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

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

(My reflections on the Rotary International Convention in Calgary) This summer, I attended Rotary Calgary 2025, an event that brought...

As I write this, I’m getting ready to board my flight to Calgary, Canada, where I’ll be attending the Rotary International Convention—an...

TOLERANCE OF DIFFERENCES Occasionally, there is a temptation to criticize another country's laws, customs, and traditions, which may...

Coming Up: University of San Francisco College Outreach Program January 18, 2025 Each year at this time Novato Chess Club (HYA)...

In 2016, Novato Chess Club (NCC) of Marin County saw the movie Queen of Katwe , a movie starring the great, Phiona Mutusi; who rose out...

At Novato Chess Club, we build resilience in children by letting them solve their problems. Over the course of the year, a year of...

Chess mania at Giants camp began shortly after spring training started in March. Players aren’t sure where the chess board came from, but...

In a competitive technological and cultural world, it's important that children experience the inspired wonder of college as early as 4th...