Community of players grows at Manasota Chess Center

Chess just might be easier than you think, if you take the word of Nicholas Lewis.

“The great thing about chess is it's a big myth that it just is this hard game where you have to see 30 moves ahead or whatever,” he said. “It can actually be a very simple game to learn. Sure, becoming good at it is hard, but that’s true of anything.”

If you are hoping to hone your abilities, he’s the founder and executive director of a place where you can do just that. 

Tucked away in the Crossings at Siesta Key mall is Manasota Chess Center.

Since its opening in 2021, the club, which also offers a location in the Bradenton subdivision of GreyHawk Landing, has grown significantly with an expansion to over 200 cumulative members.

Members come from unexpected places, Lewis said, as far away as Naples or even Miami and Gainesville.

Said to be one of the only brick-and-mortar chess clubs in the state of Florida, the center offers a contrast with most such clubs, which are nomadic, meeting at locations like libraries, cafes and bookstores.

“Our mantra is learn, compete and connect, and we've really developed and fleshed out programs in all three of those areas,” Lewis said.

Across generations

At the forefront of the club’s focus is education — for all ages.

It offers classes for different levels on-site, but it's also branching out further. 

One way it is doing so is by developing partnerships with retirement and senior living communities as a way to improve the mental dexterity of residents. These programs involve a coach, tailoring the experience to the clientele whether it be supervised casual play, or instruction.

“Statistically, chess and strategic games show the biggest impact on cognitive decline, compared to anything else, including social activities and music or whatever else they offer,” Lewis said.

For younger players, they are launching a program of summer camps, and in the fall, they plan to reach out to many elementary schools.

Photo by Ian Swaby

“Everybody's looking to do something now that they don't have at school, so we started to introduce the summer camps,” said Bob Bernstein, the director of marketing and business operations. “And, of course, the competition there is not just other people offering summer camps for chess. It’s summer camps for tennis, sailing and arts and crafts, but a lot of kids still like to play chess, so it’s a good program to have for the summer.”

Another facet of the club that has grown is the competition programs, which are mainly tournaments designed for more serious players.

“Back at the time (the club opened), we only had a couple of tournaments, and they were very small,” Lewis said. “And now we've reached tournaments of 30 people.”

Since the center's opening, its reputation has grown as well, with it having been runner-up for the Chess Club of the Year award from the U.S. Chess Federation in 2023. 

Lewis said it currently ranks in the Top 12 clubs in terms of bringing new participants into tournament chess.

Although the mall, which is planned for redevelopment by Benderson Development, does not see the activity it once did, the club does receive some foot traffic. However, Bernstein said, the majority of visitors are seeking out a place to play chess.

Part of the growth of club has been generated by a boom in online chess during the pandemic, he said, with players hoping to continue their journey in chess through in-person, social experiences.

The location hosts nights that are open to all, both members and non-members, as well as Just for Kids and Just for Seniors nights for members.

The two executive staff members say the game is filled with social experiences. 

“You just meet people that are really interesting,” Bernstein said. “Chess players are not just boring intellectual people. There’s talent that goes well beyond chess in the background, and that’s always interesting.”

“There's 32 pieces, 64 squares, infinite possibilities. People connect over those possibilities,” Lewis said. “I've seen people analyze for hours, just going through. ‘Yeah, I could have played this move, you could have played this move, I could have done this.'”

Nine-year-old Evan Santiago is one individual who has found a use for the location.

“I like that there's a lot of people that are on a very high level, because for me, the way that I learn chess is from another chess player,” he said. “We could play games with each other and see how we do on our chess tactics, and train. Even a grandmaster can learn from someone that's above a master, but that's very rare.”

As participants discover the game, they may find that the key to success isn't thinking 30 moves ahead at all, but is much simpler.

“Most grandmasters look about three moves ahead, the same as anyone else, but they always pick the right move,” Lewis said.

Photo by Ian Swaby