Bangkok's top 5 chess clubs and venues

Bangkok's oldest and most storied chess club has called The Royal Oak home for decades and Friday nights here have become something of a local institution. Players begin drifting in around 7pm for casual games and conversation. By 8pm, blitz tournaments are underway and the atmosphere shifts up a gear. Expats, locals, titled players and curious beginners all rub shoulders at the same tables.

What makes it special is the range. With over 200 active members representing dozens of nationalities, you're as likely to face a Grandmaster as you are someone who only just found out the pawns can jump two squares. The BCC also organises the annual BCC Open – one of Asia's most prestigious chess tournaments, drawing players from across the globe – but none of that pomp makes Friday night feel anything other than easy and welcoming.

Time Out tip: Arrive before 7.30pm to get a casual warm-up game in before the tournament starts. First-timers are always welcomed – just walk in and they’ll show you the ropes.

Bangkok Chess Club. The Royal Oak, Sukhumvit 33/1, Phrom Phong. Free. Every Friday from 7pm

This is the competitive backbone of Bangkok’s professional chess scene. Red Knight is a chess academy that regularly hosts FIDE-rated tournaments open to registered players (FIDE, the sport’s international governing body, oversees the global rating system). It is the city’s go-to address for anyone serious about putting an official number on their game. The club regularly co-organises major open competitions and its roster of coaches works with everyone from promising juniors to adult improvers.

Red Knight also organises the annual NIST Chess Championship – one of the biggest open tournaments in Thailand – held at NIST International School once a year. 

Time Out tip: Check redknightchess.com for the monthly tournament calendar. FIDE-rated Rapid events fill up fast.

Red Knight Chess Club. Prasarnmit Plaza, Sukhumvit 23, Watthana. See website for schedule. redknightchess.com

For those who want to enjoy the professionalism of Red Knight but in a more relaxed, drop-in setting  – then their very own chess cafe is where you’ll find boards embedded in tables open for beginners and pros alike. Every Saturday from 7pm, the cafe hosts a ‘Casual Chess Evening’ with a free 7-round Swiss blitz tournament running from 8pm to 9.30pm, open to absolutely anyone who knows the basic rules. The winner walks away with a B300 cafe voucher; everyone else walks away having had a good time.

If you’re more of a morning person, Wednesdays bring ‘Coffee, Chess and Croissants’ – a relaxed adult meetup from 10am to noon, with optional coaching sessions for those who want to ‘get good.’

Time Out tip: The Saturday tournament caps at 26 players and, just like the coffee, is first come, first served.

Red Knight Chess Cafe. Bambini Villa, Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Toei. Free, cafe spend encouraged. Saturdays 7-10pm (tournament from 8pm), Wednesdays 10am-noon

This one’s a more serious chess academy, although it comes with the benefits of a genuinely open-door club scene attached. BRCA Chess Club members meet every Sunday at 1pm and Wednesday at 4.30pm for game sessions and small rated tournaments – and walk-ins are welcome at both. Big Rook also runs after-work chess tournaments throughout the year, which do exactly what they say: give working adults a structured, social evening of chess without any of the stuffy chess-style formality.

The academy has become one of Thailand's most active chess organisations, partnering with the Thailand Chess Association to host international opens and running youth development programmes alongside adult sessions. 

Time Out tip: The Sunday afternoon club session is the most sociable entry point for newcomers. Single entry is B200.

Big Rook Chess Academy. 15 Pattanavet 11, Pridi Bhanomyong 26, Vadhana. B200. Club sessions Sun 1pm, Wed 4.30pm. bigrookchess.com

Blue Parrot is an open-air garden restaurant in Sathorn with a tropical, unhurried feel that's somehow both lush and central. Happy Pawn Chess Club has made it their spiritual home, hosting tournaments and multi-day chess camps here throughout the year.

This is definitely the city’s  go-to chess destination for younger players and their families. The atmosphere is relaxed and encouraging – trophies, certificates and the odd chess magazine make it feel like a proper event without any of the intimidation. 

Time Out tip: Happy Pawn also hosts monthly tournaments at Alliance Française Bangkok – a cooler, more formal setting if the outdoor setting isn't your thing. 

Happy Pawn Chess Club. Blue Parrot Bangkok, Yen Akat 2, Sathorn. Event dates vary. happypawnchess.com