A chess club being held every Sunday in Abbotsford is welcoming new members.
The Abby Junior Chess Club runs every Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Abbotsford Community Library, 33355 Bevan Ave., and is open to kids ages five to 17.
The club was formed in 2012 by Monica Grover, whose son had participated in chess tournaments in Richmond.
Grover and another mom approached The Reach Gallery Museum for space, which was provided free to them every Sunday, starting from May 27, 2012.
The club grew fast, and the group moved to Abbotsford Community Library last year.
The club now has a chess coach and is run on a drop-in basis. Grover’s son, Kyle, and parent volunteers also teach participants how to play the game.
Professional chess mats were purchased from funds donated by parents, and the club hopes to buy chess clocks in the future to train the kids to play in tournaments.
The group also currently helps Mt. Lehman Elementary with its chess club, and is available to do the same for other interested schools.
Grover says chess teaches children patience and sportsmanship.
“Chess is an amazing game to learn,” Grover says. “It really broadens your sphere of thinking and teaches you strategies which you can actually transfer into your real life.”
Registration for the club is not required. For more information, call Monica at 604-857-3724, Chana at 778-242-6250 or follow “Abby Junior Chess Club” on Facebook.