Our History

Box Hill Chess Club was founded in 1952, with its first meetings held at Box Hill Town Hall. The club began with a small group of local chess enthusiasts and quickly established regular competition before moving to the Irving Avenue Tennis Pavilion in 1954.

The Irving Avenue Tennis Pavilion was home to Box Hill Chess Club for an extraordinary 43 years. Despite its modest size, generations of players gathered here for club nights and weekend tournaments. By the 1990s, growing membership and a rapidly expanding junior program meant the club had finally outgrown its long-time home.

After considering several possible venues, the committee chose the Carrington Centre and Box Hill Chess Club officially moved in on 5 May 1997. The larger venue provided much-needed space for tournaments and junior activities, beginning an important new period of growth for the club.

In 2006, Box Hill Chess Club moved to Emulation Hall. With a large playing hall and separate analysis room, the new home provided space for tournaments of up to 100 players and went on to host major events including the Victorian Open, Victorian Junior Championships and Victorian Interclub competition.

In early 2015, Box Hill Chess Club and Canterbury Junior Chess Club began a new chapter at 21A Electra Avenue, Ashwood. The venue has since become the centre of a thriving program of rated tournaments, junior coaching and club activities, continuing a chess tradition that began more than seven decades ago.