The Christchurch Chess Club was formed in 1866 for a telegraph match against the Nelson Chess Club. The club then became nearly inactive until 1877, when it was revived to prepare to host the 1879 NZ Chess Championships. Following the Championships, some disgruntled members left the club, and the Canterbury Chess Club was born, on the 18th of October, 1879. As for the Christchurch Chess Club, nearly the whole membership had gone to the Canterbury Chess Club by the end of 1879, leaving the old Christchurch Chess Club non-existent.
The Canterbury Chess Club has been providing a place and chess equipment for over 120 years. That's a long time, given that Christchurch itself has been settled for only 150 years (or so). Throughout that time, many tournaments have been run by the club, including the New Zealand championships, or Congress as it is known. The South Island Championships has been run here on many occasions as well, with 2005 being the most recent occasion.
June 2009 saw a new chapter for the Canterbury Chess Club, as the club sold its clubrooms at 227 Bealey Avenue and set up the Canterbury Chess Trust as a charitable trust to foster chess and look after the clubrooms and finances. The Canterbury Chess Trust bought an office in a small block at 27 Tyne Street, and the club's first night at the new premises was July 1, 2009.
Unfortunately for the Bealey Avenue property, it was significantly damaged in the major earthquake of September 4, 2010, and further damaged in the subsequent earthquake of February 22, 2011, which saw the old clubrooms receive a red sticker.
For further information on the club, contact Craig Hall.