Based on the success of their citywide chess tournament in June, a local family is organizing another one this month – with more planned for the future.
Dubbed the Los Altos Chess Meetup, the next event is scheduled 10:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 27 at State Street Market in downtown Los Altos.
Sandesh Mouli estimated that 40-50 people participated in the inaugural June 25 tournament he organized with son Logan and daughter Shreya. Nine-year-old Logan, who came up with the idea for the event, said he was pleasantly surprised with the turnout.
Participants ranged in age from 6 to late 70s, according to Sandesh, and they were paired by skill level.
“The idea was to mix old and young folks,” he said.
Most of the participants were at a beginner or intermediate level, Sandesh added, but there were several experienced chess players who joined as well. During the time of the meetup, people were able to play three to four games. Many who joined were avid chess players who often played online and welcomed the opportunity to play face-to-face.
Seven-year-old Shreya said her favorite part of the tournament was “seeing how many people were having fun.”
The family’s next goal is to have a hundred people join their mailing list and get 30-40 of them to attend the August meetup and future tournaments. They aim to hold them monthly.
After the June tournament, Sandesh said many people stuck around to eat lunch at State Street Market, which he called an ideal location for the event.
State Street Market is located at 170 State St.
For more information on the Los Altos Chess Meetup, email [email protected] or visit tinyurl.com/losaltoschess.
