Where to find Chess and bridge in Northampton and Northamptonshire: chess and bridge clubs, plus Go, mahjong and backgammon groups.
We list 8 venues where you can play or buy chess, bridge and other classic games across Northampton and Northamptonshire, in 5 towns and neighbourhoods. Between them they run 20 regular sessions, most often on Mondays and Tuesdays. Ten of those are marked as beginner friendly. All of them have tables to play on site.
Northampton Bridge Club plays face to face at its Owl Close club rooms through the week, with social, duplicate and teams sessions for players from club beginners to county standard. Beginners' lessons run on Thursday evenings.
Kettering Bridge Club has its own premises on the corner of Grange Road and Field Street, with improvers sessions, supervised play and a hosted Friday afternoon duplicate. Newer players are well catered for and Friday players do not need a partner.
Kettering Chess Club, formed in 1892, meets every Monday evening at the Toller Church Rooms on Meeting Lane, with a junior session first and adult chess afterwards. New members of all abilities are welcome, and the club runs teams in the Northamptonshire Silver King League.
Oundle Bridge Club meets on Monday and Thursday evenings at Fletton House for duplicate pairs. All bridge players are welcome to come along with a partner, and guests are welcome.
Wellingborough Bridge Club meets upstairs at Vicarage Farm Social Club on Monday evenings for experienced players and Thursday afternoons for a friendly introduction to the game. The club also runs bridge classes.
Chess Mates Northampton meets every Tuesday evening at Kingsley Park Working Men's Club for social and competitive chess. Players of all abilities, from teenagers to retired players, are welcome, with four free trial weeks for newcomers.
Rushden Chess Club meets on Monday evenings at Irchester Bowling Club, starting with an hour of junior and beginner training. It also fields teams in the Northamptonshire league and cup.
Towcester Bridge Club meets every Tuesday evening at Towcester Sports and Social Club for friendly, competitive duplicate bridge, with teams on the first Tuesday of the month. Visitors and newer players are welcome to try a few sessions with no obligation to join.
The weekly line-up. Times and formats can change, so check with the venue before you travel.
Kettering Bridge Club, Kettering. Brush Up Your Bidding drop-in class and improvers duplicate, no computer scoring, open to non-members
Northampton Bridge Club, Northampton. Social bridge
Rushden Chess Club, Wellingborough. Club night: league matches and social chess; 18:00 to 19:00 is junior and beginner training
Kettering Chess Club, Kettering. Junior chess club
Oundle Bridge Club, Oundle. Duplicate pairs
Wellingborough Bridge Club, Wellingborough. Duplicate pairs for experienced players
Kettering Chess Club, Kettering. Club night: league matches and social chess
Northampton Bridge Club, Northampton. Duplicate pairs and club competitions
Northampton Bridge Club, Northampton. Social bridge
Kettering Bridge Club, Kettering. Improvers bridge session
Towcester Bridge Club, Towcester. Duplicate pairs; teams event on the first Tuesday of the month
Chess Mates Northampton, Northampton. Club night: league and cup matches and social chess for all abilities
Northampton Bridge Club, Northampton. Duplicate pairs and graded club competitions
Kettering Bridge Club, Kettering. Kettering Ladies afternoon session
Kettering Bridge Club, Kettering. Supervised play, mainly for players who have recently finished lessons; monthly lesson for intermediate players
Wellingborough Bridge Club, Wellingborough. Afternoon pairs, a friendly introduction to the game
Oundle Bridge Club, Oundle. Duplicate pairs, including the Thursday Pairs series
Northampton Bridge Club, Northampton. Bridge lessons for beginners, no prior knowledge needed
Kettering Bridge Club, Kettering. Hosted duplicate pairs (Kettering Cup); partner arranged on the day
Northampton Bridge Club, Northampton. Afternoon teams and pairs
The venues with the most regular nights are Northampton Bridge Club in Northampton (6 nights), Kettering Bridge Club in Kettering (5 nights) and Kettering Chess Club in Kettering (2 nights). We list 8 venues in all across Northampton and Northamptonshire.
Mondays and Tuesdays have the most regular sessions. 20 sessions run every week. The Northampton calendar shows what's on from today.
Yes. Ten regular nights are marked as welcoming new players, including sessions at Chess Mates Northampton, Kettering Chess Club and Rushden Chess Club. Staff at most venues are happy to teach, so mention it when you arrive.
One regular night is free to join. Where there's an entry fee it is usually between £3 and £4. Fees change, so check with the venue before you go.
A free weekly email of what's on in your area: tournaments, pre-releases, launch events and new regular nights. Plus a monthly round-up of new shops, clubs and game releases.
