Brisbane Social CHess
A place for casual chess, for fun and friendly people.
5 meetups a week
We have meetings every day of the week except Mondays and Tuesdays. There are always more meeting times and locations in the works.
A dedicated team of organisers
We are a registered community organisation in Queensland with a committee. Ready to contribute? We would like to hear from you.
Join us!
Click below to join us on meetup.com, or peruse our facebook page. Github is there too! We have a Discord! We can be reached below.
A delightful anecdote by our very own Emiterus Professor Ross Barnard.
A Visit to Simpson’s Chess Divan.During a visit to London in 2014, after seeking out 221 B, Baker Street (the address of the detective Sherlock Holmes), my partner and I chanced to walk past Simpson’s Chess Divan in the Strand, which is adjacent to the Savoy Hotel. At first impression it appeared to be an exclusive establishment (possibly “members only”), but we were, to our pleasant surprise, welcomed by the Doorman. We subsequently strolled through an entrance hall adorned with Chess memorabilia including a board used by Steinitz. Simpson’s has been host to many of the greats of the golden era of chess, including Steinitz, Bird, Blackburne, Morphy, Zukertort and Lasker; names that have featured in many compilations of chess puzzles. We proceeded upstairs to partake of an excellent afternoon tea, in very salubrious surroundings. Espresso Coffee was served in demi-tasses that were elegantly emblazoned with the Simpson’s logo (see below).
Demonstrating my plebian proclivities and the mentality of a trophy-hunting tourist, (or a latter-day “Bazza” Mackenzie ?), I naïvely asked the fastidiously garbed waiter if I could purchase such a cup as a souvenir. The waiter was aghast at the suggestion. “No, sorry Sir, we don’t do that”. Suitably embarrassed, I returned to masticating my macaroons, imbibing the (excellent) coffee, soaking up the fin-de siècle ambience, and hoping to be possessed by the spirits of the great chess players that presumably haunted the place.A few minutes later, the waiter re-appeared, carrying a small package wrapped in newspaper. He gave it to me. To my great delight, when I opened the package, a Simpson’s cup and saucer were revealed ! “Class” of a bygone age; the age of mythical chess, and patrician manners.Needless to say, on departure, I left a good-sized gratuity.To end, I leave you with Bird versus Steinitz, at Simpson’s Divan, 1866.Ross Barnard, 1/9/2025
NEWS 27/8/2025 - AGM Postponed - see new notice below
Annual General Meeting Notice
Brisbane Social Chess Inc. IA4682418 ABN 20129327738
Date of Notice: Sunday, 24 August 2025
To: All financial members of Brisbane Social Chess Inc.
Financial Year End: 30 June 2025
Formal Notice of Annual General Meeting
Pursuant to Rule 27 of the club's constitution, the annual general meeting
(AGM) of Brisbane Social Chess Inc. must be held within three months after the
end of the club's financial year. Notice is hereby given that the annual general
meeting of Brisbane Social Chess Inc. will be held as follows:
• Date: Sunday, 14 September 2025
• Time: 11:00 AM AEST
• Location: Gardens Cafe Roma St Parklands
This notice is sent no less than 14 days before the meeting via email to all
financial members as recorded in the club's register, based on the financial
member register as at the date this notice is sent. This notice may also be
posted on the club’s website and Facebook etc.
Agenda
• Welcome, apologies, and the president's and any committee report.
• Receiving and adopting the club's financial statement and the financial
member's review report for the financial year ended 30 June 2025.
• Confirmation or election of the new management committee.
• Consideration and appointment of an accountant, reviewer or other
verifier for the financial year ending 30 June 2026.
• Confirmation of club patron: "That Grandmaster David Smerdon be
confirmed as the club patron for the period until the next annual general
meeting, subject to his ongoing and unrevoked written consent, in
accordance with Rule 45 of the club's constitution."
Important Notes
• Eligibility and Voting: Only financial members (those who have paid an
annual fee which has not lapsed) are eligible to vote at this meeting or to
serve on the management committee. You can become a financial
member prior to the AGM via the club's official financial member portal
here: https://app.joinit.com/o/brisbane-social-chess.
• Proxy Voting: Votes may not be cast by proxy.
• Meeting Participation Technology Approval: Financial members may
participate in the meeting by using a telephone, and the chair of the
meeting will reasonably assist or cooperate with such remote
participation, such as by making a Zoom link
• Quorum: The quorum for this meeting is 7 financial members or all
financial members of the club, whichever is lesser. If no quorum is
achieved, the meeting will be adjourned to the same time and location
next week (Sunday, 21 September 2025, 11:00 AM AEST), and those
financial members who participate at the adjourned meeting will
constitute the quorum.
• Voting Method: Each question, matter or resolution will be decided by a
majority of votes of financial members (as there are no special
resolutions proposed).
• Method of Voting: Voting will be by a show of hands, except that if an
election is required for a contested committee position, this will be
conducted by a returning officer using paper ballots nominated by the
chair, independent of the committee and approved by a majority of
financial members with a show of hands. Early voting is also allowed if
sent from an email address from a financial member in reply to the club
secretary, who must announce by email to all financial members the final
nominations after the nomination deadline, including each nominee’s
electoral statement.
Management Committee Elections
• The management committee will consist of a president, treasurer,
secretary and two general committee members, for a total of 5 positions.
• All current committee members must retire from office at the AGM but
are eligible for re-election if they are financial members.
• Nomination Process: Nominations must be submitted on the official
Committee Nomination Form.
• Nomination Deadline: Completed nomination forms must be returned to
the secretary, Steve Anderson ([email protected]), by 5:00 PM AEST
on 7 September 2025.
Public Liability Insurance
The club does not currently hold public liability insurance. The management
committee has decided that the club cannot afford to pay for it at this time.
Financial members should be aware that a lack of public liability insurance may
put the association's assets at risk from legal claims. The management
committee annually considers the need for such insurance.
Related Documents (attached or available via hyperlinks below)
To ensure financial members have a chance to consider relevant information
before the meeting, the following documents are attached/linked for your
review:
• Minutes of the inaugural annual general meeting (2024)
• Financial statement and review report for the financial year ended 30
June 2025
• Committee nomination form (2025)
We look forward to your participation in the annual general meeting.
The Committee, Brisbane Social Chess Inc.