Playing Chess in Bordeaux: Clubs and History
Bordeaux combines a club steeped in tradition, which produced the future grandmaster Mathieu Cornette, with a new address in the heart of the city, founded in 2023 by a grandmaster and an International Master. This guide collects what is actually accessible in today's club scene. Where something could not be verified, it is not listed here.
Chess clubs in Bordeaux
The Fédération Française des Échecs (French Chess Federation) oversees the clubs in the region through its Comité de la Gironde. The following selection shows clubs whose game night is publicly listed. A dash means the club does not publish the time permanently, so it's worth checking the club's website.
| Club | District | Game night |
|---|---|---|
| Caïssa Bordeaux | City center (Chapeau-Rouge) | Monday 6:30–8:00 pm & 8:30–10:00 pm |
| Bordeaux Échecs (USB) | – | – |
The complete list of all member clubs is kept by the Fédération Française des Échecs. Please check each club's website for current dates – game nights regularly shift during school holidays.
A note for a first visit: Caïssa Bordeaux is just a few steps from the Grand Théâtre and is open to members seven days a week – it was founded in 2023 by grandmaster Sébastien Mazé and International Master Thibault Fantinel. Bordeaux Échecs, the chess section of the Union Saint-Bruno, has been affiliated with the Fédération Française des Échecs since 1992 and fields its own youth teams in "Top Jeunes" and "Nationale III Jeune".
Playing chess outdoors: chess tables and meeting spots
A municipal directory of public outdoor chess tables could not be confirmed for Bordeaux. The most reliable way to find an open game remains one of the two clubs – with its seven-day access for members, Caïssa Bordeaux offers particularly good flexibility.
Anyone wanting to play on the go is best served by a foldable travel set that fits in any bag and is ready to use at almost any table.
Tournaments and open events
Today's Echiquier Bordelais, successor to Bordeaux Echecs founded in 1992, rose all the way to Nationale 1 in 2002 – the top French team league – and counted two particularly talented young players among its ranks, Mathieu Cornette and David Bazart, of whom Cornette later became an International Grandmaster. In addition, the Fédération Française des Échecs organizes the regional championships of the Gironde, in which the Bordeaux clubs take part with their teams.
Anyone entering a tournament for the first time should know beforehand what equipment is required. The dimensions are not a matter of taste but are regulated – you can read up on them in our article on official tournament chess standards.
Chess for children and teenagers
On Wednesdays, Caïssa Bordeaux teaches two separate youth groups – 1:30 to 2:30 pm for children aged 10 and over, 2:30 to 3:30 pm for the younger ones – taught directly by the founders, a grandmaster and an International Master. Bordeaux Échecs also brings chess to around twenty schools in the city and fields its own youth teams in national league play.
Getting started at home takes very little at first: a board of sensible size and pieces that smaller hands can grip easily. Which square size goes with which king height is explained in our article on chessboard size.
Bordeaux and chess history
In December 1991, the dedicated teacher Jean-Renaud Lagunes acquired a building on Rue Buhan to create a dedicated chess room. In September 1992, together with fellow enthusiasts such as Philippe Collet, Michel Daumens and Eric Leriche, he founded the club Bordeaux Echecs, which quickly became the most active and best-known club in the whole Aquitaine region. The decisive boost came in 1994 with a generation of talented young players around David Bazart and Mathieu Cornette – the latter later became an International Grandmaster – and, together with experienced players such as Jean-Luc Seret, the club won promotion to Nationale 1 in 2002.
In 2004, internal tensions led to a split in the original club. Lagunes revived play at the same location under the new name Echiquier Bordelais and carried on the club's mission. Since then the club has remained active in national league play and brings chess to around twenty Bordeaux schools – with three stone playing rooms, extensive libraries and electronic chess clocks, the club premises on Rue Buhan still rank among the best equipped in France.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I play chess in Bordeaux without a membership?
Most easily through the open club evening at Caïssa Bordeaux on Mondays near the Grand Théâtre.
Which Bordeaux chess club is suitable for beginners?
Caïssa Bordeaux offers separate Monday sessions for beginners and advanced players, taught by a grandmaster and an International Master.
Are there public outdoor chess tables in Bordeaux?
A municipally documented setup could not be confirmed. The more reliable route is through the city's open club offerings.
Which well-known player came out of the Bordeaux chess scene?
Mathieu Cornette, part of the Bordeaux Echecs youth squad in the 1990s, later became an International Grandmaster.
From Cornette to today: Bordeaux chess tradition you can hold in your hands
Anyone who has played with borrowed equipment at a Bordeaux club evening quickly notices the difference to a well-made set of their own. For a regular game night, our handcrafted wooden sets are a good fit – solid wood, visible grain, pieces with noticeable weight. If you would like to honor the history of the Echiquier Bordelais since 1992, you will find boards with character and patina among our collector's pieces. And for a gift to a club member after a tournament win, it's worth looking at our engraved sets: a dedication in the wood outlasts any trophy. Soho Chess is a Berlin brand. Take a look around.
Read more about chess culture in Nice and in the German capital in our articles Playing chess in Nice and Chess and Berlin.
