The Greater Seattle Chess Club to host its 50th meetup on August 12

by Jyotsna Bhushan - 11/08/2026

It's an incredible thing in our country how different communities, especially stand-up comics, share a love for Chess. From figures like Samay Raina, Anirban Das Gupta, Vaibhav Sethia, and Biswa Kalyan Rath, the list goes on. Following these comics, on January 9, 2025, Vaibhav Bajaj, a stand-up comedian, took a step further and launched a Chess Club in Seattle named "The Greater Seattle Chess Club" (GSCC), building an open, inclusive space where tech engineers, casual blitz fans, and serious rated players gather weekly at different locations across Seattle. Photos: Vaibhav Bajaj.

How It All Began

For Vaibhav, the story began much earlier, during the COVID-19 lockdown. With the world shut down, he stumbled upon chess content on YouTube, and he talks about his Chess journey in Lockdown Tryst with Chess. What began as something to watch during lockdown gradually turned into a genuine obsession with the game.

Vaibhav started playing chess online on April 25, 2020, and soon found himself following tournaments, studying the game's history, and playing blitz and rapid games regularly. His own journey was part of the wider chess boom that took place during the pandemic, when many comedians like Samay Raina, Anirban Das Gupta, Vaibhav Sethia, and Biswa Kalyan Rath helped introduce the game to a massive new audience

Stand Up Comic and Chess Enthusiast: Vaibhav Bajaj.

Years later, that online fascination would turn into something very different: an over-the-board chess community in Seattle. The original idea was to bring more members of the Indian and South Asian community together over chess. But it didn't take long for the club to evolve beyond that. Today, GSCC describes itself simply as a chess club for everyone regardless of playing strength, background, or experience. And that inclusiveness has become one of its defining features.

Greater Seattle Chess Club recently hosted its 49th Meet Up.

Inside the Greater Seattle Chess Club's Rollercoaster Journey

GSCC's early trajectory was a wild swing. A shoutout from ChessBase India sent attendance soaring to 70 players at a single meetup, which was an overwhelming, electric start for a brand-new club. But Seattle's rainy season had other plans. For roughly four months, turnout crashed to just 2–5 die-hard regulars. Meetups were cancelled often enough that it started to feel routine, and the club's future was genuinely uncertain. Yet Vaibhav never considered shutting it down. "Some regulars stuck with the club and slowly new people started knowing about it," he explains. "We again became a group of 10+ people who were regularly showing up that kept the club going."

Boards set, clocks running, and the Seattle chess community in full swing.

That persistence paid off. The 49th Meetup, held recently at Queen Anne Beerhall, a departure from the club's usual apartment-rooftop venues, drew nearly 25 players, a clear sign the slump was firmly behind them.

When Comedy Met Chess

Outside the club, Vaibhav does stand-up comedy and in a fun twist, he's actually played and beaten Samay Raina over the board.

Vaibhav Bajaj defeated the blunder master Samay Raina, himself!

That comedy world led to him opening for Anirban Dasgupta during his U.S. tour, and the two struck up a genuine friendship. When Anirban was in town, Vaibhav invited him straight to the 49th Meetup. Anirban ended up staying for hours, playing blitz against members across every skill level, trading banter over blunders, and soaking in the atmosphere. He went on a strong run early, defeating two players in a row until a 2000+rated member arrived and beat him. His game against Vaibhav himself turned into a long grind; Anirban fought back from a losing position with real grit before it ended in a draw.

Post-game smiles and pure energy at the Greater Seattle Chess Club with Anirban Das Gupta.

By the end of the night, he told Vaibhav he was pleasantly surprised by just how fun the club was and insisted the photos from the evening be shared.

What a Meetup Actually Looks Like

There's no rigid template for a GSCC session. Ahead of each meetup, Vaibhav posts the format for the day in the club's WhatsApp group. Some weeks it's casual games where players decide the rules on the fly; other weeks it's a proper Swiss-style 10+0 tournament. And then there are the wildcard nights which include bullet, hand and brain, bughouse, and other exciting variants that keep things fresh.

Master Simuls and a Culture of Mentorship

GSCC has hosted real chess talent, most notably IM Prasanna Rao, who came through for two simuls across 20 boards, winning every single game both times.

"During our first simul, it was a breeze for him, but over time as our strengths increased, he faced some competition during the second time," Vaibhav recalls. Prasanna also took time to break down positions with players afterward, pointing out what could have been done better.

Smiles after the second simul with IM Prasanna Rao.

That spirit of mentorship runs through the whole club. GSCC's strongest regulars are Pratik, Gautham, and Kishan, all FIDE/USCF-rated in the 1700–1900 range. They regularly play in outside rated tournaments, but at GSCC they're just as often found pausing their own games to coach beginners. As Vaibhav puts it, it's "zero ego, pure love for the game."

A few other names have become fixtures of the club: Ojaswita, the most consistent female player, has shown up to nearly every meetup this year. Shubham built the club's website, while Yogesh, Atharva, Mohit, Thanu, Mihir, and Sanket have all pitched in consistently to help the club grow.

Building the Coolest Chess-Culture Hub on the West Coast

GSCC started as a way to bring desis together over chess. It's since evolved into something more open: a club where anyone, regardless of skill level, can walk in, play, and learn from the surrounding community. With a WhatsApp group and a website on the way, the infrastructure is catching up to the community's growth.
Now, GSCC is set to celebrate its 50th meetup on Wednesday, August 12, back at Queen Anne Beerhall, a milestone the club is looking forward to marking with the people who've shared in its ups, downs, and everything in between.

Here is why you should join:

Whether you're a FIDE-rated regular looking for solid competition or someone who blunders pieces like clockwork, GSCC has a spot for you. It's a club built on companionship, good vibes, togetherness and community building where mentorship comes free with every game and the only real requirement is a love for chess. With the 50th Meetup around the corner, there's no better time to pull up a board and be part of what's next.