May 2026 Newsletter: Tournament Monday, New Programs, and a Civil War Chess Set Raffle

CDA Chess Club · Newsletter Club News, Tournaments & Resources This month at CDA Chess: a tournament week ahead, a new program at the Hayden Library, our Chess.com partnership, a raffle of a one-of-a-kind set, and a call for volunteers. Read what interests you, skip the rest.

🕒 This Monday, May 18 Rounds 3 and 4 of our current tournament are this Monday, May 18. Pairings will be set at the meeting based on who shows up — current standings and tournament details at cdachess.com.

♟ New Program New Chess Program at the Hayden Library — All Ages Welcome

Good news for North Idaho chess players: the Community Library Network at Hayden has launched a new All Ages Chess program, and they'd love to see more of us at the table. The program meets on the second Monday of each month from 2:00–4:00 PM at the Hayden Library. Kathleen Kennedy and her team have supplies on hand for up to 10 games at a time, so whether you're a seasoned tournament player or just learning the ropes, there's a board waiting for you. Drop in, bring a friend, and enjoy a relaxed afternoon of chess with neighbors.

2026 Schedule Monday, June 8  ·  2:00–4:00 PM Monday, July 13  ·  2:00–4:00 PM Monday, August 10  ·  2:00–4:00 PM Monday, September 14  ·  2:00–4:00 PM Monday, October 19  ·  2:00–4:00 PM Third Monday — library closed October 12 for Columbus Day Monday, November 9  ·  2:00–4:00 PM Monday, December 14  ·  2:00–4:00 PM

Location & Contact Community Library Network — Hayden Branch Kathleen Kennedy, Adult Programming Specialist (208) 772-5612, ext. 126

This is a brand-new program, and the more players who turn out, the more it grows. If you've been looking for a friendly, no-pressure place to push some pawns, mark your calendar and come on by. Let's help Kathleen build something that lasts well into 2027 and beyond. VISIT THE HAYDEN LIBRARY →

♔ Club Partnership CDA Chess Club Joins the Chess.com Affiliate Program A new way for members to support the club — without spending a penny more than they would anyway.

CDA Chess Club has officially been accepted into the Chess.com Affiliate Program. In plain English: whenever a member upgrades to Chess.com Premium using our club's link, Chess.com sends a small commission back to CDA Chess — at no extra cost to you, ever. We weren't looking for a sponsor. But this one made sense. A lot of you already play on Chess.com between Monday meetings — drilling puzzles, reviewing games, keeping your edge sharp seven days a week. If you were ever going to upgrade to Premium, you may as well do it through a link that helps the club.

Where the Proceeds Go Keep our doors open and our meetings free. No membership fees. Not now, not ever. That has always been the model and we'd like to keep it that way. Reinvest in equipment. Boards, clocks, score sheets, and outreach materials we can hand to new players — especially kids and beginners walking in for the first time.

When you decide to go Chess.com Premium — or when your subscription comes up for renewal — start from this link: GO.CHESS.COM/CDACHESS → Same Premium, same price, but a piece of it loops back to the club. If you're not interested in Premium, that's completely fine — keep playing on the free tier and we'll see you Monday at 6.

Affiliate disclosure: CDA Chess Club is an independent affiliate of Chess.com. We may earn a commission when you upgrade to Premium through our link, at no additional cost to you.

♞ Club Raffle Win a Civil War Themed Chess Set — $5 a Ticket A one-of-a-kind set with a story worth telling — and a chance to bring it home while supporting the club.

This Civil War-themed chess set first came to CDA Chess last year as a gift from Jean Curran, a local resident who donated her late husband's beloved chess set to the club. Proceeds from last year's raffle funded several tournament chess sets and clocks that we still use every Monday — a quiet but lasting contribution to the club's life. The winning ticket belonged to club member John McPhee, who has kept the set in a place of honor in his home ever since. This year, in the same spirit Jean started, John has donated it back so another member can take it home — and so the next round of proceeds can keep building the club. Every piece is a real historical figure, hand-painted in remarkable detail. Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd lead the Union side, while Jefferson Davis and Varina preside over the Confederacy. Generals Grant and Lee stand among the officers of their respective armies, and rows of soldier pawns hold the front lines. The whole set is housed in a custom oak case — the kind of piece you don't find at retail.

Raffle Details Tickets: $5 each  ·  buy as many as you'd like Drawing: Monday, June 29 — at our weekly meeting Where the proceeds go: Back into the club — equipment, outreach, keeping Monday meetings free

How to Get Tickets 1. In person at any Monday meeting. Find John or any club officer at McDonald's at Riverstone, 6:00–8:00 PM. Cash or check. 2. By email. Drop us a line at info.cdachess@gmail.com and we'll arrange your tickets and payment.

Whether you're a Civil War buff, a collector of unusual sets, or just looking to give the club a hand — pick up a ticket or two. Every dollar stays with CDA Chess. EMAIL FOR TICKETS →

♖ Get Involved Help Us Grow — Become a Club Tournament Director We're looking to grow our team of certified Tournament Directors — and we'd love to see some of you step up.

Becoming a Club-level TD is much simpler than most people think. There's no big commitment up front, no test, and no required rating — just a willingness to learn the ropes alongside two TDs who are already doing it.

What it Takes ✓ No chess rating required ✓ No written test for the first three years ✓ A signed statement that you've read the USCF rulebook ✓ A short SafeSport training course (~90 minutes)

As a certified TD, you'd help us run USCF-rated events right here in Coeur d'Alene — giving our members more competitive opportunities and putting our club on the map for players across the region. You don't need to go it alone. We currently have two certified TDs on our team who work together. We're looking for a few more people to share the load and learn alongside us.

Interested? Have questions? Reach out to Steve or Deon, or bring it up at our next Monday meeting. We'd love to talk it through with you. Want to dig into the details on your own? See the official USCF Tournament Directors page. Let's build something great together. ♟ I'M INTERESTED →

CDA Chess Club Coeur d'Alene, Idaho · Mondays 6:00–8:00 PM at McDonald's at Riverstone · cdachess.com