As my NYC fills with corporate chains and luxury shops, Chess Forum remains a rare gem--a nod to the Village's quirky, small-business past. More than a store, it's a hub for real human connection, led by a thoughtful, engaging, philosopher owner. Player or not, stop by. Let's keep this New York alive. read more

My sister surprised my son and took him here as he loves chess! This place was so unique and he was able to play games of chess (regular and speed) against other players. I love that places like this still exist. My son said it was one of best experiences of his life! read more

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Bought my first chess set from here! they have both tournament sets and regular wooden ones. Though they were out of the clocks when I was there. There's a seating area in the back where you can pay a small fee to play games with other players. Space is small though. Limited collection of books, and they have some magazines too. Definitely a must visit if you love chess. read more

Small, tight, and not set up in a welcoming manner. It's a cool concept, but the entire front room needs to be reworked and modernized - it's a hot mess. Too many bulky, dusty cabinets holding old chess sets no one's going to buy, and a single bookshelf (with almost no titles) that's literally enclosed in glass. First, they need to get rid of all of that furniture and really open up the front room with a wall of chess books and supplies. Have a single line where everyone who comes in can be asked if they want to play, setting them up with a potential opponent. A new paint job and some modernization will go a long way. This place has a lot of potential, but I just didn't see it. read more

Very chill down-to-earth place! Ian was extremely genuine warm-hearted gentleman! He offered water bottles ( free of charge) to us without even being asked! He got an extra chair out in case we would like to sit down. He was soft-spoken and always worn a smile. He gave some of less fortunate people money or some kind of help! Kids play free too. My son happily bought his magic chess book yesterday here. Of course, another reason I like it is because it reminds me my Berkeley time. read more

Chess Forum - Tabletop Games Near Me - New York, New York

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Amazing place! A true NYC gem for any chess lover! They also have amazing and unique chess sets which can be a memorable and valuable gift to those you care about, who appreciates and loves the game of chess. read more

This place is awesome! My 15 year old son started playing chess again after a hiatus during the pandemic but had recently started playing again. We stumbled upon this place in our NY trip, and the owner didn't charge my son or his 23 year old cousin to play. My son got in 6 games and had a great time and met some great players. He didn't want to leave. Imad (?) the owner loves the game and spent a lot of time speaking to our family and other families that walked in. There's not much time left on our trip, but my son is returning to play again. I hope Imad takes our money this time. read more

Chess Forum - Tabletop Games Near Me - New York, New York

This was such a unique experience and a cute shop. They have all different kinds of chess boards and they're all so unique. For $5 you can play a game of chess in the store. Every time I've been there's always been a spot open so it's a great place to drop in spontaneously read more

Chess Forum - Tabletop Games Near Me - New York, New York

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Good cool place only $5/hour. Yelp is making me write57 more words. Pls i have nothing else to say read more

Chess Forum - Tabletop Games Near Me - New York, New York

This is a must-stop for anyone who's a chess player-from novice to grandmaster level-in New York City. I dropped by here yesterday in a very foul mood, which immediately dissipated after starting a match with someone waiting at one of the tables. He turned out to be a new player who picked up the game during the lockdown. Had a great time. Additionally, there are tons of amazing, custom chess sets to peruse-like a Greek mythology set. Definitely worth visiting-even if you don't happen to know the game yourself. A game is $5-for adults-and $1-for seniors. read more

Really loved the place as soon as we walked in Great Selection of Chess Sets and friendly staff read more

This place is awesome. It literally doesn't get better than this. It's basically a museum, shop, and place to play in one. A chess lovers dream read more

a rainy day calls for chess! loved coming here and happy to see other patrons wanting to play with each other

A New York City landmark that deserves Landmark Status. How many happy hours we have spent here, playing chess and observing others at the sport! You will find chess knowledge at Chess Forum that is unavailable anywhere else on the planet. I can barely resist buying a new chess set every time I am there. Each is a work of art, and some rare sets go for amazingly reasonable prices. What I like most about Chess Forum is the mutual respect that is generated there by all who enter. You are at Chess Forum to play chess, whatever your level, and forget your woes. Chess Forum is why NYC has no urban equal. I can say that of not too many NYC businesses. They come and go. Chess Forum is forever. read more

I asked to be brought here today. First stop when we landed because for me it's when my second life began. In order to start a new one you need to leave the old one. I also came to buy a nice chess set for my new home. Someone who once meant the world to me taught me to play chess & brought me here. His father taught him & bought him here. I taught my son & will bring him here too. Our first real date was him paying for me to learn to play chess. Some might think it's corny but I taught it was so cool. It was unique but unforgettable. The store has an area in the back to learn to play chess. The chess boards & pieces are high quality. I bought a really nice walnut set to match my decor. They will even have it ship to your location. You want quality chess pieces then this is your place. I can proudly say I play chess daily thanks to him. Sad how life turns out. So definitely recommend this store to all the chess addicts out there. You won't regret it. :)))) read more

An absolute gem. This place has specialty chess sets as well as chess lessons and all things related to chess. The owner is always around and very genuine and approachable person. It was a pleasure talking to him. Highly recommend!!!! read more

Best place in the city. Hands down. A must-visit. The owner Imad is only in for late nights but he's incredibly generous and compassionate. Great guy. read more

Wow what a surprise Lil gem in the village. Find this chess shop which caters to the inner kasparov in you. Large variety of chess sets varying from low end to high end made of unique metals or wood. The designs ar phenomenal. You will definitly find one that suits your taste or as a gift for someone else. I particularly liked the sandalwood or rosewood variety but the DC comics jla set was super detailed. Great service and the clerks will explain all the wares and match up the best one for your purchase. Neat back area as well. Decorated in a chess theme and plenty of chess tables for a impromptu match. A definite chess hobbyist hangout spot for matches a purchase or to discuss things all chess. read more

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Every week I spend a couple of hours here. It feels like something from a few decades ago. They have always got a table and a chess clock if you need it. Its $5 per person per hour. For that price and for the relatively quiet environment, if you really want a spot to play chess in New York, I can't think of a better location. It beats out the boardgames and games places like Fat Cat and Uncommons on price and availability and how personal and welcoming it is. They sell chess sets and also some of the other classical games as well like Backgammon, go and the African Mancala boards as well. You can bring in your food and drink if you wish, as long as you are respectful of the others there. The people there are very knowledgable about the game and if you wish you can watch others play as well and learn a bit along the way! read more

Very unique hole-in-the-wall store with knowledgable staff. Kind of feels like you're in a Harry Potter wand store.

Our visit to Chess Forum was the highlight of our visit to NYC. The owner was the absolute kindest person we encountered during our trip. My 10 year old son, who loves chess, was welcomed in like a family member. The other patrons were kind and played with him and took the time to teach him as they played. There were beautiful chess sets to browse and purchase, books on learning chess and chess theory, and a general atmosphere of old-world charm. This will be at the top of our to-do list for any future visits. read more

Very friendly and chill vibe. and nice selection of chess sets. I bought my Classical set her. Beautiful looking and enjoyable to play! read more

The Classic Chess Shop of NYC! Always good competition to play (something like $5 an hour to play). And great chess sets available. Chill atmosphere. read more

A good replacement for me for the village, but definitely an odd group. The person in front is nice and definitely not odd but then you go to the back. A bunch of guys, mostly 55 and up, talking rather randomly, insulting, kibitzing, laughing, etc. while Renaissance as well as Mozart plays in the background. It is honestly a fun place to play chess and for 5 bucks an hour, it is extremely cheap in comparison to virtually everything else for chess in NY unless you wish to go to the back of a bar to play. In terms of the actual shop: A wide variety of chess sets, not super pricy except for the sets that really should be that price. Not enough chess clocks or books. It is mostly boards. read more

I loved my visit and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a welcoming space to learn or play chess or backgammon. I really appreciated the ambiance and hospitality. read more

Went by the store today at 11:02am, I wasn't open, went by again around 11:20am wasn't open then either. No signs were posted.

Came here with a friend to play Scrabble after we couldn't get into The Uncommon across the street. At first I felt slightly intimidated since everyone there looked like hardcore chess players and we were playing Scrabble instead, but no one seemed to give us strange looks because they were so engrossed in their game. My friend and I had a nice time testing out our word play and afterwards did give Chess a try and it was fun. We both weren't very good at it though, but we did leave feeling smarter. :) My only comment or advice is to bring your own food and drink since they don't sell any at Chess Forum. read more

Great place for adults and children to play live chess in a super casual environment. Kids are always free and they even host a free lesson on Saturdays at 2 PM. Adults pay a super reasonable $5 per hour to play - it's pretty much on the honor system. Extremely casual environment - there are about 12 chess tables setup towards the back of the store. On a recent Saturday afternoon about 10 were being used by both adults & children. My son and I encountered a wide range of skill sets here, probably players rated from about 500 to 1500. Some were playing timed games and some not. Store also sells collectors chess sets mostly priced over $100. A lot more people seem to be playing than buying. read more

We had a great experience here! It was a nice atmosphere, and the employee was very helpful. We played for an hour and bought chessboards. We'll definitely return! read more

This place smells of mildew, body odor and bathroom. On a hot summer day no AC making the smells worse. I could not take it. I could understand paying if at least it had AC, but I'd rather pay a hustler to teach me something. Everything is overpriced. Instead I'd rather go to the Chess House in CP. The bad odor is just too much. read more

My 7 year old happens to like chess, so we couldn't resist going in to peek while walking by. We were immediately welcomed by Imad, the Chess Forum's warm owner who made us feel right at home and let my son choose a cool Super Mario board to play. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, their site mentions it's the last old style New York City chess parlor where you can play chess for as little as $5 an hour, $1 for senior citizens and Children always Play Free!! INCREDIBLE. If you're looking for something cool/different in NYC CHECK IT OUT. Think date night or a chance to exercise your brain! I promise, it's fantastic and I promise you will love Imad. Thank you Chess Forum for a fantastic night! read more

Chess Forum - We had such a great time, this the Instagram post I shared with their info, pictured is my son & Imad. Such a wonderful place! - Tabletop Games Near Me - New York, New York

Ever want to play a game with your love ones? your enemy? This is the place for you! Jk. You're better off playing at The Uncommons where they have a wider range of board games with the youngin'. But if you want a low-key place, you've arrived at the right location! It's pretty small inside with regulars. You can learn quite a bit from watching other people's game. at least.. I did.. :D There were some moves where I've never even seen nor heard of... Such as Castling. Each player is pretty knowledgeable. With age comes wisdom, amirite? The fees are $5 per person per hour. -H read more

Such a cool place! I played chess a lot in my childhood, so I had to come in here. They have boards ranging from $10 - $100s. You can find all kinds of unique chess boards here. Some of the pieces are so intricate, hand-painted. There were several kinds - armed forces (USMC, USAF pieces), Mario, WWII, Zelda, Moghul, Street Fighters, you name it. Perfect for any chess lover, and fascinating even if you aren't. There are tables in the back so you can walk in and play a few games. The prices are very cheap, a couple paid $10 for a few hours of play I believe. They also offer drinks for purchase. The owners are very knowledgeable and friendly! Worth checking out! read more

Greenwich Village is rapidly becoming the hipster capital of NYC. Between the trendy St Marks Place and the vegetarian restaurants popping up all over the place, it's growing more difficult to find those bits of Manhattan that have any old time charm left. One sunny Saturday, I went with a group of friends to The Uncommons, the new board game shop that took over the Village Chess Store not too long ago, but after playing a couple games there, I decided instead to scope out the Chess Forum across the street, because I didn't want to learn another obscure game at the Uncommons. Walking in to the Chess Forum, you know that you've left the ultra hip Village and entered into a section of a Manhattan that is slowly disappearing. It's not hip, it's not trendy, and it's definitely not new...and that's what makes it so wonderful. In the front there are chess boards for sale, but in the back are set up chess tables and about 10 or so people playing at any given moment. I played 4 games while I was there, not bad for $5/hour. Granted, I lost all 4, once to a hustler (which cost me $2, but I don't mind because that's what gives these places character), and the other to an 8 year old prodigy who played above his years. Wooden walls and old chess boards fill the place, manned by a young Russian sounding man who looks like he inherited the place. And he explained how difficult it is to stay in business because of the rent. Therefore, I intend to hype this place because it's the last bit of non pretension in the entire area, and I want to see this place survive. Chess is a great game, and these places should be supported, lest the hipsters completely take over. read more

Creepy, smelly, filled with old men. I was on a quest to find the original version of the game Risk. I wanted to buy it from an independently owned game shop rather than the monstrous Toys R Us in Times Square or Barnes & Noble in Union Square (by the way B &N Union Square only carries special editions of Risk not the original). I decided to check out the Chess Forum in the hope that other games might be offered (as there are other games in the display window). Upon entering I was overtaken by the strong odor, smelling similar to a nursing home, and the large all male audience glaring at me like I was the lone girl at a nude beach. The only "risk" I encountered here was the risk of staying in this creepy environment and becoming one of these gamers. I understand that some people might find this sort of "old" chess environment appealing, but it wasn't my cup of tea. read more

This cute little chess store located right in Greenwich Manhattan... So many things to do here that involves drinking /clubbing/comedy ...it just makes you think why would there be a chess store here.... This is A place where you can relax and play a round of chess... Soooo many adorable chess sets to choose from...chess pieces can involves the things you enjoy...such as food/show/animals....your favorite things as chess pieces how cool is that... There only one person working there... Very small and outdated shop...but it still works... Very cozy and the product is some what lovable for all ages... Pretty pricy...you get to go inside to play a round of chess as well... The time I was here which was 11:30 pm it was empty but was still opened... Not a really into chess but thought it was still a cozy little store! Why not you go in and check it out yourself! :) read more

Old school chess set store with boards set up for play. Very reasonable to play, but no-frills here. The staff is very knowledgeable and will play a round with you. If you are looking for a gift, they have many sets on display ranging in price. read more

Thompson street in the West Village has quite a few chess shops but the one my boyfriend and I love is Chess Forum. It's quiet, friendly. We both love the owner---he has a great love for chess & people in general. Pros come in and watch games or talk to each other about the game---from kids to adults. And it's just $1 per game per person. Tea included! read more

What can I say about this place? It's very tidy and well organized, a polar opposite from Village Chess Shop a few doors down. Dave was there and was very helpful. I was looking at really nice ebony sets plus board for the future but also wanted to take home a cheap weighted plastic set and a mat and he helped me navigate their many offerings. There were several outstanding deals to be had with particular pairings of sets and boards. I left with a triple-weighted plastic Lasker set and a silicone mat that makes a great, portable full-sized kit. I will definitely be returning to get a nice ebony set from them in the future. They have a great selection of literature from the classic method books to very specific areas such as openings and end games and they sport a nice chess clock selection as well. Plus, prices to play on the back tables are very low. This place is amazing. read more

Chess Forum - Tabletop Games Near Me - New York, New York

This place. What can I say. My gf and I love it! We stumbled upon this place one fall Saturday evening last year and ended up staying til 3 AM playing a few long games of chess (long not because we are both great, but because we both are equally terrible). The owner is one of the funniest guys ever, and will always keep you laughing. He is a wonderul man with a simple passion: chess. In fact, I can't remember the last time he has ever charged us (claiming that he won't until my gf beats me). Even if he did charge us, it would cost us about $4 for a couple hours of chess playing. How can you beat that price in the West Village?? read more