Miles McAfee There are moments in life that don’t feel big when they start. They feel like a nudge. A thought. A name you can’t shake. For me, that name was Miles. For 17 years, I kept telling his story. Sharing a photo. Posting. Writing. Reminding people of what he had done—not just statistically, but as a leader, a builder, a man who changed lives through the game of baseball. And for 17 years… nothing happened. Until now. Th

Christopher Major

Apr 273 min read

Billy Graham 1955 Sermon that refers to the Painting "Checkmate"

By Chris Major President, Novato Chess Club The Chess Master and the Painting Featuring an excerpt from Billy Graham Billy Graham once shared a powerful story connecting faith and the game of chess: “There is a picture of a chess game hanging in Paris. On one side of the painting is the Devil, and on the other side is a lad about sixteen years of age. They are playing chess. The Devil has a leering, triumphant expression on his face. He has just licked this boy at chess, and

Christopher Major

Mar 312 min read

Black History Month: Chess, Faith, and Personal Responsibility

By Chris Major President, Novato Chess Club As we close 2026 Black History Month, I wanted to share a video of my participation on a 12/20/20 panel called "Who are my brothers: A conversation On Racism." Chess is more than a game. It’s a universal language spoken across cultures for over 1,500 years. At the chessboard, labels disappear. There is no blame. No shouting. No division. Every move is yours. Just like life. Faith and Reason Young people today need more than informat

Christopher Major

Feb 232 min read

From Novato to the World: Chess as a Common Language of Peace

By Chris Major President, Novato Chess Club When Novato Chess Club first began, it wasn’t about trophies, ratings, or titles. It was about something simpler—and far more powerful: connection. A chessboard doesn’t care where you’re from. It doesn’t ask what language you speak, what religion you follow, or what side of a border you live on. You sit down. You shake hands. And in silence, you communicate. Over the past several years, that quiet language of chess has carried me fa

Christopher Major

Jan 222 min read

Peace Through Chess: From a Chance Meeting to Kharkiv

By Chris Major President, Novato Chess Club Peace through chess begins with people. Sometimes, it even begins with a simple request to change seats. Earlier this year, I attended the Rotary International Congress in Calgary. During one of the sessions, Olga Ialovenko—part of the Ukrainian Rotary delegation—asked if I would mind moving so her group could sit together. That small, ordinary moment sparked a conversation, then a connection, and within days, the beginning of somet

Christopher Major

Dec 23, 20253 min read